present a theoretical and empirical perspective of life perception in the context of young people from two types of schools: primary school (13–15 years old pupils) and high school (16–18 years old students). Theoretical framework based on two theories: cognitive-experiential self-theory of personality by S. Epstein (1985, 1991, 1994, 2003) and Urie Brofenbrenner’s ecological theory (1979) and Polish condition for development in local environment described by many authors (Bańka, 2002; Mendel, 2005; Pilch, Lepalczyk, 1995, Theiss, 2001 and others). I was looking for dependencies between the image of life and interpersonal relations, dependencies between interpersonal relations and the sense of effectiveness and the differentiation of living conditions depending on the size of the place of residence (big city/medium sized cities/small town and rural environment). The image of life was analysed as beliefs about the ability to control events in it and personal effectiveness vs helplessness is a phenomenon mostly determined by learning experiences (reactions of the environment to the individual’s actions), although in part they are developmental in nature, being related to cognitive, emotional and social development. The results of the research, provided by diagnostic survey method, show that in adolescents aged 13–15, the image of life correlates significantly (p˂0,05) and positively (r˃0) with total interpersonal relationships and all its subscales (prosociality, non-aggressiveness, self towards others, support, no threat, others against me). In adolescents aged 16–18, I note significant correlations only in a few parameters – prosociality, self towards others, support and together with the category of interpersonal relations. I did not notice any statistically significant differentiation of living conditions depending on the size of the place of residence among young people aged 13–15 (all of them p>0,05). For the oldest group – among adolescents aged 16–18 – I find lower levels of self-efficiency in students in large cities. It is significantly lower than among adolescents from medium-sized cities and significantly lower than among adolescents from small towns and rural areas among adolescents aged 16–18. It confirmed that social ties, relationships in medium size cities, small towns and rural environments are more close and significant, and offer more opportunities for supporting personal development than big cities for adolescents at their 16–18 years of age.