Development of Professional Identity of Employees of Internal Affairs Bodies with Different Locus of Control

Kanunnikov Roman Igorevich ORCID: 0000-0001-6260-6604 PhD in Psychology Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Psychology and Humanities, Ural Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia 640042, Russia, Sverdlovsk region, Yekaterinburg, 40 let Oktyabrya str., 46 sq. 49. roma.kanunnikov@inbox.ru Other publications by this author

Ryabova Mariya Gennad'evna ORCID: 0000-0002-8119-4681 PhD in Psychology Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Psychology and Humanities, Ural Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia 620042, Russia, Sverdlovsk region, Yekaterinburg, Mikr str. Svetly, 5, sq. 1228, ryabina_mariya@mail.ru

Introduction

Of particular importance in modern studies of professional development of law enforcement officers is the study of the peculiarities of the course and the possibilities of constructive overcoming of the crisis of professional identity at all stages of professional formation, as the development of professional identity of a police officer.

In the event that professional changes in the process of professional formation are negative, that is, they temporarily violate the integrity of the professional's personality, reduce its stability and adaptive capabilities in the profession, they should be considered as destructive tendencies of this process ^[3].

Such scientists as I.A. Zimnaya, E.M. Ivanova, E.A. Klimov, N.I. Kuzmina, A.K. Markova, N.S. Pryazhnikov, V.I. Slobodchikov, K.V. Zlokazov, E.A. Klimov, A.A. Rean, A.M. Rensh, V.I. Pavlenko were engaged in the study of professional identity, L.B. Schneider, K.N. Gavrilova et al.

Very often, when choosing the profession of a law enforcement officer, young people do not fully realize the essence of official activity. As a result, a crisis of professional identity may arise already at the initial stage, leading subsequently to the emergence of professional alienation ^[11].

The understanding of the concept of professional identity is not unambiguous. Thus, D.S. Beznosov defines professional identity as a result of the process of professionalization ^[1].

According to A.A. Rean, professional identity is the identification of a person with representatives of a chosen professional group, the accompanying adoption of a system of professional value orientations, acceptance or non–acceptance of oneself as a professional ^[9].

The professional activity of a police officer is characterized by responsibility, uncertainty, mental and physical stress, and often extreme. All this can subsequently lead to negative socio-psychological consequences.

As E.P. Ermolaeva notes, the professional "I - image" is a structural formation that exists in the self–consciousness of a law enforcement officer. This image allows us to assess the conformity of professional identity ^[4].

The professional identity of an employee of the internal affairs bodies allows you to evaluate yourself as a professional who is ready to help citizens in the field of observing their rights. In this regard, the professional identity of law enforcement officers is studied from the perspective of an integrative psychological phenomenon that allows assessing the degree of awareness of a professional's own competence, effectiveness and personal influence ^[10].

In V.A. Shapoval's research, professional identity is studied as an integrative quality of personality, realized both externally and internally. Externally, it relies on wearing a uniform, performing drill techniques, observing the charter, etc. The internal plan is connected with the personal and semantic nature of the professional activity of an employee of the internal affairs bodies ^[12].

Professional identity forms the idea of the police about their place in the service team. At the same time, a value-motivational orientation develops, which promotes or, conversely, hinders the formation of professional identity ^[2].

M.I. Maryin notes that the development of any personal qualities of a law enforcement officer either contributes to more effective performance of official activities or, conversely, interfere. The most interesting thing is that the personality qualities that are not in demand in the course of performing professional activities and identifying themselves with other employees do not develop and may even be lost ^[7].

A police officer, in a difficult or extreme situation, may seek to shift responsibility to other people or management. This largely depends on the formalization of the performance of the activity and the locus of control. In this case, the locus of control reflects the internal attitude of choosing a behavior strategy. If a policeman takes responsibility for the results of his own and other people's activities, then this is a different type of behavior. Based on preferences, the external (external) and internal (internal) are distinguished  locus of control ^[13].

