The purpose of the article is to identify the characteristics and problems of the political perception of Russian Federation by its own citizens. Methodology and Approach. This article is based on the results of opinion polls obtained during the study of the image of one’s own country among different generations of Russian citizens conducted by the Department of Sociology and Psychology of Politics of Moscow State University Lomonosov. Using qualitative and quantitative research methods, which included focused semi-standardized interviews, as well as a picture test and subsequent coding of the obtained data, the authors were able to identify the political image of the country, as it exists in the minds of citizens of the Russian Federation aged 18 to 30 years old. The Results. Studies have shown that the political image of the country within the mass consciousness of citizens contains mainly positive rather than negative or neutral characteristics. Moreover, this image appears to be holistic with slight differences at the rational and unconscious levels of perception. The theoretical implications of the article is in the scientific potential of the research results that can complement a specialized academic course in political psychology. Practical implications. These studies can also be used to assess the general state of political consciousness of Russian society.

country, political image, image of the country, political perception, generation, youth, methodology, conceptual model

1. Dzhgamadze K. B. [Theoretical and methodological features of studying the image of the country in the mass consciousness]. In: Vestnik Kemerovskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta [Bulletin of Kemerovo State University], 2015, no. 3–3 (63), pp. 40–44.
2. Dzhgamadze K. B., Rogozar A. I. [The influence of socio-demographic factors on the perception of their country by Russian citizens]. In: Vestnik Moskovskogo gosudarstvennogo oblastnogo universiteta (elektronnyi zhurnal) [Bulletin of Moscow Region State University (e-journal)], 2017, no. 2. Available at: www.evestnik-mgou.ru (accessed: 12.01.2020).
3. Evgenieva T. V. [“Friend or Foe”: Images of foreign countries in the context of Russia’s perception by its citizens]. In: Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 12: Politicheskie nauki [Bulletin of Moscow University. Series 12: Political Sciences], 2018, no. 2, pp. 57–75.
4. Zamyatin D. N. [Political and geographical images of Russian space]. In: Vestnik Evrazii [Bulletin of Eurasia], 2003, no. 4, pp. 34–35.
5. Leontiev D. A. [From concept to image. Psychosomatic branding]. In: Reklama i zhizn’ [Advertising and life], 2000, no. 1 (13), pp. 19–22.
6. Zverev A. L., Palitay I. S., Smulkina N. V., Rogozar A. I. [Features of political perception in modern Russian conditions]. In: Polis. Politicheskie issledovaniya [Polis. Political research], 2016, no. 3, pp. 40–54.
7. Politicheskaya sotsializatsiya rossiiskikh grazhdan v period transformatsii [Political Socialization of Russian Citizens during the Transformation]. Moscow, New Chronograph Publ., 2008. 552 p.
8. Smulkina N. V., Shestopal E. B. [How do Russian citizens see their country today?]. In: Politiya [Polity], 2018, no. 2 (89), pp. 51–68.
9. Sigel R. S. New Directions for Political Socialization Research: Thought and Suggestions. In: Perspective on Political Science, 1995, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 18–21.