Labor psychology is the subject of direction methods. Psychology and labor

V modern society the role psychological knowledge about human labor activity in connection with the peculiarities of the socio-economic and technical development of all spheres and forms of our life, the increase in the complexity, responsibility and danger of many types of work, the increased requirements for the level of human functional reserves in the performance of professional tasks.

Knowledge of the psychological patterns of labor activity, the possibilities and limitations of a person in the implementation labor tasks, the laws of mutual adaptation of man and tools are the goal and subject of the scientific and practical discipline "psychology of labor activity".

Psychology of work activity is an industry psychological science studying the conditions, ways and methods of a scientifically based solution practical tasks in the field of functioning and formation of a person as a subject of labor.

· Psychology of labor activity - a branch of psychological science that studies the conditions, ways and methods of scientifically based solution of practical problems in the field of functioning and formation of a person as a subject of labor.

The main tasks of the psychology of labor activity are the study and development practical advice on following issues:

1) psychological characteristics of specific types of professional activity (its means, content, conditions and organization, error analysis, classification of professions, etc.);

2) the influence of individual psychological characteristics of a person on efficiency, reliability, labor safety;

3) psychological patterns of formation of a person's professional suitability (vocational guidance, professional selection, professional training, adaptation to work);

4) functional states the subject of labor (fatigue, emotional stress, stress, monotony, etc.) and methods for their diagnosis, prevention and correction;

5) psychological patterns of interaction between man and technology;

6) engineering and psychological support (design, evaluation) of the process of creation and operation new technology etc.

The psychology of labor activity is engaged not only in the study and substantiation of ways, methods and means of improving activity, but also in the study of the fundamental phenomena of the human psyche (the formation of the subject of labor, the mechanisms for regulating states, the role of personal characteristics in labor behavior, the formation of professional abilities, etc.).

The relationship between psychology and labor as a socio-economic process of transforming the surrounding world is built on the basis of a number of fundamental provisions on the essence of the psychology of labor activity:


It is aimed not only at facilitating human labor, but also seeks to make it more productive, creative, safe, bringing satisfaction and material prosperity;

It seeks to adapt labor to man and man to labor (the idea of ​​man's dominance over nature, technology, and other people is debatable and sometimes absurd);

It reflects the significant variability and significant individual differences in the state of the psyche, characteristic of different people in their work activities.

Labor, profession, specialty. Work- this is an expedient activity to transform the surrounding world to meet human needs. Labor is one of the main types of conscious human activity, which serves as a means and way of its self-realization in personal and public life, communication, knowledge of oneself and the world around, development of oneself as a person, self-affirmation, creation of material and spiritual values ​​and personal prosperity. The achievement of these labor goals is ensured by its following functions (Fig. 23-1):

· Labor is an activity to transform the surrounding world in order to meet human needs.

Profession - a set of forms of activity, united by related features.

Specialty - a specific form of activity within a particular profession.

The implementation of labor functions requires the creation of certain prerequisites for its successful implementation:

1) selection of people most suitable for a particular activity;

2) professional training;

3) rational conditions and organization of the labor process;

4) convenience and efficiency of labor tools;

6) a system of labor safety, preservation of professional health and longevity, psychological support for working capacity.

Labor (its content, conditions, goals) should contribute to the development of a person's personality, bring him joy and satisfaction with the results achieved. In psychology, the assertion that “the human psyche is manifested and formed in activity is proven and has acquired the strength of an axiom. The development of personality ... does not occur in any activity, but in normally intense due to the initiative, activity, motives of the subject of this activity ... ”(Klimov E. A., 1996). Labor is the process of realizing human resources in the field of psychological, physiological, professional and other functional capabilities of a person, the value of which is not the same for different people and varies depending on age, professional training, health status, etc.

The solution of many applied problems of improving labor activity, as well as the study of the fundamental phenomena of human mental activity, are associated with the need to consider the features of the relationship between various components of the structure of labor activity (Fig. 23-2).

The diagram of the total subject of labor activity presented in the figure is called the ergotic system (from the Greek εργον - work).

The features of a particular profession reflect the content of a particular labor activity, although its elements may also be inherent in other professions, and the very content of the concept of a profession is not limited to characterizing the essence of this activity. Profession- this is a set of forms of activity, united by related features of the object, content, means, organization, result of labor and requirements for the preparation of the subject of labor. This concept reflects different levels and different aspects of specific types of labor activity:

1) the object and subject of labor, its content, conditions and organization;

2) objective function and the nature of the result of labor;

3) features of the subject of labor - his knowledge, skills, abilities, abilities;

4) economic and social aspects - employment, satisfaction of material needs, approval of social status;

5) a type of activity characteristic of a set of people united by a single focus, employed in a single subject area.

Speciality- this is a specific form of activity, which is characterized by specific features of the goals, process, means of labor and vocational training subject of labor. The concept of "specialty" is usually used to characterize a relatively private and more specific type of activity (within the profession), which reflects the possibility of a more or less fractional division of labor (for example, the profession is a doctor, the specialty is a therapist, surgeon, ophthalmologist, etc.).

