Professional Self-determination in Young Age as a Structural Component of Future Professionalism: Socio-Cognitive and Creative Factors

Abstract

The article presents a review of studies on the problem of professional self-determination in adolescence in the aspect of the development of future professionalism, based on the specifics of the laws of age development, which expands the traditional sociological, sociopsychological and differential psychological representations accepted in the literature. Cross-cultural and ethno-cultural differences in the development of professional self-determination are considered. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the prerequisites for the development of the components of such a megastructure of professional maturity as career adaptability, defined as the ability to respond flexibly to dynamically changing requirements and conditions of professional activity, using psychological resources of self-development. It is shown that in the transition from adolescence to youth, adaptability to a career means a balance between interest in a future profession and a realization of the realism of the realization of professional expectations through awareness of their resources and capabilities. In the framework of the Social Cognitive Theory of Professional Development (SCCT), the analysis of complex systems and the social interaction, the concept of strong and weak ties, nonspecific and specific influence, the article discusses the role of sociocognitive and creative factors as mediators which until now have been little studied in relation to the process of professional self-determination in adolescence and young age. The studies revealed the influence of social intelligence on the interest of adolescents and youths in the subject content and social status of the future profession and in interpersonal professional culture. Also, there is a correlation between social intelligence and the second component of the “career adaptability” mega-structure, such as curiosity and orientation in the requirements of the profession, professional expectations (career curiosity). Modern research shows a significant correlation between creativity and the first component (career concern) — planning your own professional future, especially in the early stages of professional self-determination.