Linguistic representation of the concept PATRIOTISM in the consciousness of modern youth: gender aspect

The paper presents a comprehensive study of the linguistic representation of the concept PATRIOTISM in the linguistic consciousness of representatives of the youth socio-demographic group. The aim of this study is to examine the current structure of the concept PATRIOTISM in the linguistic consciousness of contemporary youth in the Kursk region, taking into account gender factors. The relevance of this work stems from the priority given to patriotic education in Russian state policy and the need to consider regional and gender specifics in its implementation. The primary research method was a free association experiment. For data analysis we used descriptiveanalytical and comparative methods as well as statistical processing of the results and data visualization (including the construction of a "tag cloud"). Analysis of the experimental data revealed the development of a concentric structure of the concept with a dominant emotional triad of "Homeland - Love for the Homeland - Love" and a predominance of neutral and positive associations, indicating a favorable attitude toward the concept under study. Peripheral layers are characterized by a high degree of individualization of perception and reflect a mature