Features of students’ perceptions of urban graffiti with significant educational potential

Introduction. In a modern urban environment, graffiti also plays a role in shaping the younger generation. Certain creolised texts have a significant educational potential as they reach a wide audience of casual observers. These texts can propagate, emphasise, appeal to, or influence the emotional state of the reader. However, the peculiarities of perception and assessment of the educational potential of urban graffiti are practically unstudied in the scientific community. Aim. The aim of the study was to investigate the mechanism of the impact of urban graffiti with pronounced educational potential on individuals by assessing the features of their perception, memorisation, emotional response, and interpretation of the content. Methodology and research methods. The present study is part of an exploratory laboratory experiment using high-precision research equipment, known as an “eye-tracker”. During the laboratory experiment, the perception features of 21 texts were evaluated. These texts were selected from a pool of 2,000 photographs, which were taken of texts vandalised in the megacities of the Russian Federation. The results were processed mathematically and statistically using descriptive statistics, MANOVA, comparative analysis, and contingency tables. Results. The results of the study demonstrate that urban graffiti with educational potential is memorised and reproduced by 10 to 43% of the study participants. The study describes the unique eye-movement patterns observed during the perception of creolised texts, which lead to a reduced comprehension of the educational content and impact embedded in them. Generalised principles for creating urban graffiti that effectively realise positive educational potential include the presence of a prosocial message, brevity of the text, literal and unambiguous communication, complementation of the text with a consistent graphic image, and the use of creolised text. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty lies in identifying the mechanism through which urban graffiti, with significant educational potential, impacts students. This is achieved by characterising their perception, emotional evaluation, and interpretation. Practical significance lies in the potential use of the collected data to achieve educational goals through the utilisation of street art and graffiti in urban spaces. This includes considering the specific characteristics and limitations in how young people perceive the educational value of these art forms.

1. Nikandrov N.D. Upbringing in modern Russia: the influence of information environment, socialization and culture. Pedagogika = Pedagogy. 2022;86(12):5–24. (In Russ.)

2. Belkin A.I. The study of graffiti in psychology and the intensiveness of the consciousness of graffiti authors. Kreativnaya ekonomika i social’nye innovacii = Creative Economy and Social Innovation. 2012;1(2):36–54. (In Russ.)

3. Kaznacheeva N.N. Education in the educational process. Educational potential of the national literature in the conditions of information socialization (scientific and methodological manual). Vospitanie shkol’nikov = Educating Schoolchildren. 2017;2:122–128. (In Russ.)

4. Kaznacheeva N.N., Metlik I.V., Shestakova O.A. Model of formation of value orientations of children in educational organizations: approaches to design. Psihologo-pedagogicheskie issledovanija = Psycho-Pedagogical Research. 2022;4(3):97–112. (In Russ.) doi: 10.17759/psyedu.2022143006

5. Keijsers L., Boele S., Bülow A. Measuring parent-adolescent interactions in natural habitats. The potential, status, and challenges of ecological momentary assessment. Current Opinion in Psychology. 2022;44:264–269. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.10.002

6. Lykova I.A. Systematization of family education traditions: socio-pedagogical classifier. Science for Education Today. 2022;12(5):200–224. (In Russ.) doi: 10.15293/2658-6762.2205.11

7. Boele S., Denissen J., Moopen N., Keijsers L. Over-time fluctuations in parenting and adolescent adaptation within families: a systematic review. Adolescent Research Review. 2020;5(3):317–339. doi: 10.1007/s40894-019-00127-9

8. Selivanova N.L., Parfenova I.S. Scientific and methodological support of the process of education at school. Obrazovanie i samorazvitie = Education and Self-Development. 2021;16(3):238–248. (In Russ.) doi: 10.26907/esd.16.3.20

9. de Arriba Rivas C., Ibáñez-Ruiz del Portal E. Teachers’ insights from an ethics of care programme aimed at promoting global citizenship education in the classroom. Teaching and Teacher Education.2023;126:104075. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2023.104075