Psychological content of work. Each specific type of labor activity is implemented in a certain normatively approved (most efficient, economical) way. In the process of mastering a profession, a person turns this prescribed method into an individual, unique way of activity, reflecting in it his personal characteristics, including psychological ones. The inner, intimate side of mastering a profession is the formation, based on the individual qualities of the subject of labor psychological system of activity as a set of mental properties, qualities of the subject of labor, organized to perform the functions of a specific activity.

· Psychological system of activity - a set of mental properties, qualities of the subject of labor, organized to perform the functions of a particular activity.

The development of the psychological system of activity occurs both in the process of professional training of the subject of labor, and in the subsequent formation of a professional, his improvement. The formation of this system means the inclusion in the process of mastering the activity of professionally significant functional blocks of the subject, their objectification (filling with subject content), orientation towards the implementation of specific work functions, as well as the establishment and consolidation of relationships between individual blocks.

On fig. 23-3 presented structural scheme functional blocks of the psychological system of activity. It includes:

1) motives of activity, its motivating forces (material, cognitive, aesthetic, etc.);

2) the goals of the activity that form its content and are expressed in specific expected results;

3) activity programs that reflect ideas about its real content and process;

4) the information basis of activity - a set of information about its subject and subject conditions for implementation (in the form of both real signals and images, representations of these signals, including specific professional knowledge);

5) decision-making processes - identifying a problem situation, putting forward hypotheses (solution options), determining the decision principle, developing judgments about decision options, their evaluation (choosing the most optimal option);

6) psychomotor processes and work actions implement activities in the form of procedures, motor acts and participate in the regulation of activities (according to the feedback mechanism);

7) professionally important qualities - the psychological characteristics of the subject of labor, reflecting the influence of a particular labor process on the totality of individual psychological qualities and functions.

Rice. 23-3. Structural diagram of the psychological system of activity

Psychological analysis is an essential moment in the optimization of labor activity. The problems of organizing attention, the requirements for memory, thinking, will, the formation of a system of professional abilities - all this is now the most pressing issue in the scientific and practical support of labor. These and several others theoretical questions constitute the field of study of labor psychology. Labor psychology is the science of mental phenomena, mechanisms and their features that are activated in a person in the labor process, of personality traits, as well as methods that play an important role in the labor process and its most appropriate organization. In the very general view Labor psychology is a branch of psychology that deals with the study of psychological patterns in human labor activity. Recently, there has been an approach (Peter J. Drent, Henk Tierru, Paul J. Willems, Charles de Wolff) that combines the psychology of work and organizational psychology into one scientific discipline and defines it as a science “which studies the behavior of working people and the how they perform activities within certain organizational structures, or organizations.” (Leonova A. Chernysheva O. Psychology of work and organizational psychology, p. 10). Based on the definition of the psychology of labor and the tasks facing it, we must also determine the subject of study of this science. The subject of labor psychology is mental processes, psychological factors that induce, program and regulate the labor activity of the individual.

Recently, there has been a change in the understanding of the content of the subject of labor psychology. The main aspects of the study, along with the organization of labor and personality, are the issues of cognitive regulation of activity.

The tasks that the psychology of labor solves are diverse both in terms of methodological status and content. Let us get acquainted in more detail with the specific tasks facing the psychology of labor. The most detailed analysis of the problems facing the psychology of labor was given by B. F. Lomov.

The problem of motivation of labor activity, the formation of personality in labor. The study of patterns, mechanisms, factors and conditions of personal development in labor activity.

The problem of organization and development of labor collectives.

The problem of psychological and psychophysiological support for the activity of various states of a person arising in labor.

Psychological issues related to the design, development and operation of technology.

Psychological aspect of improvement of control systems.

Psychological problems associated with the protection of people's health in the workplace.

Improvement of the service sector. Psychological issues of advertising, marketing, etc.

Problems of vocational training.

In the most general form, the following large groups of tasks and directions that the psychology of labor must solve can be distinguished.

1. Psychological study of labor activity. This includes an analysis of the requirements for the mental functions of a person; determination of regularities and mechanisms of formation of professionally important qualities; study of the structure of labor activity, its dynamics and mechanisms. More specific questions are the tasks of studying working capacity and fatigue, learning and skills, modes of work and rest, etc.

2. The study of personality in the labor process. First of all, it should be noted here research concerning the motivation of labor activity, self-realization of a person in labor. An important point is the analysis of abilities, interests of the individual, methods of information exchange, problems of creativity, etc.

3. Socio-psychological problems of labor. Labor is always a group activity, this complicates it with many social problems. Problems of management, control, planning, conflict resolution - all these issues are investigated in the field of labor psychology. Of particular importance are studies of this plan in the field of specific professions, professional selection and training.

This triad of problems: "work process" - "personality in work" - "social dynamics of work" are the practical basis on which the psychology of work is built. The fundamental methodological position modern psychology labor advocates a metasystem approach. Labor as a socio-psychological structure has a metasystem organization (A.V. Karpov). Each individual element of labor also has a systemic character. In this regard, the principle of consistency is basic for the psychology of labor (B.F. Lomov, V.D. Shadrikov). Obviously, the development of scientific ideas in the field of labor psychology should also be based on other general methodological principles (determinism; the unity of consciousness and activity; the genetic principle, etc.). However, from the point of view of objective scientific logic, they will necessarily be expressed in studies based on a complex consistency - activity - personal approach. The field of research in work psychology and organizational psychology brings together all research related to the world of work and the activities of professional organizations. Labor psychology studies a special form of behavior of working people, carried out within the framework of some organization.

