Social Psychological Capital and Political Behavior of Personality

The study views the interaction between social psychological capital of personality (SPCP) and political behavior of personality. Social psychological capital of personality is the systemically organized and balanced resource of social psychological attitudes of personality toward society in the whole and to its immediate environment, based on trust and furthering of subjective well-being and adaptability of personality in society. This notion is new in social psychology and allows describing the social psychological resource of personality, which binds it to society and allows it to become more successful in society and contribute to its well-being. To estimate social psychological capital of personality author's method was used, and political behavior was viewed in the context of electoral behavior. The empirical research was conducted in summer 2012 soon after the elections in State Duma and of President of the Russian Federation. The sample was representative to the Central Federal District (N = 1026) and the Northern Caucasian District (N = 1035). Empirical data were processed with Structural Equation Modeling (program AMOS was used). In the processing of data the influence of two basic components of SPCP was estimated - of "integrating" and "consolidating" - on political activity and political preferences of respondents in the process of voting. The research showed that both components were positively connected with political activity of personality, but political preferences in respondents with the prevalence of "integrating" or "consolidating" components of SPCP were different. The "integrating" component is connected to preference by respondents of the current political line. People with prevalence of this component in the structure of SPCP voted for "United Russia" in the State Duma elections and for V.V. Putin in the presidential elections. Another peculiarity of people with prevalent "integrating" component of SPCP - they vote less for any oppositional trends in politics. The "consolidating" component of SPCP didn't demonstrate statistically significant links with preferences of respondents during State Duma elections. In the case of presidential elections one positive link was found - with the preferences in voting for M. Prokhorov, who was viewed as a new and promising representative of the "right" opposition.