Vol. 26 No. 3 (2023)
Articles

YOUNG PEOPLE IN BULGARIA NARRATING ABOUT THEIR PAST AND FUTURE: LIFE PLANNING AND ITS RELATIONS WITH OTHER CONSTRUCTS

Published 10/24/2023

Keywords

  • life planning,
  • migration,
  • youth,
  • calendar methods

How to Cite

Nacheva, I., & Nedeva-Atanasova, V. (2023). YOUNG PEOPLE IN BULGARIA NARRATING ABOUT THEIR PAST AND FUTURE: LIFE PLANNING AND ITS RELATIONS WITH OTHER CONSTRUCTS. Psychological Research (in the Balkans), 26(3). https://doi.org/10.7546/PsyRB.2023.26.03.05

Abstract

The pace of modern life places the topic of life planning among the most challenging issues of the social sciences. The article[1] summarizes findings from a qualitative study of young people (aged 18-35 years), focused on how they approach important decisions pertaining to different areas of life. Content analysis of 45 semi-structured calendar interviews outlines different models of planning in basic life trajectories such as choosing a place of residence (including migration plans), education and career development, decisions concerning intimate partnerships, parenting, and financial/material achievements. On the basis of the analysis, the authors propose a 24-item Dominant Model of Life Planning Inventory extracted from the actual narratives of respondents. Data from a pilot and a nationally representative survey of Bulgarians aged 18-35 years (N=1200) is reported.

Structured Dominant Model relates to optimistic expectations and has a negative correlation to risk propensity. The findings provide new perspective on the way young people approach their future and important life decision, and have implications both for psychological theory and practice.

[1] Studies are carried out under Project КП-06-Н35/4 “Psychological determinants of young people's attitudes to emigration and life planning in the context of demographic challenges in Bulgaria”, funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund, Ministry of Education and Science, Bulgaria; implemented by IPHS-BAS.