The subject and tasks of psychology there

Labor psychology is a branch of psychology. a science that studies the patterns of formation and manifestation of the psyche. human activity in various types of labor and develops practical recommendations for psycho. ensuring efficiency and labor safety.

The subject of labor is the subject of labor. The subject himself is usually regarded as a "carrier" of object-practical activity and cognition (an individual or a social group), as a source of activity directed at an object.

The object of labor is understood as a specific labor process that includes the subject, means, goals, tasks of labor, rules for the performance of work and conditions of organization.

V.N. Druzhinin singles out the object of study of labor psychology:

1) a person as a participant in the process of creating material and spiritual values, their development and provision.

2) a group of people (team, crew, shift, etc.)

3) system (man-technology, man-man, man-nature, etc.)

The subject of labor psychology is the psychological patterns of the labor process, the characteristics of the personality of the subject of activity and their relationship with the means, process, conditions, and organization of labor activity.

There are 2 groups of tasks:

1) inside scientific (form the structure of science)

2) applied (form straight lines and feedback connecting science and practice, psychology and production)

Main tasks:

*Psychological analysis of the activities of specialists in various fields - development of methods and analysis program, analysis of errors, construction of professinograms.

* study of the mechanisms of psycho. regulation of labor activity in normal and extreme conditions.

* study of human performance in various types and working conditions, and the rationale for psychological recommendations for its increase or maintenance.

* study of the features of the functioning of the states of the subject of activity.

*studying the patterns of interrelationship between the features1 of the personality and the characteristics of activity.

* substantiation of the system of professional and psychological selection of specialists (methods, indicators, criteria, etc.).

*study of the processes of formation and development of the personality of a professional.

The history of the formation and development of labor psychology as a branch of psychological science

In psych. Science has always paid attention to the psycho. the issue of labor. One of the first who dealt with the role of the personal factor of labor was Sechenov.

At the beginning of the 20th century, questions were raised before psychology about the influence of irritation and the participation of the work of the first system in labor movements. On the role of active recreation in production work.

A revival on the psychological front in Russia began before World War I with the translation of the works of the American innovator Taylor.

Taylor's work contains ideas related to the movement for the scientific organization of labor.

1) A significant stage in the history of labor psychology begins with the emergence of psychotechnics in foreign science. The term was introduced by Stern in 1903.

This term was used by the American psychologist Munsterberg, who published the book "Psychology and Economic Life", "Fundamentals of Psychotechnics".

In parallel, Soviet psychotechnics developed. This direction in the study and organization of labor was headed by psychologists, who proclaimed the need to study labor from the point of view of psychology.

In 1927 the All-Russian Psychotechnical Society published the journal Psychophysiology of Labor and Psychotechnics. Specific types of labor, interest in professional selection methods, and personnel training are studied.

2) Until 1935, the main task was to increase labor productivity, develop methods scientific training personnel, drawing public attention to the issues of labor and labor training.

Since 1936, a decree was issued on pedagogical perversion in the systems of the People's Commissariat of Education. Psychology as a science was eliminated. Work on psychotechnics has ceased.

1936–1956 psychology does not officially exist. In 1955, a conference of psychologists was held in Moscow; it was organized by the Moscow Institute of Psychology. At this meeting, an initiative group of scientists interested in the problems and issues of labor psychology stands out.

The task was set to develop and coordinate work in the field of labor psychology. It was decided to conduct work in the field of labor psychology.

In 1957, the stage of the revival of the psychology of labor began (Levitov, Platonov, Arkhangelsky).

The place of labor psychology in the system of labor sciences

The main scientific disciplines involved in the study of human labor activity are: labor psychology; engineering psychology; ergonomics.

Labor psychology is a branch of psychological science that studies the patterns of manifestation of human mental activity in various types of labor, the development of recommendations for ensuring the efficiency and safety of labor activity.

Engineering psychology is a branch of psychological science that studies the information interaction between man and technology in order to use the information obtained in the design, creation, operation in the "man-machine-environment" system.

Ergonomics is a complex scientific discipline that, based on the requirements of various labor sciences, is engaged in the improvement and design of work activities in order to improve its efficiency.

The study of psychological aspects in various types of labor activity is based on the achievements of various branches of psychology: social, differential, personality psychology and psychophysiology.

In the psychology of labor, theoretical and methodological materials of the sciences are used: sociology, pedagogy, physiology, hygiene, medicine, computer science, cybernetics.

The sciences related to the psychology of work are grouped into three groups:

1) sciences with the first degree of kinship:

labor economics, sociology of labor, physiology of labor, occupational health, professional pedagogy, part of medicine, history of technology, part of field anthropology (tools of labor).

2) sciences with the second degree of kinship are those branches of technical knowledge, the subject of which is the instrumental equipment of the labor process:

technical aesthetics, theoretical issues of artistic design.

3) sciences of the third degree of kinship - here, for the psychology of labor, information is interesting for a correct understanding of the labor activity of professionals, for compiling professiograms: mathematics; mathematical logic.

