The concept "altruism" for sociological research: from conceptualization to operationalization

TL;DR

This paper explores how the concept of altruism is understood and operationalized in Russian sociological research, analyzing linguistic and contextual aspects to inform better measurement tools.

Contribution

It provides a detailed conceptual and operational analysis of altruism in Russian, integrating linguistic data with sociological methodology for improved research practices.

Findings

Identifies key features of altruism in Russian language and context.

Highlights implications for questionnaire and interview design.

Provides insights into the linguistic nuances of altruism in Russian.

Abstract

This article addresses the question of the relevant conceptualization of {\guillemotleft}altruism{\guillemotright} in Russian from the perspective sociological research operationalization. It investigates the spheres of social application of the word {\guillemotleft}altruism{\guillemotright}, include Russian equivalent {\guillemotleft}vzaimopomoshh`{\guillemotright} (mutual help). The data for the study comes from Russian National Corpus (Russian). The theoretical framework consists of Paul F. Lazarsfeld`s Theory of Sociological Research Methodology and the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM). Quantitative analysis shows features in the representation of altruism in Russian that sociologists need to know in the preparation of questionnaires, interview guides and analysis of transcripts.