Alexander V. Tikhonov

Andrey A. Merzlyakov

• Occupation: Leading Researcher
• Affiliation: Institute of Sociology of FCTAS RAS
  
• Address: Russian Federation, Moscow

Alexander Pochestnev

• Occupation: Senior Researcher
• Affiliation: Institute of Sociology of FCTAS RAS
  
• Address: Russian Federation, Moscow

When studying the phenomenon of social group formation in regions with different levels of socio-cultural modernization, we not only identified socio-statistical groups based on the respondents' assessments of the work of the links in the power-management vertical (a five-point scale), but also tested a hypothetical possibility of latent groups emergence in these regions as a kind of chains – profiles that are spontaneously formed among respondents in relation to the work of power and management institutions. If the former are referred to in the literature as interest groups, the latter are spontaneously combined chains of profile cells that did appear not from questionnaires, but as a result of special statistical general data processing. We analyze the problem as an explication task of latent similarities and differences in the assessing by the population of the work of power-governing institutions: from their full support to complete opposition, as well as formation of a stable intermediate position (so-called mediation groups). As a result, we have developed and used an experimental model of social space, which reproduces events of relations between institutions of the power-management vertical and civil society in regions with differing levels of socio-cultural modernization according to the CSIS grouping (N.I. Lapin). This approach was tested via a special statistical procedure for secondary processing of mass survey data. As a result of its application, it became possible to speak of the discovered latent profiles as a new objectivity in the sociology of management, which is directly related to the analysis of group formation phenomenon in the Russian Federation. As a result, along with the statistical groups of the mass survey according to the criterion of the regions' population interest for performance of the power-management vertical, we were able to identify five new previously unknown aggregates of social groups-cells (in the form of profiles), reflecting attitudes of respondents to the conditions and prospects of their life in regions, taking into account this or another degree of their orientation towards the federal and local authorities and administrations. There are following profiles, according to their function in the space of the region: «social core», «supporters», «opponents», as well as profiles of «federally oriented» and «regionally oriented» types. Thus, we found an opportunity to deepen sociological understanding of group formation process both on the basis of a direct survey and on the basis of taking into account possibilities to explain the intentions of latent groups on the region-federal levels. Both procedures, mutually complementing, reflect specifics of social group formation in the regions and allow a more comprehensive study of citizens' participation mechanisms in solving breakthrough tasks of economic and social development in the regions taking into account real social tensions in them.