Work Psychology and Engineering Psychology

Labor psychology is a branch of psychological science that studies the patterns of formation and manifestation of a person's mental activity in various types of labor and develops practical recommendations for the psychological provision of labor efficiency and safety.

Engineering psychology developed on the basis of labor psychology. However, these disciplines have different tasks.

Engineering psychology is a branch of psychological science that studies the information interaction between a person and technology, in order to use the information obtained in the design, creation, operation "in the" man-machine-environment" system.

The purpose of labor psychology is to increase the efficiency of labor by improving the already created and used equipment.

The purpose of engineering psychology: the development of psychological foundations for the design and creation of new technology, taking into account the "human factor". By studying the "man-machine" system, engineering psychology tries to achieve their high efficiency and develops the following psychological foundations:

* design and management of equipment.

* selection of people who have the necessary level of individual psychological and professional qualities to work with certain equipment.

*professional training of people to work with equipment.

Research methods in labor psychology

The study of labor activity involves the use of a combination of methods and particular methodological techniques, the knowledge of psychological phenomena, the laws of human labor activity and the rationale for practical recommendations for its improvement.

Provides for the receipt and use of scientific factors, data on the psychological characteristics of labor activity.

The main tool in this work is a set of specific methods of psychological research, which can be combined into the following classes of methods:

1) analysis of working documents - for a general acquaintance with the specifics of a particular activity.

2) monitoring the work process - to collect information on the content of the activity.

3) timing - to assess the time parameters of the labor process.

4) survey, conversation, questionnaire - to obtain written or oral information from the subject of labor.

5) self-observation and self-report - the reproduction by the subject of labor of his personal impressions, judgments, experiences in connection with the performance of labor tasks.

6) labor method - to obtain information about the features of the activity from the experimenter included in the labor process.

7) biographical method - analysis of life and work path.

8) physiological and hygienic methods - to study the conditions of activity.

9) experiment (natural and laboratory) - to study the psychological characteristics of the subject of labor.

The most important is:

* the method of professiography - psychoanalysis. features of labor activity, based on its comprehensive study and a certain systematization of the obtained quantitative and qualitative data.

In modern society, the role of psychological knowledge about human labor activity is increasing in connection with the peculiarities of the socio-economic and technical development of all spheres and forms of our life, the increase in the complexity, responsibility and danger of many types of work, the increased requirements for the level of human functional reserves when performing professional tasks.

Knowledge of the psychological patterns of labor activity, the possibilities and limitations of a person in the implementation of labor tasks, the laws of mutual adaptation of a person and tools are the goal and subject of the scientific and practical discipline "psychology of labor activity". The psychology of labor activity is a branch of psychological science that studies the conditions, ways and methods of scientifically based solution of practical problems in the field of functioning and formation of a person as a subject of labor.

The main tasks of the psychology of labor activity are the study and development of practical recommendations on the following issues:

  • 1) psychological characteristics of specific species professional activity(its means, content, conditions and organization, error analysis, classification of professions, etc.);
  • 2) the influence of individual psychological characteristics of a person on efficiency, reliability, labor safety;
  • 3) psychological patterns of formation of a person's professional suitability (vocational guidance, professional selection, professional training, adaptation to work);
  • 4) functional states of the subject of labor (fatigue, emotional stress, stress, monotony, etc.) and methods for their diagnosis, prevention and correction;
  • 5) psychological patterns of interaction between man and technology;
  • 6) engineering and psychological support (design, evaluation) of the process of creating and operating new equipment, etc.

The psychology of labor activity is engaged not only in the study and substantiation of ways, methods and means of improving activity, but also in the study of the fundamental phenomena of the human psyche (the formation of the subject of labor, mechanisms for regulating states, the role of personality traits in labor behavior, the formation of professional abilities, etc.).

Labor, profession, specialty. Labor is an expedient activity to transform the surrounding world to meet human needs. Labor is one of the main types of conscious activity of a person, which serves as a means and way of his self-realization in personal and social life, communication, knowledge of himself and the world around him, development of himself as a person, self-affirmation, creation of material and spiritual values ​​and personal prosperity.

The implementation of labor functions requires the creation of certain prerequisites for its successful implementation:

  • 1) selection of people most suitable for a particular activity;
  • 2) professional training;
  • 3) rational conditions and organization of the labor process;
  • 4) convenience and efficiency of labor tools;
  • 5) the adequacy of human capabilities to workloads;
  • 6) a system of labor safety, preservation of professional health and longevity, psychological support for working capacity.

Labor (its content, conditions, goals) should contribute to the development of a person's personality, bring him joy and satisfaction with the results achieved. In psychology, the assertion that “the human psyche is manifested and formed in activity is proven and has acquired the strength of an axiom. Personality development ... does not occur in any activity, but in a normally tense due to the initiative, activity, motives of the subject of this activity ...” ( Klimov E.A., 1996). Labor is the process of realizing human resources in the field of psychological, physiological, professional and other functional capabilities of a person, the value of which is not the same for different people and varies depending on age, professional training, health status, etc.

The solution of many applied problems of improving labor activity, as well as the study of the fundamental phenomena of human mental activity, are associated with the need to consider the features of the relationship between various components of the structure of labor activity.

