“Teremok”: Ethnocultural interpretation of a folk tale with a psychological dominant and its application in profiling

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the study of the psychological and cultural aspects of the

perception of folk tales, using the Russian version of the common Slavic plot about the formation of temporary communities—the tale “Tеremok”—as an example. The issues surrounding the folk tale and its literary adaptations are examined through the lens of deconstructing ideological influences, especially those related to the tension between collectivism and individuality, as well as the formation and destruction of personal boundaries, self-realization, and the socio-psychological mechanisms that support them. To this end, we developed an integrative theoretical model that draws on concepts from analytical psychology, transgenerational trauma theory, object relations theory, and Bowen’s family systems theory. Special attention is given to the metaphorization of fairy-tale images and plot structures with the aim of using them for readers to work through childhood traumas and understand their influence on adult life. In particular, the article proposes an author’ s interpretation of the role of parental and social dogmas—often framed as “traditional values”—and the social pressure for their mandatory implementation in the life of every citizen, which leads to the formation and entrenchment of limiting, and consequently possibly less effective behavioral models in changing life (including cultural) contexts. The article also discusses examples from the practice of individual and group profiling, illustrating the behavioral strategies of “mice”—daughters growing up in socially conforming “teremoks” and then seeking self-actualization in their professional activities and personal lives. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of working through a non-societal reading of original folk tales to determine one’s individual values and behavioral paradigms, as well as working with personal boundaries and selfknowledge as necessary conditions for effective self-actualization and the formation of healthy, productive relationships in society.