Altruistic Attitude of Medical University Graduates as a Predictor of Orientations in Difficult Situations of Assistance

Abstract

On a sample of 367 graduates of the Medical Academy (Me = 25; IQR (24; 26); male – 30%, female – 70%), a study was conducted aimed at solving the problem of determining factors of helping behavior in socially significant fields of activity and helping professions. The hypothesis of the study was the assumption that an altruistic attitude with a variability of attitudes and the severity of components has an effect on orientation in difficult situations of assistance with increased resource control of behavior to achieve the subject's goal. Based on the results of the study, a theoretical model of the socio-psychological determination of helping behavior in difficult situations of assistance has been constructed and empirically confirmed. The mechanism of predicting helpful behavior in difficult situations is determined: the altruistic attitude of the individual is a predictor of orientations in difficult situations, that is, it determines a conscious choice of orientations with increased anticipatory activity, manifested in the selectivity of coping resources and regulation of behavior in achieving the goal. It has been empirically revealed that an altruistic attitude based on the variability of relationships and the severity of components has an effect on the orientation in difficult situations of assistance and the anticipatory activity of the subject of coping: 1) the attitude to true altruism focuses on rapprochement with difficult situations of providing assistance for self-improvement and obtaining positive emotions, actualizing the anticipatory activity of the subject of coping; 2) the attitude to pragmatic assistance focuses on optimal efforts in difficult situations of providing assistance for profit, actualizing the anticipatory activity of the subject of coping; 3) the attitude to avoiding helping others focuses on selective rapprochement with difficult situations of assistance, inhibiting the anticipatory activity of the subject of coping; 4) the attitude to inactive egocentrism focuses on distance from difficult situations providing assistance to conserve resources and minimize efforts by inhibiting the anticipatory activity of the coping subject.