Attitudes to time and coping-strategies of farming entrepreneurs

Don State Technical University, 1, Gagarin Sq., 344003, Rostov-on-Don, Russia

^* Corresponding author: vladaph@yandex.ru

Abstract

Farmers and especially their psychological state are not often objects of research. We used the following methods: the questionnaire “Attitudes to time” by Nutten (in Muzdybayev’s modification); the questionnaire SACS – “Strategies for overcoming stressful situations” (Hobfoll, 1994); the questionnaire of problems assessment in the activities of the farmers; the questionnaire “Crisis”, developed by us. The questionnaire “Crisis” was used to identify three groups of level of well-being. The sample consisted of farmers: 50 people. The results showed that the attitudes to time of young farmers have a positive, interesting, full of hope past; the present is negative, terrible, unsuccessful, significant; the future is positive, full of hope, active and saturated. The attitudes to time of older farmers are the following: the positive, pleasant, difficult, eventful past; the present is meaningful, positive, hopeful; the future is interesting, positive, bright, full of hope. The level of well-being in both groups is estimated at the average one. Coping strategies in the group of young farmers are - getting in touch, in the group of senior managers - indirect-actions; in both groups ‒ finding social support. The assessment of the problems of farming activity revealed two key problems - insufficient funds and lagging modernization.