Leonid Bandiuk RATIONAL AND EMOTIONAL IN PREDICTING THE FUTURE: THE IMAGINATION OF A CURRENT UKRAINIAN

(2026) Science and education, 3, 9-17. Odessa.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.24195/2414-4665-2026-3-1

Leonid Bandiuk,
Postgraduate Student at the Department of General and Differential Psychology
State Institution «South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K. D. Ushynsky»,
26, Staroportofrankivska, Str., Odesa, Ukraine,
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6835-9712

 

RATIONAL AND EMOTIONAL IN PREDICTING THE FUTURE: THE IMAGINATION OF A CURRENT UKRAINIAN

SUMMARY:

Relevance of the study is driven by the need to understand the transformation of subjective representations of anticipation (future foresight) under conditions of collective trauma caused by the full-scale war in Ukraine. The scientific literature lacks qualitative studies capturing implicit, everyday models of forecasting, particularly in contexts of radical uncertainty. The aim of the article is to reconstruct the structure and content of subjective representations among contemporary Ukrainians regarding the role of rationality and emotionality in the process of anticipation. Employing a qualitative design, the study analyzed textual narratives from 52 respondents (open-ended online survey). Inductive content analysis, axial coding, reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke), and semantic analysis of key metaphors were applied. A dominance of irrational, sensory-somatic, and imagery-based models of anticipation (80%) over rational-analytical ones (13.5%) was revealed. Emotions and rationality in subjective experience are more often perceived as obstacles rather than tools (29% and 25%, respectively), interpreted as a consequence of high levels of background anxiety under chronic stress. A correlation was found: negative attitudes toward rationality are associated with viewing anticipation as a «gift,» whereas recognition of its instrumental role correlates with seeing foresight as a «skill.» Behaviorally, anticipation manifests through adaptive-preventive actions and trust in bodily signals, confirming the theory of somatic markers (Damasio). Anticipation is viewed as a developable skill, with internal state management (meditation, inner silence) being the key regulatory mechanism. Spheres of application are considered total, yet the domains of survival, safety, professional activity, and interpersonal relationships are most prominent. The study documents the specificity of «folk theories» of anticipation under collective trauma, confirms non-linear models of interaction between affective and cognitive systems, and provides an empirical foundation for developing «temporal rehabilitation» interventions aimed at restoring the capacity for positive prospection.

KEYWORDS:

anticipation, foresight, representations, emotions, rationality, trauma, temporality, qualitative research, Ukraine, subjective models

FULL TEXT:

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