Delayed happiness as a barrier to consolidation and social activity of citizens
The consolidation of Russian society has been the subject of theoretical and practical scientific discussion since the collapse of the USSR and continues to generate considerable interest in the context of global and Russian transformations that affect socio-economic and political structures, core values and trust, as well as sociocultural practices and personal strategies. This article examines happiness as a resource that serves as the basis for a more active and cohesive society. It promotes stronger social ties and participation in local communities, and increases trust and political coherence. However, in conditions of instability, Russians form a model of delayed happiness, based on the expectation of improved well-being after certain events in personal or social life. The empirical base was based on the results of the author's sociological survey of city residents in September 2024 (N=1170) using the online questionnaire method; the second method of collecting information was a series of in-depth interviews (N=39). Conclusions: The novelty of the study lies in the introduction of the concept of "deferred happiness" into the studies of consolidation and social activity. The influence of happiness and its deferred models on confidence in the future, stability of social ties, readiness for civic participation and solidarity practices is shown. The connection between the intensity of the manifestation of the model of delayed happiness and the growth of social pessimism, fears, and unpreparedness for activism was proven. For the first time, deferred happiness is considered not only as a personal strategy, but also as a socio-psychological barrier that hinders the formation of cohesion and civic engagement in the context of the instability of late modern society.
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Abramova, S. B., Valeeva, M. V. (2026), “Delayed happiness as a barrier to consolidation and social activity of citizens”, Research Result. Sociology and Management, 12 (3), 101-115. DOI: 10.18413/2408-9338-2026-12-3-0-7.
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The research was funded by Grant No. 24-28-00617 of the Russian Science Foundation, https://rscf.ru/project/24-28-00617/