References

  1. Arnett, J. J. (2018). Conceptual foundations of emerging adulthood. In “Emerging adulthood and higher education”, 11-24. Routledge, NY.
  2. Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American psychologist, 55(5), 469-480. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.5.469
  3. Bakalova, D. I., & Dimitrova, E. E. (2023). Optimistic expectations and life satisfaction as antecedents of emigration attitudes among Bulgarian Millennials and Zoomers. AIMS Geosciences, 9(2), 285-310.
  4. Bakalova, D., & Panchelieva, T. (2023)a. Risk propensity as a personality antecedent of emigration attitudes among Bulgarian Millennials and Zoomers. European Journal of Psychology Open. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1024/2673-8627/a000037
  5. Bakalova, D., & Panchelieva, T. (2023)b. Risk-taking propensity and emigration decision-making: a qualitative data analysis. Psychological Research (in the Balkans), 26(1). Retrieved from https://journalofpsychology.org/index.php/1/article/view/121
  6. Barbeiro, A., Spini, D. (2017) Calendar interviewing: a mixed methods device for a biographical approach to migration, Qualitative Research in Psychology, 14(1), 81-107. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2016.1249581
  7. Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology, Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
  8. Bryman, A. (2008). Why do researchers integrate/combine/mesh/blend/mix/merge/fuse quantitative and qualitative research. Advances in mixed methods research, 21(8), 87-100.
  9. Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2011). Choosing a mixed methods design. Designing and conducting mixed methods research, 2, 53-106.
  10. Christova, D. & Djorgova, T. (2019). Relationship between subjective age and personality traits during the transition to early adulthood. Psychological Research, 22(2), 388-402. ISSN 0205-0617 (Print); ISSN 2367-9174 (Online), (in Bulgarian).
  11. Devadason, R. (2008). To plan or not to plan? Young adult future orientations in two European cities. Sociology, 42(6), 1127-1145. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038508096937
  12. European Social Survey. (2006). Data Portal. https://ess-search.nsd.no/en/study/964cafba-fc62-4162-af01-fa40f9f9baec
  13. Eurostat (2023)a Mean age at first marriage by sex, Online data code: TPS00014, last update: 23/06/2023;
  14. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tps00014/default/table?lang=en
  15. Eurostat (2023)b Mean age of women at childbirth and at birth of first child, Online data code: TPS00017, last update: 06/07/2023;
  16. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/TPS00017/default/table?lang=en&category=demo.demo_fer
  17. Felaco, C., & Parola, A. (2022). Subjective Well-Being and Future Orientation of NEETs: Evidence from the Italian Sample of the European Social Survey. Social Sciences, 11(10), 482. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11100482
  18. Glasner, T., van der Vaart, W. (2009) Applications of calendar instruments in social surveys: a review. Quality and Quantity, 43(3), 333–349. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-007-9129-8
  19. Gobo, G. (2008). Doing ethnography. Sage. https://hdl.handle.net/2434/38376
  20. Gobo, G., Fielding, N. G., La Rocca, G., & van der Vaart, W. (2021). Merged Methods: A Rationale for Full Integration. Sage. http://digital.casalini.it/9781529766646
  21. Friedman, S. L., & Scholnick, E. K. (Eds.). (2014). The developmental psychology of planning: Why, how, and when do we plan? Psychology Press.
  22. Hansen, S. S. (2011). Integrative life planning: A holistic approach. Journal of Employment Counseling, 48(4), 167-169. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1920.2011.tb01105.x
  23. Hristova, A., Nacheva, I., Andreev, B., (2017). Optimistic and pessimistic attitudes in a social context]. Psychological Research. Vol. 20/2, 261-285. ISSN 1311-4700 (Print); ISSN 2367-4563 (Online). (in Bulgarian).
  24. Jackson, D. N. (1994). Jackson personality inventory-revised. Sigma Assessment Systems, Research Psychologists Press Division.
  25. Nacheva, I., Nedeva-Atanasova, V. (2021). Life planning and migration through the prism of calendar methods for studying social phenomena. Psychological Research, Volume 24, Number 3, 239-268. ISSN 1311-4700 (PrintI); ISSN 2367-9174 (Online), (in Bulgarian).
  26. National Statistical Institute (NSI) (2007-2021). Demographic and Social Statistics External Migration Data, 2007 – 2021.
  27. Nurmi, J. E. (1991). How do adolescents see their future? A review of the development of future orientation and planning. Developmental review, 11(1), 1-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/0273-2297(91)90002-6
  28. Ongena, Y. P., Haan, M., & Dijkstra, W. (2018). Multinational Event History Calendar Interviewing. Advances in Comparative Survey Methods: Multinational, Multiregional, and Multicultural Contexts (3MC). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118884997.ch31
  29. Papazova, E., & Alexandrova-Karamanova, A. (2019). Rigidno osmislyane i psihichno zdrave vav vaznikvashta zryalost. [Rumination and Mental Health in Emerging Adulthood]. Psychological Thought, 12(1), 12–29. https://doi.org/10.5964/psyct.v12i1.338
  30. Papazova, E., & Alexandrova-Karamanova, A. (2018). Dimensii na vaznikvashtata zrelost i distres na identichnostta. [Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood and Identity Distress]. Psychological Thought, 11(2), 122–137. https://doi.org/10.5964/psyct.v11i2.280
  31. Papazova, E., & Mineva, K. (2021). Kriterii za prehod kam vazrastnost, harakteristiki na razvitieto i vazprieman status na vazrasten pri studenti v Bulgaria. Criteria for the Transition to Adulthood, Developmental Features and Perceived Adult Status among Bulgarian Students]. Psychological Thought, 14(2), 484-509 https://doi.org/10.37708/psyct.v14i2.586
  32. Pencheva, E. & Papazova, E. (2009). Psihologichen profil na vazikvashtata zrelost (18-29 godini) [Psychological profile of “emerging adulthood” (18-29 years old)]. Psychological Research, 12(2), 221-228.
  33. Pencheva, E., Papazova, E. & Nacheva, D. (2009). Comparison of personality characteristics in adolescence and emerging adulthood. Bulgarian Journal of Psychology, South-East Regional Conference of Psychology, Sofia, Bulgaria, 30 October-1 November 2009. Conference papers- Part One, 37(3-4), 245-252.
  34. Prenda, K. M., & Lachman, M. E. (2001). Planning for the future: A life management strategy for increasing control and life satisfaction in adulthood. Psychology and Aging, 16(2), 206–216. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.16.2.206
  35. Shaffer, J. A. (2020). Forethought and intelligence: How conscientiousness, future planning, and general mental ability predict net worth. Personality and Individual Differences, 159, 109853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.109853
  36. Velichkov, A. Radoslavova, M., Rasheva, M. (1993). Metod za izmervane na generaliziranite ochakvaniya za valentnostta na poluchenite rezultati (optimism I negativni ochakvaniya). [Method for measurement of the generalized expectations for the valency of the results obtained (optimism and negative expectations]. Bulgarian Journal of Psychology, 3, pp 85-100.)