The Role of Social Environment in the Formation of Self-Awareness

Process in Preschool Children

Nozima Mullabaeva

1,*

, Shokhroza Abdunazarova

2,†

and Abdulla Sharafitdinov

2,‡

National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Jizzakh branch of the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, Jizzakh, Uzbekistan

Keywords Preschool, Self-Awareness, Psychological Development, Cognitive Development, Ontogenetic Development,

Social Relations, Social Environment, Formation of "Self".

Abstract The process of self-awareness in preschool age is influenced not only by biological factors but also by the

development that occurs under the influence of socially and psychologically consistent external stimuli. These

stimuli can even lead to age-related developmental delays. The family and pre-school educational institutions,

which form the primary social environment, play a crucial role in educational, psychological, and pedagogical

activities.

1 INTRODUCTION

From birth, individuals undergo a process of physical

growth and mental development influenced by

various objective and subjective factors and

conditions. Throughout ontogenetic development, the

influence of the social environment and relationships

leads to dynamic changes. The dynamic

characteristics of an individual are shaped by the

personal variability of behavioural qualities resulting

from the impact of the social environment.

Throughout life, individuals interact with the

objective world directly and indirectly as they study

the environment and society. This interaction

influences emotional, intellectual, and behavioural

development. The process of acquiring vital

knowledge, skills, and competencies involves

internalization and exteriorization of the subject's

interaction with the object. In other words, the

external environment influences the inner psyche of

the individual, and the inner spiritual world

influences the external environment. Human

development, both physical and spiritual, has always

been a priority at every stage of life.

One of the main factors contributing to individual

perfection is the level of development of self-

awareness [Goziyev E.2002]. Self-awareness is a

Corresponding author

complex process that evolves through the individual's

relationship with oneself and various social

environments. The process of self-awareness is

closely linked to cognitive and social cognition. It

plays a crucial role in the ontogenetic development of

the human personality, aiding in overcoming age-

specific mental crises and finding one's place and

status in different social environments.

Understanding one's potential is vital for self-

development. The renowned theorist K. Rodgers also

emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in his

phenomenological theory. In this theory, man is

described as an active being who is goal-oriented and

capable of self-direction towards a goal. When there

is a discrepancy between the concept of self-

awareness and the experience of the whole organism,

a threat arises, and individuals may distort or deny

perception to protect their sense of self. This gap

between self-awareness and real experience can lead

to changes in personality and psychopathology

[Hjelle L., D. 1992]. Rodgers explains that

individuals evaluate the external objective world

through their subjective perception, and self-

awareness involves analysing subjective perceptions,

needs, and desires, which significantly influence

behaviour. All personality traits are reflected in the

concept of "self." Therefore, the process of self-

awareness is intrinsically linked to mental

development, with a continuous connection between

152

Mullabaeva, N., Abdunazarova, S. and Sharaﬁtdinov, A.

The Role of Social Environment in the Formation of Self-Awareness Process in Preschool Children.

DOI: 10.5220/0012480000003792

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 1st Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies (PAMIR 2023), pages 152-156

ISBN: 978-989-758-687-3

psychological characteristics and the process of self-

awareness.

A child's personal social psychological development

is influenced by factors such as heredity,

environment, and education. Life experiences also

play a significant role in shaping personal

management. Individuals often base their behaviour

on their own life experiences, and self-awareness

allows them to manage their behaviour in line with

their personal perceptions. Self-awareness involves a

process of self-directed attention and behaviour

change, which is undertaken by the individual and the

community [Kozlova O. N][4]. Jie Yin's study also

explores the possibility of self-awareness through

reconstruction using the concept of reflexivity with

Kant's model [Shamsiyev O.B 2010]. In this context,

self-perception is possible when one can see oneself

as an object. Proper orientation of the psychological

features of self-awareness during the preschool

period, based on the child's physiological-

psychological individual developmental

characteristics, contributes to the development of the

person's future self-education skills. The child's

mental development occurs through personal

activities, social environments, and interpersonal

relationships, alongside cognitive, emotional, and

behavioural processes. The components of self-

awareness include self-knowledge, self-awareness,

self-control, and self-management, enabling

individuals to manage their personal lives wisely and

utilize their abilities effectively. The process of self-

awareness develops consciously and unconsciously

in every member of society and is influenced by

cultural norms, national character, spirituality, and

values, which vary based on different states and

nations. Thus, self-awareness is intrinsically linked to

morality, national character, spirituality, and social

norms. Properly formed self-awareness from an early

age empowers children to overcome age-specific

crises, realize their potential, analyse their thoughts,

manage their emotions, interact effectively, and

develop opposing views on behaviour that contradicts

social norms.

