This paper explores the profound relationship between beauty and self-transcendent emotions (STEs), such as elevation, awe, compassion, gratitude, humility, and spirituality. It posits that beauty, particularly moral beauty, serves as a primary elicitor of these emotions, fostering both individual and collective well-being through prosocial and altruistic behaviors. The study examines how moral beauty, alongside natural and artistic beauty, activates similar neural processes, notably in the medial prefrontal cortex, and correlates strongly with STEs. Elevation is highlighted as a key STE triggered by moral beauty, inspiring a desire to improve oneself and serve others, while awe, often elicited by vast stimuli, also arises from moral acts, promoting prosociality. Compassion, gratitude, and humility are similarly linked to beauty, with moral beauty playing a central role in their arousal, enhancing community well-being. The paper also connects beauty with spirituality, suggesting that spiritual transcendence overlaps with moral and natural beauty appreciation, potentially amplified by awe-inspiring monumental architecture. The findings underscore the role of beauty, especially moral beauty, as a catalyst for STEs, which drive kindness and human flourishing. The paper calls for further empirical research into the spiritually transformative potential of beauty, particularly through moral exemplars and sacred architecture.

Concepts of sense formations are now somewhat controversial and fragmentary, which complicates purposeful work with them in the course of psychological correction and education. The meanings of the subject of activity, as well as the natural prerequisites of the individual’s meanings, are still very poorly clarified. The aim of the research was to find for new methodological bases for the creation of a holistic and multilevel theoretical model of meaning formations, with an emphasis on their emotional aspects. Theoretical method of ascent from the abstract to the concrete in its modernized Hegelian version is aimed at analyzing the formation of essential properties of any developing formation in the course of its real development. Meanings, like many psychological phenomena, are human (for there are no “inhuman” meanings), manifesting the essential nature of man. From this point of view, the above method of “ascent” is productive for creating a multilevel model of forms of meaning formations. In general, the work shows the possibility of “linking” the forms of meanings to four levels of ontogenesis: an individual, subject of activity, personality and integrative individuality. The prerequisites of the individual’s meanings (dominant) are revealed, the operational-target meanings of the level of the subject of activity are specified, the features of understanding of personal meaning in existential and humanistic interpretation are revealed. In the key of approaches of cultural-historical psychology the concept of “conventional-normative personal meanings” is introduced. Connections of meanings with emotional aspects are traced. The results of the work are applicable to the construction of a unified theory of meanings, as well as in the practice of their education and correction. The genesis of integrative individuality at “ascent” allows to understand the peculiarities of its meaning-life experiences, the emphasized connection of which with some emotional aspects is significant for the work of a school psychologist.

The article considers the problem of classification of sacrificial moral dilemmas actively used in psychology and neurophysiology of moral reasoning. The origins and development of the opposition of personal and impersonal scenarios proposed within the framework of J. Greene’s dual process theory are analyzed, as well as alternative approaches, including the concept of universal moral grammar by J. Mikhail and models based on computational neuroscience. Particular attention is paid to the distinction criteria, their evolution and modern changes in approaches to the classification of dilemmas. The importance of further clarification of the classification parameters for increasing the validity of moral judgment studies is emphasized.

The literary genre “Bildungsroman,” also known as the coming-of-age novel or educational-formative novel, in the form of “Bildungsroman” graphic stories is addressed in this research. We are interested in the importance of constructing utopian versus dystopian visions of the world, with their resulting emotions and feelings that arise from the” hero’s/heroine’s” struggles against antagonistic events and circumstances resulting from own personal experiences and impulses. The reader-spectator will be shown how these narratives are technically and artistically expressed in humorous, satirical, or comical ways. Our working hypothesis is that this literary genre effectively demonstrates psychological realities and circumstances with which the reader-spectator can identify by becoming involved in idealized scenarios, developing and transforming awareness, as well as improving a self-esteem. Educational-formative humorous graphic novels acquire the status of “clinical-pedagogical instruments” since they open, for clinicians and non-professional audiences, the possibility of a deep understanding of critical periods of development, as well as the steps to follow in order to enhance next stages of mental and psychological growth.

The objective of this study was to examine subjective experience of interest in anime, to the analysis and comparison of the content of interest in anime in different groups of fans self-identified as otaku and non-otaku fans. There were 433 people in the initial sample, and the survey findings indicated two groups, with a total of 53 people (otaku: N = 30, not otaku: N = 23). The age of the respondents in both groups ranged from 18 to 32 years, the average age for otaku was M = 23.1, SD = 3.58; for non-otaku M = 22.2, SD = 3.83. All participants completed questionnaire with sociodemographic characteristics, answered open questions about their experience of anime interest (strength, intensity, forms of fan interest) and the reasons for preferring anime over other types of media content. The data obtained was processed using conventional content analysis. Additional quantitative analysis of data was performed: the frequency of references to categories identified by content analysis was calculated and compared. As a result of the study of significant differences in content aspects of interest in anime between otaku and non-otaku was not identified: as reasons for preference of anime respondents of both groups called unusual, unique expressive style and content of Japanese animation. Most respondents reported interest in observing the characters and connection with the favorite character (wishful identification, similarity, empathy, and parasocial relationships). The differences identified related only to the strength, intensity and forms of expression of fan interest: otaku spend more time watching anime, attend anime conventions more often, and engage in fan art.

The relevance of studying moral conformity in a virtual environment is due to the specifics of modern life, a significant part of which takes place in virtual reality. Of particular importance is the study of the factors underlying conformity. One of these factors may be the ability to cognitive reflection as a tendency to more rational and precise consideration of a problem or situation. We assumed that higher rates of cognitive reflection would be associated with lower rates of conformity. The study sample consisted of 80 subjects, 47 women and 33 men, aged 18 to 25 (M = 19.5, Sd = 1.69). The following measures were used: Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) (Rodina, Prutkov, 2019), Mehrabian and Stelf conformity scale, vm-conformity scale, a set of 20 dilemmas, including situations of moral conflict in a virtual environment. The results of the study showed that the CRT scores were negatively correlated to the conformity scores. Men in our study demonstrated higher cognitive reflection scores, and women demonstrated higher virtual moral conformity scores. Thus, cognitive reflection may be a factor underlying conformity behavior, including moral conformity. Further research directions may include not only self-report measures of conformity, but also experimental studies.

Absurdism as a worldview is examined in connection with Camus’ ideas about revolt and Freud’s concepts of humor. The question of how an individual can endure an absurdistic worldview, which implies renouncing the idea of life having inherent meaning, is discussed. In this context, the solution proposed by Albert Camus is skeptically analyzed, and an alternative approach utilizing Freud’s thoughts on humor is suggested.

This study argues that uncertainty is a fundamental and enduring characteristic of human existence throughout history, not solely a feature of postmodern society. It aims to explore the psychological dimensions of uncertainty and trace the evolution of human responses to it. Employing a historical and psychological framework, the study explores humanity’s engagement with uncertainty from prehistoric magical thinking to the contemporary risk society. This essay includes numerous illustrations from literature and the visual arts, providing an opportunity to examine the attitude towards uncertainty through human creative activity. Particular attention is given to the transformation and representation of uncertainty in the life of society. While uncertainty persists as a fundamental existential condition linked to human existence, the postmodern era witnesses its qualitative shift: uncertainty grows into pervasive everyday reality, deeply embedded in economics, politics, and personal identity.