The development of methodological foundations in studying the emotional sphere of blind people in the works of Russian scholars in the pre-war period

Researching the emotional sphere of a person is one of the fundamental tasks in modern science, involving a wide range of methods and approaches. Analyzing the emotional sphere of blind and visually impaired individuals presents a particular complexity due to the limitations and peculiarities of their sensory perception of the surrounding reality. This article covers the development of the conceptual foundations for researching the emotional sphere of people with visual impairments in the context of the work of Russian scientists. The first scientific discussions in Russia about the need for specialized analysis of the psychological aspects of blindness were expressed in the editorial article of the journal "Russian Blind" in the 1880s. While the development of foreign tiflopsychology as an independent science, related to the organization of education for children with visual impairments in special schools, began in Paris at the end of the 18th century. In the process of forming this area of knowledge, Russian researchers face the lack of methodological foundations for systematic research of the emotional sphere of visually impaired individuals. As a result, scientists propose various approaches to analyzing the emotional sphere of the blind. Some scientists try to use a metaphysical-based approach to study the emotional processes of the blind, while others suggest studying this area within the framework of a materialistic approach. As a result of such contradictions, two directions for studying the emotional sphere emerged - a mechanistic approach based predominantly on biological factors and the theory of supercompensation, explaining changes in the emotional sphere of the blind based on their social experience.

the emotional sphere of the blind, emotions, a biosocial approach, Soviet psychology, typhlopsychology, visual impairment, compensation, the sociologizing approach, biologizing approach, overcompensation