The features of a particular profession reflect the content of a particular labor activity, although its elements may also be inherent in other professions, and the very content of the concept of a profession is not limited to characterizing the essence of this activity. A profession is a set of forms of activity united by related features of the object, content, means, organization, result of labor and requirements for the preparation of the subject of labor. This concept reflects different levels and different aspects of specific types of labor activity: labor psychology professional

  • 1) the object and subject of labor, its content, conditions and organization;
  • 2) the target function and the nature of the result of labor;
  • 3) features of the subject of labor - his knowledge, skills, abilities, abilities;
  • 4) economic and social aspects - employment, satisfaction of material needs, approval of social status;
  • 5) a type of activity characteristic of a set of people united by a single focus, employed in a single subject area.

A specialty is a specific form of activity, which is characterized by specific features of the goals, process, means of labor and professional training of the subject of labor. The concept of "specialty" is usually used to characterize a relatively private and more specific type of activity (within the profession), which reflects the possibility of a more or less fractional division of labor (for example, the profession is a doctor, the specialty is a therapist, surgeon, ophthalmologist, etc.).

The development of the psychological system of activity occurs both in the process of professional training of the subject of labor, and in the subsequent formation of a professional, his improvement. The formation of this system means the inclusion in the process of mastering the activity of professionally significant functional blocks of the subject, their objectification (filling with subject content), orientation towards the implementation of specific work functions, as well as the establishment and consolidation of relationships between individual blocks. a block diagram of the functional blocks of the psychological system of activity is presented. It includes:

  • 1) motives of activity, its motivating forces (material, cognitive, aesthetic, etc.);
  • 2) the goals of the activity that form its content and are expressed in specific expected results;
  • 3) activity programs that reflect ideas about its real content and process;
  • 4) information basis of activity - a set of information about its subject and subject conditions for implementation (in the form of both real signals and images, representations of these signals, including specific professional knowledge);
  • 5) decision-making processes - identifying a problem situation, putting forward hypotheses (solution options), determining the decision principle, developing judgments about decision options, their evaluation (choosing the most optimal option);
  • 6) psychomotor processes and work actions implement activities in the form of procedures, motor acts and participate in the regulation of activities (according to the feedback mechanism);
  • 7) professionally important qualities - the psychological characteristics of the subject of labor, reflecting the influence of a particular labor process on the totality of individual psychological qualities and functions.

Professional activity of a person

Important aspects of occupational psychology are the analysis of professional activity, the establishment of typical professional tasks, situations, difficulties, the clarification of professional requirements.

Based on the analysis of the initial problem situation and the definition of the subject of occupational psychology. We formulate its main tasks:

  • 1) substantiation of the methodology of occupational psychology, including the concept of professional development of the individual, leading concepts and principles of research;
  • 2) development of research methods adequate to the subject of occupational psychology and design of own methods;
  • 3) psychological analysis, classification and characteristics of professions; development of principles and methods of designing professions;
  • 4) the study of psychological mechanisms and patterns of professional development of the individual; determination of the factors determining the dynamics of this process; psychological analysis of professional development crises;
  • 5) the study of professional destruction of a specialist: stagnation and deformation of the personality, a decrease in professional performance;
  • 6) development of psychodiagnostic tools for monitoring the professional development of the individual and certification of specialists;
  • 7) psychological support for the professional development of a person: support, stimulation and assistance throughout the entire professional life of a person; vocational counseling, personality-developing technologies vocational education, certification, psychotechnologies of professional growth, professional correction and rehabilitation, psychological preparation for leaving the profession.

The research methods of occupational psychology have a general psychological origin, the methodology reflects the specifics of the subject of study.

With adaptive behavior, a person's self-consciousness is dominated by a tendency to subordinate professional activity to external circumstances in the form of fulfilling prescribed requirements, rules, and norms. This refers to the processes of self-adaptation, as well as the processes of subordinating the environment to the original interests of man. In his activity, a specialist, as a rule, is guided by the postulate of economy of forces and uses, mainly, the developed algorithms for solving professional problems, problems, situations, turned into stamps, patterns, stereotypes.

A person's awareness of his potential, the prospects for personal and professional growth encourages him to constant experimentation, understood as search, creativity, choice. The decisive element of this situation of professional development is the opportunity and necessity to make a choice, which means to feel your freedom, on the one hand, and your responsibility for everything that happens and will happen, on the other.

At the stage of professional stagnation, when a specialist has adapted his individual abilities and capabilities to the requirements of the professional environment and exists due to the achievements of the past, the exploitation of stereotypes, the canonization and universalization of his own experience, prerequisites arise for a decrease in professional activity, professional growth of a specialist, immunity to the new.

However, the discrepancy between the acting self and the reflected self can lead both to attempts to change one’s inner peace, and to attempts to change the external environment, one's environment.

The empirical self of a person with low level development of self-consciousness does not allow him to free himself from his own egocentric attitudes, a utilitarian-alienated position. Man with high level development of self-consciousness is able to go beyond the limits of his empirical self, which creates conditions for the manifestation in the mind and activity of his creative self. Thus, the vector of professional development is the creative self of the individual.

