In the conditions of unstable political, economic and social development of society the problem of quality of life, well-being, satisfaction of each citizen of the country acquires special importance. Research has shown that happiness is determined by various factors (age, marital, social and financial status, physiological status, social relations, personal characteristics), its level changes throughout life and can be corrected by certain psychological methods of influence. The purpose of our study was to study the state of development of the problem of happiness and study the content of the ideas of young people about happiness, their characteristics depending on gender and professional orientation. In order to study the peculiarities of the young generation's ideas about happiness, we studied 250 third-year students aged 20 to 22 years of various specialties. The researched questionnaire was asked to answer the questions, the analysis of which helped to make generalized conclusions about their ideas about happiness. The most of students rate their level of happiness as high or medium. But their level of happiness is much higher than their level of success, which can lead to a contradiction between the desire for success and happiness. This state of affairs requires correction of the content of ideas about happiness in adolescence by providing educational information about awareness of success as a process of self-realization and a component of happiness, the desire for integrated satisfaction of both material and spiritual needs for full personal development.

The article describes theoretical views on the development of ethical consciousness in Ukrainian university students in the context of postmodernism, using the data from quasi-experimental psycho-pedagogical measurements. The article aims to specify the process of developing structural components of ethical consciousness in Ukrainian university students, who de facto (culturally and socially) are still gaining the experience of late postmodernity. The following methods were used at the propaedeutic, quasi-experimental and resumptive levels: theoretical-methodological analysis of relevant scientific-methodical sources; selection of relevant diagnostic methods; modelling of educational conditions; psychodiagnostic methods; methods of mathematical statistics; summarization. The necessary data were collected, with the observance of all ethical norms, at the premises of Ukrainian higher education institutions, with the participation of 280 students-respondents (Years 1-5) who major in the humanities and technology. The obtained results indicate a rather uneven personal development of students under all structural components of ethical consciousness. The main part of the article, as well as conclusions, clarifies the components of ethical consciousness, their dynamics and dependence on one’s worldview and experience. The international relevance of the article lies in objectifying ethical consciousness of young people in the post-totalitarian environment. It will allow one to evaluate the interaction between traditional and postmodern systems, justify the prospects of such categories as “meanings” and “values” in the belated postmodern society. The results of the article may influence the modelling of the character-building component in new education systems in the post-cultural society.