Scientific Conceptual Basis of the Concepts of Mentality and Social Mentality

Abstract

The aim of the study is to analyze the conceptual framework of mentality and the concept of social mentality and their historical development as well as its theoretical interpretations and the impact of mentality in a nation. Despite becoming a well-discussed topic in philosophy, anthropology, psychology and sociology, the scientific definition of mentality is still missing and this hampers the understanding of mentality as a dynamic socio-cultural phenomenon. Filling this void, the paper explores both traditional and more recent academic conceptions of mentality, cataloguing development from the foundations of Western philosophy through to contemporary cultural anthropology. The analysis draws upon a systematic review of conceptual sources, historical materials, and theoretical debates reported in literature. Mentality was first used in colonial and ethnographic contexts to describe the mindsets and cognitive processes of different populations, according to findings. This idea evolved from cultural cliches to include habitual mental models, value systems, and collective perceptions. The study demonstrates that mentality as such is a key component of the shaping of nations, especially so for the region of post-Soviet societies, where socio-political transformation has exacerbated an interest in the roots of cultural and psychological continuity. These findings illustrate that mentality is both a historical construct and an evolutionary adaptation shaped by cultural endowment, social institutions, and the changing political environments. Due also to its cross-disciplinary nature, it is a major tool of analysis of social transformation. This study suggests that the research on the temperament of the Uzbek national character should be performed in the order to reinforce democratic reforms, improve socio-cultural development and develop better a national development model. A better theoretical grasp of mentality will underpin sounder social policy, education, and identity-building.