10. Oh H.Y., Koyanagi A., DeVylder J.E., Link B. Urban upbringing and psychotic experiences in the United States: a racial and geographic comparison. Psychiatry Research. 2020;293:113372. doi: 10.1016/j. psychres.2020.113372

11. Pykett J., Campbell N., Fenton S.-J., Gagen E., Lavis A., Newbigging K., Parkin V., Williams J. Urban precarity and youth mental health: an interpretive scoping review of emerging approaches. Social Science & Medicine. 2023;320:15619. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115619

12. Okulicz-Kozaryn A., Valente R.R. The perennial dissatisfaction of urban upbringing. Cities. 2020;104:102751. doi: 10.1016/j.cities.2020.102751

13. Hlyzova I.V. Concept of the development of idealized human education. Pedagogika = Pedagogy. 2022;86(12):79–86. (In Russ.)

14. Sakharchuk E.S., Kiseleva I.A., Baghramyan E.R., Sakharchuk A.L. Axiology of education: ideals and unifying values in social education of modern student youth. Obrazovanie i nauka = The Education and Science Journal. 2023;25(3):67–96. (In Russ.) doi: 10.17853/1994-5639-2023-3-67-96

15. Leonova O.G. Joseph Nye and “soft power”: an attempt at a new reading. Social’no-gumanitarnye znanija = Social and Humanitarian Knowledge. 2018;1:101–114. (In Russ.)

16. Kuprina N.G. Methods of pedagogy of art in the formation of civic position in adolescents. Pedagogika iskusstva = Art Pedagogy. 2020;2:101–109. (In Russ.) doi: 10.34897/IAECS.2020.2.62554

17. Smolyanina E.V. Patriotic education of students-choreographers by means of modern dance. Kul’tura i obrazovanie = Culture and Education. 2022;4(47):95–102. (In Russ.) doi: 10.24412/2310-1679-2022-447-95-102

18. Taylor S., Ladkin D. Understanding arts-based methods in managerial development. Academy of Management Learning & Education. 2009;8:55–69. doi: 10.5465/AMLE.2009.37012179

19. Molderez I., Ceulemans K. The power of art to foster systems thinking, one of the key competencies of education for sustainable development. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2018;186:758–770. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.03.120

20. Korsakov K.V. Problems of methodology of the process of legal education and upbringing. Rossijskij juridicheskij zhurnal = Russian Law Journal. 2010;3:194–201. (In Russ.)

21. Kuprina N.G. Jekologo-jesteticheskij podhod v hudozhestvennom vospitanii detej = Ecological and Aesthetic Approach in Art Education of Children. Ekaterinburg: Ural State Pedagogical University; 2014. 379 p. (In Russ.)

22. Veha Yu.E., Yakovleva I.P. The role of urban environment in patriotic education of student youth of Krasnodar city. In: Ehtnos i kul’tura v ehpokhu globalizacii. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnojj nauchnojj ochno-zaochnojj konferencii = Ethnos and Culture in the Age of Globalization: Materials of the V International Scientific Full-time Conference; 2022; Sukhum. Sukhum: Publishing House KubGTU; 2022:71–78. (In Russ.)

23. Zaitseva T.A., Khrishkevich T.G. Image of childhood in contemporary street art. Kul’tura i civilizacija = Culture and Civilization. 2021;11;5(1):269–277. (In Russ.) doi: 10.34670/AR.2021.79.30.032

24. Tsilimpounidi M., Avramidis K. Graffiti and street art. In: Baker M., Blaagaard B.B., Jones H., PérezGonzález L., eds. The Routledge Encyclopedia of Citizen Media. London; New York: Routledge; 2020:185–189.

