Melnik J. Religious orientations as a factor in self-development of personality

In the thesis, the problem of religious orientations of the personality as a factor of its self-development has been theoretically substantiated and empirically studied. The comparative analysis of the concept of «self-development» has been carried out, the specificities of the term «religious orientation» in relation to «values» and «value orientations» are substantiated, features of religiously oriented self-development have been described. The subgroups of respondents with different levels and types of religious orientations are empirically distinguished: on the whole, they are of low religious orientation, average religious orientation, high external and high internal religious orientation. The specificity of the categorical-semantic structure of the basic value orientations of individuals from the corresponding subgroups has been investigated. The features of personal self-actualization profiles, specificity of self-knowledge, goal-setting and self-improvement of respondents with different levels and types of religious orientations are revealed. The statistically significant differences between them according to the relevant components of self-development are determined. The dynamics of religious orientations, as well as the main indicators of self-actualization, concrete components of self-knowledge, goal-setting and self-improvement, have been established, on the basis of which the significance of the internal religious orientation as a factor of self-development of the personality has been demonstrated.