ИСТИНА

One of the most important directions of medical anthropology is investigation of reactions to stressors characteristic for the contemporary “modernized” society. 490 university students from Moscow (the MSU, 1 place in the rating of Russian universities, including the level of demand for graduates among employers); Perm city (pedagogical university, 42nd from 213 pedagogical universities); and from the branch of the university in Kudymkar town (126th place in the rating) – an administrative center of agricultural region – were examined. Moscow population is 11500, Perm – 1026, Kudymkar – 30.5 thous.people. Moscow students are characterized with high anxiety levels and low levels of cortisol in saliva. These reactions are typical for megalopolis dwellers, they develop at feeling of external threat at constant gathering of large amounts of people and cause appearance of chronic tension syndrome. At that, in Moscow sample, the lowest levels of situational anxiety are registered. It can be suggested that students receiving education in a prestige university are sure in their professional perspectives and less worried about the future place of work. Perm students demonstrate the highest levels of situational anxiety, uncertainty and cortisol level. It can be manifestation of serious concern about their future life: education in a not very prestige university with relatively low rating does not guarantee successful carrier. But relatively high level of aspirations causes significant emotional load expressed in the increase of anxiety and cortisol levels. The lowest levels of cortisol, uncertainty and anxiety are registered in students from the small town. Graduates even from the low-rating university can regard themselves as quite competitive in their weakly urbanized region with small number of people with university degree. This positive illusion perception of own qualities and exaggerated self-evaluation are associated with reliably lower cortisol content (Taylor et al., 2003) – naturally during the period of time, when this illusion is being supported.