Considering professional development as a continuous process of self-design of a personality, we distinguish three main stages in it, qualitatively different from each other in the level of development of self-consciousness: self-determination, self-expression and self-realization. At the stage of self-realization, the correlation of knowledge about oneself occurs within the framework of "I and the higher (creative) I". At this stage, the life philosophy of a person as a whole is formed, the meaning of life, its social value is realized. Expanding the scope of awareness of oneself, one's place in life, one's mission comes into conflict with the possibility of realizing oneself in professional activity. Realizing the one-sidedness of professional development, a person overcomes it and thereby satisfies the need for comprehensive development, i.e. the need to realize one's own creative self.

Fundamentals of economic psychology

Economic psychology, which studies reflections of economic reality by a person and groups of people, features and mechanisms of economic behavior, was formed as an independent interdisciplinary direction and branch of scientific knowledge in the first half of the 20th century. and has been growing rapidly in recent years.

As you know, economic theory studies production relations in close connection with the productive forces, and these relations are considered as independent of the will and desire of a person. Therefore, the question of how these relations are reflected in the psychology of people, influences human psychology in some way on economic relations, is of very little interest to economic theory - at least, this was the case until recently.

Consequently, the relevance of the development of domestic economic psychology can be explained by the following reasons: features of socio-economic development (radical economic transformations, changes in economic relations, the emergence of new economic entities); the state of internal readiness and possibilities of psychological science; interest economics in obtaining additional facts, patterns for solving issues at the intersection of economics and psychology; the historical experience accumulated by psychological science of the intensive formation of scientific and practical branches of psychology in response to the acute practical needs of society in a specific historical period its development; features of the domestic mentality, which leads to a special interest in certain economic and psychological phenomena and problems, namely: attitudes towards property, poverty and wealth, money and attitude towards them; urgent practical need commercial organizations, for example, are interested in rapid development certain areas of economic psychology, such as the psychology of advertising, consumer behavior). Based on the foregoing, it can be stated that the emergence of economic psychology is a natural phenomenon. A. Zhuravlev offers a number of criteria by which one can evaluate real place economic psychology in psychological science as a system of knowledge: implementation of specialized studies of economic and psychological problems; the presence of various forms of actually operating professional meetings of specialists in economic psychology (seminars, conferences); volume and significance of scientific publications, both in scientific journals, and in separate publications of an economic and psychological nature; introduction of professional training of economic psychologists at specialized psychological and other faculties of universities; availability of institutionalized structural divisions in scientific and educational organizations. The analysis of the selected criteria makes it possible to determine the prospects for the development of economic psychology in the country: the creation of a special professional association of economic psychologists; publication of author's monographs on economic psychology; publication of a specialized professional journal on economic psychology; introduction of the specialty of economic psychologist in universities; an increase in the number of dissertations (candidates and doctorates) in economic psychology.

When considering the subject of economic psychology from the standpoint of creating and modeling new economic systems at the macroeconomic level, economic psychology, in its objects and subjects, is closest to such scientific areas as ergonomics, organizational psychology, social psychology, psychology of management and management, labor psychology and engineering psychology, economics and sociology of labor. The process of analysis and functioning of economic systems at the macroeconomic level, the analysis of their effectiveness gives grounds to consider economic psychology as a discipline, explains the patterns of deviation from economic laws and the laws of economic sociology from the point of view of the uniqueness of human behavior at the level of large groups, entire peoples and states.

The study of economic psychology is associated with economic theory, the economic behavior of various segments of the population, the psychological aspects of economic policy, the psychological foundations of the consumer market and a number of other problems, and especially with strategic, innovative management. The connection between economic psychology and engineering psychology, which studies "man among machines" is most clearly traced; ergonomics, psychology and sociology of labor, focused on "man at work"; economic theory; social psychology, which deals with "man among men"; management, marketing, sociology, political science and philosophy. Let us consider the connection of economic psychology with some of the above-mentioned sciences in more detail.

Economic psychology develops the theory and practice of people's economic behavior as a specific form of social behavior with its own specifics, so knowledge general patterns behavior contributes to the understanding of economic behavior. That is why economic psychology is closely related to social psychology. The relationship between economic psychology and ethics lies in the joint study of the phenomenon of business communication in labor, management and entrepreneurial activity. On the border with personality psychology, economic psychology investigates the influence of individual psychological factors on the perception and evaluation of socio-economic phenomena and the characteristics of the economic behavior of individuals.

Economic psychology is very closely related to economic sociology, has a similar structure and subject field. The specificity of economic psychology is the exclusive attention to subjective, psychological, conscious and unconscious phenomena associated with the reflection of a person in the economic sphere of life and the psychological regulation of its economic behavior.

Economic psychology refers to that direction of psychological science, the need for which is caused by socio-economic changes in the country, and the methodological basis of this scientific direction is laid down by the entire history of the interaction between economics and psychology, subjects of economic activity and the processes of production, exchange and consumption. Economic psychology explores man in the world of things, the psychology of the participant economic activity, psychological patterns of regulation of human behavior and activities in the economic environment of society. In a broad sense, economic psychology is the psychology of the subject of economic relations, which can be one person, nation, organization or state.

The task of economic psychology is realized mainly in applied terms - through the dissemination of knowledge on how to increase production efficiency - primarily at the microeconomic level. Justification of the legitimacy of the socio-economic changes taking place in society will allow economic psychology at the macro-economic level to explain to all segments of the population the economic strategy of the country precisely through economic interests, incentives and motivation to work in conditions of property, financial and other rights of citizens.