2 METHODS

In our research, we have selected various

methodologies to determine the role of the child in the

social environment during preschool age and to study

the self-assessment results in the child's cognitive

process within the social environment. The

questionnaires used were "Parents and Teachers'

Attitudes Toward Children" by F. Varga and V. Stalin

(for educators and parents), "Who Am I in This

World" methodology by V. A. Sonin (for parents,

educators), and "Study of Personality Character

Accentuation" methods by K. Leongard.

Additionally, we utilized Luskanova's method

"Determining the Motivation to Learn" for preschool

children and R. Jelening's projective methodology

along with VG Shur's projective method "Stairs"

(refer to Appendices 1-6) for the research. A total of

60 parents and their children from 60 families

participated in our study. The results obtained from

our subjects were analysed using the SPSS program

for both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Among

the parents who participated, 5 were male, and 55

were female.

3 RESULTS

Based on our research, it is evident that parents make

efforts to spend more time with their children, as

indicated by the scores on the "Accepted" scale,

where they accept their plans and interests. On the

"Cooperation" scale, children demonstrated interest

in planning and working together, trying to provide

support and sympathy to their peers. However, on the

"Authoritarian Hyper-socialization" scale, it was

observed that some parents have a tendency to

demand unconditional obedience and discipline from

their children. Additionally, the "Responses to Child

Failure" scale showed that the evaluation of a child's

ability to perceive personal and social maturity was

moderate (see Table 1).

Table 1: Methodological statistics of parental relations

N Minimu

Maximu

Medium

quantit

Standard deviation Asymmetry Excess

Accepted

60 1,00 9,00 4,2667 1,64540 ,335 ,018

Cooperation

60 2,00 7,00 4,6333 1,13446 -,018 -,356

Authoritarian

hyper social

60 2,00 7,00 5,0000 1,13496 -,072 -,535

A little unlucky

60 1,00 8,00 3,2333 1,30665 1,908 4,491

The Role of Social Environment in the Formation of Self-Awareness Process in Preschool Children

153

Apart from assessing the parents' attitudes towards

their children, a method was employed to determine

the character accentuation. The findings revealed that

a majority of the subjects exhibited signs of

emotional, rigid, and exhalatory character

accentuation. Specifically, the second table

demonstrates the exhalatory type of character

accentuation, characterized by high sociability,

liveliness, cheerfulness, a strong sense of social

justice, but also sensitivity, resentment, and

scepticism.

Table 2: K. Leongard's personality character accentuation statistics

N Minimal Maximum

Medium

uantit

Standard

deviation As

mmetr

Excess

Hypertim type

50 3,00 21,00 13,8000 4,61586 -,301 -,275

Worrying

50 3,00 24,00 14,2800 5,40612 -,017 -,607

Distim

50 3,00 24,00 11,8800 4,28400 ,555 ,287

Official

50 4,00 22,00 11,8000 3,66450 ,319 ,393

Movable

50 3,00 21,00 12,1200 4,41075 -,032 -,242

Emotional

50 9,00 27,00 19,6200 4,16443 -,491 -,353

Rigid

50 10,00 28,00 16,2200 3,74324 ,716 ,653

Demonstrative

50 4,00 24,00 12,3800 4,24211 ,296 ,043

Cyclotype

50 3,00 24,00 13,6800 4,77852 ,391 ,070

Ekzaltr

50 6,00 24,00 15,5000 6,65858 -,217 -1,286

Statistics on the methodology for determining

parental self-assessment are presented in Table 3,

which revealed that parents were able to self-assess

based on 10 qualities. Self-esteem, being a

component of parental self-awareness, plays a

significant role in shaping personality traits,

especially in the context of relationships with

children. The results show that the majority of

subjects demonstrated high self-esteem and self-

awareness

Table 3: The result of parental self-awareness methodology

N Minimal Maximum

Medium

uantit

Standard

deviation

Asymmetry Excess

Self-esteem 60 35,00 60,00 49,2333 6,29061 -,268 -1,031

We employed the Student T criterion to assess the

gender difference between the scales of the

methodology in preschool children.

