Model of professional thinking of a psychologist: structure and conditions of development

this article is devoted to the theoretical study of the construct of "professional thinking of a psychologist", which is a complex integrative system that ensures the ability of a specialist to act consciously, flexibly and ethically in a professional environment. Despite the active study of cognitive processes, thinking styles and reflection mechanisms, at the moment there is no idea about the structure of professional thinking that reflects the specifics of psychological activity. This causes difficulties in the purposeful formation of professional thinking in educational and supervision formats, reduces the effectiveness of training future psychologists and complicates the process of forming a professional identity. The purpose of this study is to theoretically substantiate the structure of professional thinking of a psychologist and determine the conditions that contribute to its development. The study is based on a theoretical and methodological analysis of scientific sources and a generalization of practical material obtained in the process of working in polymodal group supervisions. The study proposes a model that includes four interrelated components: procedural (organization of activities, planning, compliance with standards and control), substantive (analysis, hypotheses, work with information and client requests), motivational-value (professional attitudes, meaning of activities, internal position), reflexive-evaluative (understanding of professional role, self-analysis, critical thinking). The components interact with each other as a single system, where each level can be leading depending on the situation. The model is based on the idea of the transition from everyday, empirical thinking to a scientific type of professional thinking. In the future, the results can be used in the creation of educational programs, in supervision practice and in building individual strategies for the professional development of psychologists. The structure of the model contributes to a more conscious and effective development of a specialist, and can also improve the quality of assistance provided.

professional thinking, reflection, structure of thinking, supervision, mechanisms of thinking, training of psychologists