Professional identity: structure, components, formation

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

What is a professional identity? Is this concept different from self-determination in the choice of speci alty? Does it have anything to do with a person's suitability for the job, the job? Does this concept include people's propensity for specific activities, talent?

These and many other questions invariably arise among those who hear this expression for the first time. Often, people who are far from psychology believe that we are talking about specific techniques used in interviews and allowing the employer to come to certain conclusions about the nature of applicants. It is also often assumed that we are talking about testing. However, this is not the case. Understanding what is hidden under the concept of "professional identity" is not at all difficult if you approach the issue, as people say, "from the stove", that is, from afar. The key, main word is "identity", therefore, it is necessary to start with it.

What is identity? Definition

Identity is one of the properties of humanpsyche. Due to the presence of this quality, people are able to identify or correlate themselves with something, to identify.

Identification can relate to any phenomenon, state, object. For example, a person refers himself to a certain social status, this is an identity. If people claim to belong to a religious denomination or nationality, this is also an identity.

The term is used in psychology and related sciences. For example, sociology has its own definition of this concept and ideas about it. However, identification does not at all negate the presence of such a quality as personal integrity.

What completes an identity? Related Concepts

There are only two concepts accompanying this term. In fact, they are explanatory and complementary concepts of the main definition. In other words, they allow you to get a more accurate idea of \u200b\u200bthe main thing.

The first of these is ego-identity. This term means personal integrity and all those properties of the psyche that are associated with this quality. That is, this concept includes the continuity of the human "I", self-consciousness, its constancy, which is not influenced by changes that occur with the person himself or with the reality surrounding him. Changes are understood as any of the unstable factors - the growth or aging of the person himself, the receipt of new information, natural disasters, and so on.

Of course, the idea of such a property of the psyche as one's own "I" can also be obtained through the prism of priorities. For example, if asprofessional identity is considered as the main property, then in the complementary concept, such factors as education, experience, speci alty, social and labor activity, and not ethnic or cultural affiliation, will have priority.

The second related concept is an identity crisis. In the most generalized and simple version of the definition, this is a special state of the psyche, expressed in the loss of such a quality as ego-identity. This is not about the complete loss of one's own "I". A crisis mental state is characterized by a noticeable decrease in the identification of a person with a specific phenomenon, social structure, object or occupation, a loss of confidence in one's social role or significance. That is, it is a state of disappointment in something and a desire to stop participating in it. For example, the loss of faith in God leads to the cessation of church attendance and a shift in cultural priorities.

If socio-professional identity is considered as the main concept, then the state of crisis will be accompanied by a loss of confidence in one's own vocation, talent, chosen speci alty and personal compliance with it. The consequence of being in this state will be a change of profession, kind or field of activity. If a person is at the stage of obtaining an education, then there is a high probability of his leaving the educational institution or transferring to another faculty.

What could be the identity? Types and types

Professional identity is far from the only optionidentification of one's own "I" with something, but only one of the many types of this property of the mind and psyche of a person. There are an incredible number of identifications; in theory, people are able to apply this quality of mind in relation to any phenomenon or object. For example, stigmata often identify their specific condition with the wounds of Christ. This is also an identity.

All the variety of those factors with which people are able to identify their own self-consciousness can be divided into a couple of general types or directions:

• natural;
• artificial.

The natural type is one that does not depend on the will or desires of a person. Moreover, this direction combines properties that are independent of any social factors, geographical or climatic conditions, upbringing, and much more. They are immutable and not amenable not only to the influence of something, but also to correction by the person himself. Although the last statement in the modern world is no longer indisputable. In other words, natural identification types are what is given at birth, such as race, nationality, gender.

Artificial types - what is formed in the process of becoming a person's own "I", that is, acquired by him in the process of life and can change, having undergone a crisis. The properties included in this type are characterized by the presence of a change in the stages of development. An example would be the formation of professional identity - the influence of social status and opportunities, combined with desire, lead toobtaining a specific speci alty, after which a person begins to identify himself with it. Awareness of the identity of oneself in a profession does not come when one chooses it. That is, while a person is getting an education, he says about himself: "I am studying to be a doctor." After he gets a profession and begins to work, he says differently: "I am a doctor." If a person does not position himself in the speci alty directly, that is, he says: “I work as a doctor,” then this is evidence of an identity crisis.

Kinds of identity are identification with something specific. In other words, religious affiliation to a particular denomination is a kind of artificial identity.