25. Schwindt W.S. Street art and its fundamental communicative features. Vestnik Tomskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Filosofija. Sociologija. Politologija = Bulletin of Tomsk State University. Philosophy. Sociology. Political Science. 2021;61:190–203. (In Russ.) doi: 10.17223/1998863X/61/20

26. Gartus A., Helmut L. The white cube of the museum versus the gray cube of the street: the role of context in aesthetic evaluations. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts. 2014;8:311–320. doi: 10.1037/a0036847

27. Gartus A., Klemer N., Leder H. The effects of visual context and individual differences on perception and evaluation of modern art and graffiti art. Acta Psychologica. 2015;156:64–76. doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2015.01.005

28. Skopa V.A. Educational potential of religious parables as a basis for spiritual and moral development of schoolchildren. Sovremennyjj uchenyjj = Modern Scientist. 2023;3:273–277. (In Russ.)

29. Gil’mutdinova D.D., Karimova V.G., Matveeva A.I. Ehmocional’nyjj intellekt v cifrovojj srede: instrumenty razvitija. Metodicheskie rekomendacii = Emotional Intelligence in the Digital Environment: Tools for Development. Methodological Recommendations. Ekaterinburg: Ural State Pedagogical University; 2022. 40 p. (In Russ.)

30. Rabadanova A.A. Formation of cognitive independence of college students. In: Petrova A.V., Chasovskikh N.S., eds. Formirovanie i razvitie samostojatel’nosti studentov i shkol’nikov kak strategicheskijj obrazovatel’nyjj prioritet v praktiko-orientirovannom obuchenii. Materialy III Mezhdunarodnojj nauchno-prakticheskojj konferencii = Formation and Development of Students’ and Pupils’ Independence as a Strategic Educational Priority in Practice-Oriented Learning: Materials of the III International Scientific and Practical Conference; 2016; Gorno-Altaisk. Gorno-Altaisk: GAGU; 2016:54–55. (In Russ.)

31. Kruzhkova O.V., Matveeva A.I. Youth in the megacity: recognizability of iconic objects of the urban environment and the problem of orientation. Pedagogicheskoe obrazovanie v Rossii = Pedagogical Education in Russia. 2022;2:113–121. (In Russ.)

32. Belkin A.M. Social perception of graffiti and assessment of non-institutional visual activity of graffiti authors. Vestnik Samarskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta = Bulletin of Samara State University. 2011;7(88):166–172. (In Russ.)

33. Vinichenko E.A. Preparation of students for responsible perception of parental role. Vestnik Kemerovskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta kul’tury i iskusstv = Bulletin of Kemerovo State University of Culture and Arts. 2012;18:183–188. (In Russ.)

34. Rakhimzhanova G.R. Educational potential of a parable. Vestnik PGU = PSU Bulletin. 2010;4:142–150. (In Russ.)

35. Lukin Yu.A. Who of you is ready to make a jump into the void today? Vysshee obrazovanie v Rossii= Higher Education in Russia. 2018;27(8-9):54–61. (In Russ.) doi: 10.31992/0869-3617-2018-27-8-9-54-61

36. Ozhiganova G.V. Interrelation of spiritual and moral qualities with altruistic attitudes and subjective wellbeing. Vestnik Rossijjskogo universiteta druzhby narodov. Serija: Psikhologija i pedagogika = Bulletin of Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia. Series: Psychology and Pedagogy. 2022;19(4):744–764. (In Russ.) doi: 10.22363/2313-1683-2022-19-4-744-764

37. Batson C.D., Lishner D.A., Stocks E.L. The empathy – altruism hypothesis. In: Schroeder D.A., Graziano W.G., eds. The Oxford Handbook of Prosocial Behavior. New York: Oxford University Press; 2015:259–281. doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399813.013.023

38. Merleau-Ponty M. The World of Perception. London: Routledge; 2004. 144 p.

39. Kruzhkova O.V., Babikova M.R., Robin S.D. Vandalized texts: the potential of “soft power”. Nauchnyy dialog = Scientific Dialogue. 2024;13(2):96–117. (In Russ.) doi:10.24224/2227-1295-2024-13-2-96-117