The Psychological Study of the Structure of Subjective Representations of Major Life Events

The article represents results of empirical research of the structure of subjective representations of a major life event. It gives the characteristics of subjective representations structure and methodology of their research. The subjective representation is a question of the internal structures which are forming in the course of human life. The subjective representations form a world image. The world image is a system of events and representations (and relations between them) – evident ideas of the world and a place of the person in it, data on relationship of the person with reality and by itself; representations making a world image are not only visual, but also acoustical, tactile and olfactory; images and data most often have emotional coloring. As a result of research, five factors uniting major life events are determined and according to them five types of subjective representations of such events are described: 1. Event-transition. These events are connected with concrete points of transition in a course of life. 2. Event-drama. The major life events are probably the most emotionally rich as they cover a big range of emotions and feelings and are always connected with decline of mood and forces. 3. Event-impression. The choice of this designation is caused by the word “impression” and assumes such emotional experience which remains in memory practically for the rest of life and connected with concrete external objects and events. 4. Event-obligation. The events included in this group show social interaction which actually imposes certain obligations on each of the parties. 5. Event-discover/achievement. These events can be characterized as spontaneous, casual, intuitive, uncertain