How did this concept come about? About the author of the theory

For the first time, the study and study of the status of professional identity, as well as the very concept of identification in general, was conducted by the American scientist Eric Erickson. It is his authorship that belongs to the scientific theory of the psychosocial type of human personality development.

The difference from other theoretical options for understanding and explaining personal development lies in the fact that the processes occurring in the mind and psyche of a person are influenced by his identification with something. That is, the social and cultural environment are of key importance in the process of personal development and self-determination.

How is identity formed in relation to a profession?

Becoming a professional in any industry is a long process. Its peak occurs in young years, but this process can be repeated several times duringlife. The formation of a professional identity is often confused with a simple choice of speci alty or orientation in the labor market.

This process is much more complex and includes a combination of many factors related to both social environment, cultural or ethnic origin, and internal characteristics of the individual, such as interests, hobbies, talents.

The primary formation of professional identity is inextricably linked with such moments as awareness of oneself, one's own place and role in society. That is, this process is inseparable from the formation of the personality as a whole, and its peak falls at the moment of self-awareness as a person, namely, in the young years that complete the stage of growing up.

The choice of speci alty is only one of the stages of the process of human identity in relation to professional activity. In fact, the formation begins from the moment a person begins to show interest in any activities in childhood, and ends when the phrase is pronounced: “I am a doctor,” for example. That is, at the moment when the mind identifies a person with a profession.

What do the different methods say?

Different methods of studying professional identity often use different terms to refer to this process. For example, the term "professionalization" was often used in the works of Soviet psychologists. In the works of Markova, this concept was given a definition that describes it as the process of an individual's ascent to professionalism within the chosen industry. AnotherRussian scientist, Pryazhnikov, used the term "professional development". It should be understood as a certain state of the human psyche, in which work becomes the main means of gaining a sense of one's own relevance and dignity.

In addition to the works of the founder of this theory, Erickson, the works and studies played an important role in its development:

• D. Marcia – determination of statuses;
• L. Schneider - characteristics of individual stages;
• R. Heywighurst, D. Syoper - identifying age periods and considering identity within them.

All these methods consider the features of professional identity, but do not contradict the main theory, but, on the contrary, develop and supplement it. This trend in psychology is not complete. This means that research in the field of studying the professional, social and personal identity of people continues at the present time.

What is status?

For the first time, Marcia singled out the statuses of professional identity, and he also defined this concept. Statuses are specific periods of a mental or personal state, characterized by a combination of certain sensations and processes.

There are four such states. But in practice, a person's self-consciousness is able to combine the statuses of professional identity, forming borderline and mixed states. According to Marcia's theory, identity can be in the following statuses:

• undefined;
• early;
• mature;
• crisis, or moratorium stage.

Each of the statuses of identity has its own distinctive features, characteristic only for it. To determine in which of the statuses a person resides, the Azbel technique allows. Professional identity, according to the works of A. Azbel, consists of an endless series of successive statuses, that is, it is a continuous mental process.

What are the characteristics of the state of uncertainty?

If an identity is in a state of uncertainty, then the following characteristics correspond to this:

• lack of clear convictions;
• no professional priorities;
• There is flexibility in terms of work activities.

The main distinguishing feature, according to Marcia's method of studying the statuses of professional identity, is the combination of the above features with the absence of a crisis of formation.

An example of this status can be the state and behavior of any person who has not decided on a vocation and profession, employed in temporary work. For example, a school graduate who works part-time in a catering establishment and attends several preparatory courses at different universities is in a state of uncertainty. However, if a person does not choose a profession for himself, earning a living, than he has to, but at the same time he does not experience an internal crisis even once and does not have any speci alty with which he would identify himself, then this is also a statusuncertainty. That is, the age, time or other framework for this status state is not characteristic.

What are the characteristics of early identity status?

The name of this status speaks for itself - early identity, that is, coming earlier than it should. As a rule, this status arises when the formation of professional identity occurs in the process of forced maturation.

Its characteristic features are:

• early inclusion in the commodity-money system of relations;
• willingness and ability to make decisions and take responsibility;
• a clear idea of one's own social role;
• the presence of unshakable authorities and beliefs;
• lack of an experienced crisis of becoming;
• identity in a randomly determined speci alty.

With this status, there is also no crisis of self-determination, as well as a conscious choice of occupation or professional development according to internal needs, interests, talents.

