The article deals with the aspects of self-actualization potential of students in small towns and big cities. The objective of the research is to determine sociocultural identity of people in small towns and big cities depending of the nature of achievement motivation. The diagnostic tools are the methodologies: “Personal and social identity” by A.A. Urbanovich, “Achievement motivation tests” by A. Mekhrabian modified by M.Sh. Magomed-Eminov. As the result, four groups were determined: the first subgroup students (positive factors of sociocultural identity and the motivation of success) are characterized by a high level of self-actualization signs; the second subgroup students (positive factors of sociocultural identity and the motivation of avoidance of failures) are characterized by a middle level of self-actualization signs and some lower signs; the fourth subgroup students are characterized by the negative sociocultural identity and some signs of the motivation of avoidance of failures, and the prevalence of low and self-actualization signs. The correlation of the motivation of achievement and the negative sociocultural identity of the third group students has not been found out.