Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of the State of Involvement: Problems of Diagnosis and Management

Abstract

The paper substantiates the need to systematize engagement research on a unified methodological basis, reflecting on its various spatial and temporal characteristics. For the methodology, the author used systemic anthropological psychology, the foundations of which are spelled out in the works of Tomsk scientists (V.E. Klochko, E.V. Galazhinsky, O.M. Krasnoryadtseva, O.V. Lukyanov). This is a model of involvement as a state that arises in the space of interaction between a person and the environment as proposed, provided that they correspond. Described as short-term (in solving a specific problem), medium-term (in professional / educational activities) and long-term (in the process of life) involvement, their psychological characteristics, possible diagnostic and optimization methods. Styles and predictors of involvement were determined from a sample of 388 students from their 2nd and 3rd years of study from universities in the Russian Far East. It was found that the short-term involvement of the majority of respondents is moderate, as are most indicators of medium-term involvement (e.g., intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, metacognitive involvement, self-organization, confidence in one's own ability to control the current situation). Indicators of long-term involvement (psychological well-being, life satisfaction, resilience, productive reflection), on the contrary, were weakly expressed in a significant part of the students. Based on the factor analysis of the data, four styles of involvement were identified: “Satisfaction with achievements and saturation of life” and “Personal growth” reflect ways of life that go beyond the current situation, “Involvement in activities” is typical for medium and short-term involvement, “Reflection of involvement” - reflects the situation of understanding activities performed. As the main predictors of involvement as an actual state, metacognitive involvement, the use of external means of planning activities, the meaningfulness of life, the absence of external motivation and transsituational variability are identified. Separate components of involvement are also determined by the general background of mood and trans-situational mobility. Based on a comparison of the data obtained with the research of specialists in the field of engagement, a conclusion was made about the relevance of the model of involvement used for the tasks set; and directions for further research was identified.