An example would be any case where, under the pressure of circumstances, a young person or teenager is forced to start earning money. Work is not chosen in such a situation, usually young people start working where they were taken. However, further professional growth and development occur only within this random field of activity.

Often this status is mixed with others. For example, the professional identity of students forced to leave the educationalestablishment and start working.

What are the characteristics of maturity status?

Maturity status is the state in which a person stays most of his life. The distinctive features inherent in this state are the following:

• experiencing, overcoming, ending the crisis of self-determination;
• clear and complete identification of one's own personality with a specific occupation;
• the process of self-realization and growth within the chosen profession.

In other words, this status is an established professional identity. The methodology of A. Azbel, like D. Marcia, does not consider this status to be an unchangeable or “frozen” state. That is, to stay in a state of professional maturity, self-discovery is not typical, but personal and career growth, the development and improvement of existing skills, and the acquisition of new knowledge within the chosen speci alty are characteristic.

The status of professional maturity should not be confused with the stagnation that precedes the emergence and development of an identity crisis. The main feature of the state of maturity is the pleasure of one's own professional activity, the desire to work in the speci alty and develop in it, the feeling of benefit and, of course, complete self-realization.

What are the salient features of moratorium status?

The state of crisis is not limited to the period of life in which the professional identity of students occurs. Of course, most people go through this status at a young age, before the startlabor activity and the completion of growing up. However, moratorium status may be for a person who is in the middle of life, or someone who is retiring. In other words, there are no strict age limits for this identity status.

The characteristic features of this state are:

• search for oneself, that is, the process of self-determination;
• choice of activity;
• scrolling through different areas of development, both personal and professional;
• absence of any identification with any of the speci alties or fields of activity.

It is often believed that staying in this status is characteristic of creative people. However, this is an erroneous opinion. Crises of professional identity have a clear sign - the complete absence of identification of the individual with any of the occupations. Therefore, when a person declares himself: “I am an artist”, then even if he does not pick up brushes and does not approach the easel for decades, his state of mind is not an identity crisis. In other words, he is not in the status of a moratorium.

Professional identity is a technique that considers the formation of a person within the framework of a speci alty, the identification of a person with a certain occupation. This concept is not directly related to the availability of labor results or the practical implementation of activities.

What is an identity structure? Components

According to the theory of psychologist L. Schneider, professional identity has a clear structure,peculiar stages of development and formation through which a person passes.

The semantic or structural construction looks like this:

• self-determination and designation of the range of interests, areas of activity;
• choose a specific profession;
• achieving readiness, that is, getting the right education, gaining experience and knowledge;
• suitability for self-employment;
• self-awareness within the class, identification of "I" with him.

Thus, the structure of a person's identity in professional activity includes stages from the realization of what one would like to do to self-realization in this speci alty.

What is a professional group?

Professional identity does not depend on what speci alty is chosen. A psychologist, for example, will be trained in the same way as a surgeon, with the exception of special classes, and the same structural stages will precede education.

The components of the identity structure include such a concept as a professional group. This is a circle of people with whom a person works together or studies, gets a profession. Also, the professional group includes individuals who do not have direct contact with a person, but carry out similar activities. For example, the professional identity of a psychologist occurs within a group that includes fellow students, colleagues, and influencers who lived in the past, whose research is learning materials to help in becoming.

Definitely profession althe group is also a unit of the social structure of society. When viewed from the position of sociology, this group is a team of people united by the following:

• carrying out homogeneous activities;
• sharing professional interests;
• getting a similar education;
• similar cultural and ethical beliefs.

At the same time, the personal interests of the members of such a group may differ significantly. Age limits, gender or race, ethnicity, religion are not characteristic features of such a team.

Groups can have such a unifying feature as finding the people who make them up in one place. In this case, we are talking about a small specific group. An example would be the staffing of a particular department in a hospital. However, all hospital workers cannot be included in a professional group. That is, surgeons are one group, and cleaners are another. Thus, the main characteristic feature of such a team is that people have one profession.

The most curious moment in the study of the role of such a group in the professional development of a person is that the human mind is able to identify its own "I" not only with a speci alty, but also with a specific or abstract team. An example is the phrase: "I am a doctor in the city trauma hospital." That is, the identification of the individual with the occupation is complemented. A person emphasizes his professional affiliation to the team of a particular hospital. That is toprofessional group.

The concept of a professional group was first given by L. Schneider in the framework of the theory of identity structure. Like the main theory of professional self-determination, the formation of personality, the method of forming groups is at the intersection of the psyche and sociality.