Police officers with an external type of control rely on luck in a difficult life situation, as a rule. As a result, there is no accumulation of experience necessary for the successful performance of professional activities, while such employees are more successful in teamwork.

Police officers with an internalized type of control believe that their own efforts have led to a successful result. Law enforcement officers with an internal type of control approach the situation more deliberately. By successfully solving a difficult situation, police officers gradually accumulate positive experience. It is believed that law enforcement officers with an internal locus of control tend to analyze information in detail and are more inclined to comply with social norms. Monitoring compliance with social norms in this case is a conscious decision, not a consequence of conformity.

According to A.A. Pchegatluk, the locus of control has a complex hierarchical structure characterized by a certain level of subjectivity. The essence of such control is the process of professional identification of a person with a professional group ^[8].

Therefore, the type of locus of control is an important characteristic of the personality of a law enforcement officer, contributing to the successful performance of professional activities and identity. At the same time, it is worth noting that the formation of the locus of control is carried out throughout life, that is, it is subject to changes and, as a rule, does not occur in its pure form.

A.K. Deinekina, notes that very often there may be such a tendency that the external and internal locus of control in law enforcement officers can be interchanged depending on the circumstances. Thus, a police officer in everyday life can exercise internal locus control, and in the course of performing official activities, external or vice versa ^[5].

The ability to analyze helps a police officer to realize and comprehend the significance of his professional activity, to identify himself as a representative of the authorities who bears great responsibility for the results of his work.

All this influences the adaptation process when entering the police profession, helps to find the right solution in difficult and extreme situations, thereby allowing you to analyze data and accumulate experience in the professional field ^[6].

Employees of internal affairs bodies with an internal type of control approach the choice of profession more meaningfully and approach the tasks of official activity more responsibly. This approach is also typical for "identical" employees. Police officers with an internalized type of control who have successfully passed identification have a stronger motivation to self-actualize themselves in professional activities.

Thus, the locus of control plays a significant role in the life of law enforcement officers, because it affects the perception of the world as a whole and is associated with the formation of professional identity. Based on this, it can be assumed that the development of professional identity is associated with the type of locus of control.

Materials and methods

An empirical study was conducted to verify this provision. The sample size was 102 people (aged 21-43 years) from various departments.

The following psychodiagnostic methods were chosen for the study: questionnaire "Personal and social identity" (A.A. Urbanovich), personal questionnaire "Who am I" (M. Kuhn, K. McPartland), personal questionnaire "Formal and meaningful identity" (E.V. Raspopin, E.A. Rybyakova), test "Level of subjective control" (J. Rotter, modification of E.F. Bazhina, E.A. Golynkina, L.M. Etkind).

Results

To determine the normality of the data distribution, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov single-sample criterion was used, according to the results of which we can talk about a data distribution other than normal. In this regard, nonparametric criteria were chosen for further analysis of the data obtained.

All subjects were divided into three groups according to the severity of the internal locus of control: internals (22 people), externals (23 people) and subjects with average scores on scales (57 people). The results of the comparative analysis between the groups are presented in the tables.

Table 1

Comparative analysis of professional identity indicators between groups of internals and externals

The methodology of "Personal and social identity"

The most significant differences between the groups of internals and externals were identified by the following parameters: personality identity on the "Work" scale (p < 0.01), personality identity on the "Health" scale (p < 0.05), characterological identity (p < 0.05), the formal side of professional identity (p < 0.05), the content side professional identity (p ? 0.05).

Employees of the internal affairs bodies who believe that everything in their life depends on their own efforts and abilities approach the performance of professional duties from the position of certain life orientations. They are clearly aware of their place in the professional community and are ready to take responsibility for the consequences of their actions, and it is this position that has been revealed in employees with a pronounced substantive side of professional identity.