Table 4: Indicators of Methodology for Preschool Children in the Student Criterion

Sex N

Medium

quantity

Standard

deviation

Level of

validity

To mother

Daughter 26 11,3077 3,74987

2,935 ,005**

Son 34 8,9412 2,48561

To father

Daughter 26 7,1154 2,28608

-2,602 ,012*

Son 34 8,7353 2,46563

The table's results indicate that, at this age, girls tend

to have a more positive attitude towards their mothers

than boys do, while boys exhibit a higher attitude

towards their fathers compared to girls. In our

research, we also examined the correlations between

mother, father, and foster care types (see Table 5). We

found that a higher level of child's positive attitude

towards the mother was associated with increased

motivation to learn (rs = 0.261, p < 0.05). Moreover,

most children with a strong maternal attitude

PAMIR 2023 - The First Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies- | PAMIR

154

demonstrated cooperative behaviour (rs = 0.386, p <

0.01). In such cases, adults are actively interested in

children's plans and activities, providing support and

empathy. They appreciate the children's intellectual

and creative abilities and feel proud of their foster

children. These adults are capable of encouraging the

children's initiative and independence, treating them

as equals, trusting them, and respecting their

opinions, even in matters of disagreement.

Furthermore, we observed that an increase in the

cooperative type among parents was associated with

a decrease in the authoritarian hyper-social type (rs =

-0.317, p < 0.05). In other words, parents who

promote their children's independence and initiative,

treat them as equals, have faith in them, and respect

their opinions tend to exhibit less authoritarian

behaviour.

Table 5. Results of the parent-child relationship

mother

Father

For

older

Motive of

education

Self-

esteem

Accepted cooperation

Authoritarian

hyper type

A little

unlucky

To mother

1,000 -,146 -,008 ,261(*) ,061 ,055 ,386(**) -,143 -,108

To father

1,000 -,199 ,075 -,073 ,143 -,151 ,144 -,077

To older

people

1,000 ,142 -,054 -,186 -,065 ,156 ,101

Motive of

education

1,000 ,135 -,076 ,102 -,152 -,057

Self-esteem

1,000 ,011 ,016 ,064 -,064

Accepted

1,000 -,129 -,200 ,299(*)

Cooperation

1,000 -,317(*)

,351(**)

Authoritaria

n hyper type

1,000 -,175

A little

unlucky

1,000

The experimental part of our study indicates that the

correct attitude and influence of the preschool child's

personality on the social environment significantly

determine the child's cognitive, social, and academic

development and adaptation during this period. The

results revealed that effective communication among

children was instrumental in enhancing social

adequacy and fostering curiosity, which, in turn,

facilitated their adjustment to the new social and

psychological environment.

Moreover, our research findings demonstrate that

parents, particularly mothers, who adopt a

cooperative approach, show genuine interest in their

children's plans and activities. They actively support

and empathize with their children [Jie Yin. 2013].

This approach is reflective of the high regard for their

children's intellectual and creative abilities. These

parents encourage their children's initiative and

independence, treat them as equals, have confidence

in them, and value their opinions even in situations of

disagreement. Our study also highlights that a

positive response to parental interest and involvement

in preschool children contributes to higher self-

esteem, increased social resilience, and enhanced

self-expression in the child.

4 CONCLUSION

Based on the above information concerning the issue

of self-awareness in the personal development of

preschool children, we can deduce that a child's level

of self-awareness is vital for their physical health,

mental stability, and social well-being, enabling them

to navigate society as a mature individual.

It is important to note that the process of self-

awareness is not spontaneous; rather, it is influenced

by physiological growth, cognitive development, and

social progress. Any deficiency or disruption in these

aspects can impact the process of self-awareness.

Thus, the development of self-awareness is

The Role of Social Environment in the Formation of Self-Awareness Process in Preschool Children

155

significantly influenced by the social environment

and the interactions with others. Moreover, the

process of self-awareness itself plays a crucial role in

shaping these connections as it involves dynamic and

interactive changes.

REFERENCES

Goziyev E.(2002)General psychology: Textbook. - T.:

Universitet, 96 p.

Hjelle L., D. (1992) Ziegler. Personality Theories: Basic

Assumptions, Research, and Applications 3th ed.:

McGrow-Hill, СПб.: Питер Пресс, 1997. 250 p.

Kozlova O. N. Relationship between personal and social

identity in the structure of the self-concept of future

specialists// diss. author. candidate of psychological

sciences. Moscow –(2012). -13 p

Shamsiyev O.B (2010)Sociological psychological factors

of self-awareness of the preschool child in the family //

candidate on science in Psychol. diss.autoref: -T.15 p.

Jie Yin. (2013) The I Think, self-awareness and reflexivity

a reconstructed kantian model of self-awareness// diss.

abst. College of Arts & Sciences Department of

Philosophy.-9 p

Yusupova Sh. Sh. (2021) Psychological features of the

child's self-awareness in preschool age // diss author.

Master. Toshken.-66 p

PAMIR 2023 - The First Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies- | PAMIR

156