PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY OF FUTURE PRACTICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS AT THE STAGE OF STUDY IN THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

The article deals with the theoretical and empirical investigation of the problem of individual and professional development of specialists in the practical psychology field, which play a crucial role in the further activities of practical psychologists. The necessity in training future practical psychologists is caused by a number of requirements, nominated to representatives of this profession, in particular formation of their professional identity that provides a success of professional activity. Therefore the content of teaching psychologist must include the formation of practicing psychologist’s personality, his/her professional development, change in the internal mental structure of the subject learning, such as the main instrument in the work of the practicing psychologist he/she is. Professional development is understood as a complex, ambiguous, multivariate process, inseparable from the overall development of personality. Acceptance of profession creates a situation of involvement in the system of requirements and values of practical psychologist’s profession.

Professional identity of students-psychologists is caused by two main components: understanding of own professional qualities and comparing himself/herself with representatives of the professional environment, full members of which they should become after graduation. Professional identity of future practical psychologists has different sources of formation. One of them is vocational education, the essence of which provides a degree of identity for the graduate with the image of professional. That is why the educational system, along with the transfer of knowledge and skills (informing), should provide the conditions for education and upbringing of a developed personality, focused on effective professional activity, related to their own subjective structures. Future practical psychologists must be ready for making responsible decisions, resolving ongoing conflicts, operating successfully in the professional space.

The main task of the institutions of higher education, related to the formation of professional identity of future practical psychologists are: providing of personal, paradigmatic, instrumental, situational self-determination of students, informational support of educational process, support of pedagogical skill of teachers.