Table 2

Comparative analysis of indicators of professional identity between groups of internals and subjects with average values of the locus of control

The methodology of "Personal and social identity"

Significant differences between groups of externals and subjects with average values on the internality scale of the locus of control were revealed by the following parameters: on the "Professional" scale (p ? 0.05), on the "Formal side" scale (p ? 0.05).

According to the data obtained in the process of comparative analysis, we can say that internals and subjects with average values of internality of the locus of control more consciously represent their professional activities. Such employees know their functions and responsibilities, and are also most clearly and clearly aware of the prospects of their life in general and professional activity in particular, they can plan and predict their actions for a longer period, unlike externals.

In addition, both internals and subjects with average values on the internality scale differ in the presence of internal, semantic motivation in professional activity, which allows them to take the most responsible approach to the performance of professional duties and compliance with the norms of behavior and ethics of employees of internal affairs bodies.

The results of the comparative analysis allow us to conclude that externals are more formal in professional activity, prone to self-reflection, the conclusions of which subsequently do not increase the level of self-awareness of the individual, but remain facts for self-presentation. In this case, there is no logical connection between self-knowledge and the use of this knowledge for self-improvement, which, of course, negatively affects the performance of not only professional, but also any other activity.

Employees of internal affairs bodies with an internal type experience their mistakes more strongly than employees with an external type.

The most constructive and environmentally friendly for the mental health of an employee of the internal affairs bodies will be the average values of internality. Such employees most clearly understand and share events for which they are personally responsible, and events in which responsibility is shared between them and other people. At the same time, learning to differentiate such events remains an important aspect.

The next step was to study correlations between the scales of the locus of control and professional identity in the entire sample of subjects.

Table 3

Results of correlation analysis of Spearman data

Correlation analysis of the data allowed the relationship between the content side of professional identity and the general internality of the locus of control and the internality of the locus of control in the field of achievements, failures, family, profession, health, which indicates an important function of localization of control in the process of personality development, including in the aspect of professional activity.

In this regard, they assess their capabilities most pragmatically

Police officers with an external type of control, as a rule, do not seek to take responsibility. They are good performers, but not managers.

Discussion of the results

With all the positive role of the internal locus of control in the formation and transformation of the professional identity of law enforcement officers, we consider it necessary to note that the most constructive option would be the average values of internality. This is due to the fact that a police officer who takes responsibility for absolutely all events that occur in his life, including those that do not depend on him (natural disasters, accidents, weather conditions, reactions of other people, etc.), becomes subject to depressive states. At the same time, a law enforcement officer with an absolutely external type of locus of control, who does not take responsibility even for those events and actions that directly depend on him, is most often prone to total irresponsibility, non-compliance, conniving attitude to any activity.

In this case, the average values of the internality of the locus of control allow the individual to environmentally share responsibility between himself, other people and circumstances, while maintaining his mental health and mental balance.

The analysis of the levels of development of the professional identity of police officers with different locus of control showed that the internals tested identify themselves more fully with the chosen professional group, they are followed by subjects with average indicators of internality of the locus of control in terms of the degree of identification, internals have the lowest identification values.

Despite the high rates on the scales of identity among internals, it is important to understand that such hyperbolized internality and uncritical indiscriminate assumption of responsibility for everything that happens leads to negative consequences. In some cases, even those that do not depend on the personality itself, and then the inability to influence the circumstances, can be the cause of self-flagellation, self-punishment, and subsequently depressive states of an employee with the risk of developing mental disorders. 

Conclusions

Thus, as a result of the study, it was revealed that the most constructive and environmentally friendly for the mental health of an employee of the internal affairs bodies will be precisely the average level of internality of the locus of control. At this level of internality, a police officer understands and clearly separates events for which he is personally responsible and events in which responsibility is shared between him and other people, or does not apply to him at all. The results obtained will allow practical psychologists of the internal affairs bodies to work more effectively on the formation of professional identity, which will ultimately contribute to the prevention of professional deformation.

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