Abstract

In article on the example of growing number of the conflicts between adherents of Christian and Muslim values, and also the ethno-religious nature of terrorism the psychological reasons of understanding of foreign person not as friend, and as enemy are analyzed. Proved that in understanding of the stranger an important role plays not only conscious rational knowledge of the subject, but also unconscious and everyday concepts. The emphasis is placed on research of the cognitive and affective unconscious — extra conceptual irrational components of understanding of the stranger. It is proved that there are such spheres of human life which at all don’t accept rational knowledge. In similar spheres there is a radical contradiction between rational knowledge, an explanation and deep emotions, experiences. Deep attitudes and prejudices can’t be overcome logical arguments: they don’t rely on reasonable judgments and therefore they can’t be destroyed usual logic. The main issue on which attempt to answer is made, consists in the following: why at recognition of the fact of burning of the Koran or an act of girls from “Pussy Riot” group not only conscious rational explanations, but also unconscious components of behavioral reactions of the people speaking different languages and living in the different countries, are very similar? The explanation of this phenomenon in article develops in three directions. First, data that the subject makes many moral and religious decisions automatically, intuitively, unconsciously are provided. Secondly, from J. Piaget’s research follows that some operational schemes of actions can contradict ideas which the subject consciously already formulated. These ideas take higher place, than action schemes, and block their integration into conscious thinking. Thirdly, with reference to results of psychophysiological researches existence of filters locates in consciousness, making the appearance at correlation of the ancient and recently created cultural phenomena with less and more differentiated brain systems.