Bibliography

  • 1. Dmitrieva M.A. and other Psychology of labor and engineering psychology. L., 1979.
  • 2. Klimov E.A., Noskova O.G. History of labor psychology in Russia. M., 1992.- 221 p.
  • 3. Klimov E.A. Introduction to the psychology of work. M., 1986.
  • 4. Kotelova Yu.V. Essays on the psychology of work. M., 1986.
  • 5. Kotelova Yu.V. From the history of Soviet labor psychology // Questions of psychology. 1967. No. 5.
  • 6. Levitov N.D. Psychology of work. M., 1963.
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  • 8. Klimov E.A. Introduction to the psychology of work: a textbook for universities / E.A. Klimov - M., 1998.-350 p.
  • 9. Leonova A.V. Chernysheva O.N. Psychology of work and organizational psychology: Current state and development prospects. -- M.: Radiks, 1995.-253p.
  • 10. Leahy T. History of modern psychology. - 3rd ed. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2003. --448s. - (Series "Masters of Psychology").
  • 11. Noskova O.G. Psychology of work: Proc. allowance for students of higher educational institutions./Ed. E.A. Klimov. - M.: Publishing center "Academy", 2004. -384s.
  • 12. Psychology of work: Proc. for stud. higher textbook institutions./ ed. prof. A.V. Karpov. - M.: Publishing house VLADOS-PRESS, 2003. - 352p.

The concept of "psychology" arose at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries; its author is most often considered the German theologian Goklenius. Etymologically, this word comes from the ancient Greek psyche(soul) and logos(teaching, knowledge, science). It was first introduced into the scientific and philosophical language by the German scientist Christian Wolf in the 18th century. .

It is noteworthy, but many sciences experience difficulties in determining the object and subject of a scientific discipline. The selection of an object and subject of study of a scientific discipline more or less recognized by scientists is usually preceded by many years of active scientific controversy, but even later these questions remain one of the most theoretically difficult. This state of science is periodically repeated. So, for example, it was in relation to the object and subject of general psychology (P. Ya. Galperin, V. N. Druzhinin, B. F. Lomov, A. N. Leontiev, S. L. Rubinshtein, etc.), personality psychology ( A. G. Asmolov), social psychology (G. M. Andreeva) and other areas.

In the psychology of labor, this problem is to a certain extent due to the youth of psychology as a science (the official date of its birth is considered to be 1879, when the first experimental psychological laboratory was created in Leipzig by Wilhelm Wundt); insufficiently extensive area of ​​generally recognized

1.1. Object, subject of study and tasks of labor psychology 25

knowledge (“hard frame” of knowledge, according to P. Ya. Galperin); the close dependence of science on the dynamic development of society, industrial forces, and culture; historical features of the social order; the objective complexity of the psyche as higher form the motion of matter.

Under object science is more often understood as the area of ​​reality, to the study of which this science is directed. Subject name those aspects of reality that represent its object in a given science, which are an area of ​​close interest of scientists in a given historical period. So, for example, a person can be the object of study of a number of natural and humanities psychology is just one of them. But even greatly narrowing the scope of the studied reality and singling out, for example, the human psyche as an object of study, we must admit that psyche can also be the object of study of many sciences. It is clear that it is rather difficult to define (o-limit-it) the totality of processes and phenomena that represent ontological integrity, functional unity and stability; a set of structural, functional and systemic connections, the study of which can be quite fully and successfully studied within the framework and capabilities of a separate scientific discipline.

In labor psychology, scientists often talk about its subject and less often about its object (which is explained by the above circumstances); characterizing the discipline, they often talk about the "complex of the sciences of labor."


According to E. A. Klimov 1 , labor psychology is “a system of psychological knowledge about labor as an activity and the worker as its subject.” Within the framework of the discipline, we can talk about "the facts and patterns of the psyche of a person engaged in labor, a worker, or a person who is emerging as a subject of labor" . E. A. Klimov focuses on the dynamism of the discipline, believing that it is “a set of interacting, emerging and “fading away”, differentiating and integrating currents, approaches, scientific directions, schools, concepts. And the most important task here is not to appeal to the abstract

" Klimov Evgeny Alexandrovich- Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education. From 1986 to 2000 - Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, Moscow State University. M. V. Lomonosov. President of the Russian Psychological Society. Author of more than 150 works on the problems of labor psychology, the genesis of professional consciousness and self-awareness, individual style activities.

26 Chapter i. Labor psychology as a field of scientific knowledge about labor

logic, but actually build a deep-seated system that includes at least four links: theoretical search, purposeful fundamental research, applied research and ... developments suitable for practical implementation. Labor psychology is precisely a scientific discipline - as a branch of psychology that studies the conditions, ways and methods of scientifically based solution of practical problems in the field of functioning and formation of a person as a subject of labor. “The illusion of only the applied nature of the psychology of labor arises due to the fact that labor by its nature is a condition and a link in social practice ... but this does not exclude or, even more so, makes a fundamental approach to its psychological study unnecessary” .

The most important subject of study of science is man as a subject of labor. The concept of "subject" emphasizes the role of a person as an active principle, as a creator in relation to the objects of the objective and social environment, the material world, opposing him, and not just a "performer" of externally given relations; as an integrating component of the "subject-object" system, ensuring the interaction of all its components.

E. A. Ivanova considers labor exclusively in the context of the concept of “activity”: “the main type of human activity is socially conditioned, conscious, purposeful labor, the main characteristics of which are also inherent in professional (objective) activity” .

N. S. Pryazhnikov considers one of the components of the “subject-object” system to be the subject of labor psychology: “... the subject of labor psychology is the subject of labor, i.e., a worker capable of spontaneity and reflection of his spontaneity in the conditions of production activity. At the same time, the subject (individual or social group) is understood as the bearer of objective-practical activity and cognition, as a source of activity directed at the object. Under object of labor is understood as “a specific labor process, normatively specified, including the subject, means (tools), goals and objectives of labor, as well as the rules for performing work (technology of the labor process) and the conditions for its organization (socio-psychological, microclimatic, management: regulation, planning and control )". Otherwise, the object of science means the second component of the "subject-object" system, which acts as the goal of the impact. In general, however, the researcher

1.1. Object, subject of study and tasks of labor psychology 27

conceptually does not balance the content of the main components of the discipline - there is a definition of its subject, but the object of science is not adequately defined.

Before we decide on the key components of science - its object and subject, let's turn to the very phenomenon of "labor", its philosophical, economic, cultural and psychological content.

K. Marx's understanding of the essence of social production and man as a subject of activity formed the basis of the entire methodology of Russian psychological science. Such an understanding of various social, socio-psychological and psychological phenomena runs like a red thread in the theories of many Russian scientists. Therefore, it is advisable to immediately present these provisions directly in order to subsequently only designate these “initial positions”, drawing the reader’s attention to the methodological and logical primary sources of one or another understanding of the phenomena discussed in the book.

Work in domestic psychology is considered as a process in which a person through his activity "mediates, regulates and controls the metabolism between himself and nature" 1 .

Labor is the conscious activity of people aimed at creating material and spiritual goods necessary to meet the needs of society and the individual.

The main features of human labor are considered to be: its mediating role in the process of metabolism between man and nature; its expediency; the value of the ideal idea of ​​the result that anticipates the labor act; activation of all cognitive processes (sensation, perception, memory, thinking, representation, imagination) in the planning and implementation of labor activity. As technology becomes more complex, the role of these processes increases more and more. Objective and subjective obstacles in the labor process presuppose the manifestation by a person of certain volitional efforts, formed and formed in the process of the motivational and semantic sphere. Labor is the main source of the formation and manifestation of a variety of human feelings, which are largely determined by the degree of satisfaction with labor, the process itself and its results.

1 Marx K., Engels F. Op. M., 1958. T. 23. S. 188.

28 Chapter 1. Psychology of labor as a field of scientific knowledge about labor

Considering labor as a complex historical, social, economic and cultural phenomenon, for a better understanding of its essence, it is necessary to distinguish between two different aspects of this single phenomenon. Under labor in the narrow sense of the word, we will understand the joint expedient activity of a person aimed at maintaining his physical existence, at satisfying his natural needs; activity, which implies its division into separate actions, their regulation, coordination of the activity of an individual and groups of people. Labor in a broad sense is a social process of human interaction both in terms of transforming the external world and human nature, the process of its formation and development as a personality, individuality, an active subject of its life activity.

So, the first side of labor is a certain relation of man to nature. By transforming the external environment, man thereby transforms his nature. Labor includes the following key points:

1) expedient activity, or labor itself;

2) objects of labor;

3) means of labor;

4) the result of labor.

In the historical process, the attitude towards labor is formed, in which its key concepts are created. A mature attitude to work is not only a process of maintaining physical existence, but also a person's social activity for the sake of the very need for work. The formation of labor as such was the fundamental basis for the separation of man from the animal world and his formation as a social individual.

The second side of labor is the social nature of people's relations in the process, conditions and results of an active relationship to nature (cooperation, division, specialization of labor, etc.). Work is the transformation of the external world from the position of the person participating in it, and production- from the standpoint of the result, the product of this transformation. Under different types of historical development, labor appears in various forms.

It is clear that the psychology of labor can be only a part of a variety of knowledge about labor. At historical analysis it is easy to establish a serious evolution of ideas about labor. In general, labor

a general cultural phenomenon, moreover, it is primarily an ethical phenomenon.

So, recognizing the real complexity of developing conceptual apparatus science, in this paper we will define the basic working concepts of this scientific discipline in its current state.

The object of labor psychology we will consider labor as the social activity of a person as a subject of labor activity. The subject of labor psychology- these are processes, psychological facts and patterns generated by the labor activity of a person, his development and functioning as an individual, subject, personality and individuality.

In a broad sense labor psychology we will call the complex of scientific disciplines about labor as a cultural and social activity of a person acting as its subject, its key component, a “system-forming factor”.

In a narrow sense labor psychology there is a complex of scientific disciplines about labor as a process of functioning and development of a person as a subject of labor, as a separate individual; it is a complex of disciplines about the theoretical and methodological, psychophysiological and psychological foundations of labor, about the psychological characteristics of a specific professional activity, about the professionally important qualities of an individual as a subject of labor, professional crises and destructions, deformations, diseases.

The main task of labor psychology is "to study and help a person build optimal motivation and meaningful saturation of labor."