Professional personality deformation: causes and consequences

Professional deformation leads to changes in people's behavior. Has it ever happened to you that, after meeting a person and talking with him for a short time, you could easily guess his occupation? Characteristic professional traits are especially evident in those who work with people. For example, you can get to know a teacher out of habit by not just explaining something, but by doing it in great detail.

The famous Russian scientist Rada Mikhailovna Granovskaya wrote about the psychology of professional personality deformation: “The professional role has a multifaceted impact on the personality, placing certain demands on a person, thereby transforming his entire appearance. Daily, over many years, solving typical problems improves not only professional knowledge, but also forms professional habits, determining the style of thinking and style of communication.”

What is professional deformation

The concept of professional personality deformation was first used by sociologist Pitirim Sorokin back in the last century. He noticed this phenomenon while studying the work of teachers. This is where the study of changes provoked by long periods of work in one place began.

Professional deformation - what is it? This is the transfer of professional skills into everyday life. During its development, there is a significant change in personal qualities that develop as a result of prolonged performance of stereotypical work duties. Peculiarities of perception and behavior and even human values ​​are touched upon.

Main reasons for development

Occupational deformations have a number of causes. The key among them is prolonged stagnation (stagnation of growth). It occurs when a person reaches certain heights in work activity and stops moving forward to something new. Can develop in any job involving repetitive activities. Even the most prestigious positions do not save us from the onset of stagnation. Therefore, professional deformation of a leader’s personality is not uncommon.

Causes of professional deformation

Each employee perceives his work and job responsibilities in his own way, so professional deformation manifests itself differently for everyone, and for many it does not occur at all. The likelihood of occupational deformation increases in the presence of factors such as:

1. Increased load.
   If the working day lasts too long, a person goes to work on weekends or takes work home, this negatively affects his psychological health and leads to occupational deformation.
2. Lack of adequate load.
   The opposite situation can provoke the same effect, since an underworked person is constantly thinking about how to improve his work efficiency.
3. High demands and high expectations.
   If the boss demands too much from the employee, he is also constantly immersed in thoughts about work. Your own high expectations for yourself lead to the same effect.
4. Specificity of activity.
   In an effort to better understand what professional deformation is and why it occurs, researchers discovered an interesting feature: the more specific the profession, the more pronounced the professional deformation of the individual.
5. Excessive enthusiasm.
   Sometimes a person likes his job so much that he devotes a significant part of his working time to it, thinking about current tasks at dinner and while walking the dog. This approach often leads not only to professional deformation, but also to emotional burnout, which comes completely unexpectedly.
6. Lack of motivation.
   This may be a consequence of poor working conditions or a poor choice of profession. Routine work without motivation leads to neuroses and makes the psyche vulnerable to various disorders, including occupational deformation.
7. Same type of work.
   If you perform a large amount of the same work, programmed chains of actions are formed, which then manifest themselves in everyday life.

Signs of approaching deformity

Alarm bells in human behavior indicating the onset of changes are:

• placing your profession on a pedestal;
• identification of oneself as a person with labor achievements;
• panic fear of losing your existing job;
• limiting your social circle to colleagues and co-workers;
• attitude towards the environment of acquaintances as potential objects of the labor sphere of activity;
• limiting interests to work issues;

Another sign is difficulty communicating with friends and family. They arise due to the frequent use of professional terms and conversations about work.

Causes

One of the most common causes of professional deformation, according to experts, is the specifics of the immediate environment with which a professional specialist is forced to communicate, as well as the specifics of his activities. Another equally important reason for professional deformation is the division of labor and the increasingly narrow specialization of professionals. Daily work, over many years, to solve standard problems not only improves professional knowledge, but also forms professional habits, stereotypes, determines the style of thinking and communication styles.. In the psychological literature, three groups of factors leading to the occurrence of professional deformation are distinguished: factors, conditioned by the specifics of the activity, factors of a personal nature, factors of a socio-psychological nature

In the psychological literature, three groups of factors leading to the occurrence of professional deformation are distinguished: factors determined by the specifics of the activity, factors of a personal nature, factors of a socio-psychological nature.

Types of professional deformation

There are several main types of personality changes:

1. General professional. This includes excessive manifestations of the characteristics of the specialty in everyday life. For example, police officers describe this type as the perception of everyone they meet as a potential attacker.
2. Individual. They are determined by personality characteristics, and not by professional activity. They represent the development of a person’s inclinations in fertile soil in the form of the characteristics of the work he performs. This creates excessive responsibility for accountants.
3. Typological. They are formed by the fusion of professional and personal qualities. For example, they manifest themselves in the development of organizational abilities while working as a primary school teacher. In a positive way, they manifest themselves in the ability to quickly plan any event. With a negative course of deformation, an excessive love of commanding other people as one’s own students is possible.

Vocational rehabilitation

There are several possible rehabilitation options, including the following:

• completing training for qualifications and personal growth;
• increasing the level of autocompetence and socio-psychological competence;
• completing advanced training courses and transferring to a new position;
• diagnostics of professional personality changes and development of individual schemes for their correction;
• studying methods and techniques for self-correction of professional changes and self-regulation of emotional and volitional qualities;
• preventive measures for professional maladaptation of an inexperienced specialist;
• development of alternative methods for further professional and personal growth.

What is professional deformation expressed in?

The main form of manifestation is passing everything that happens through the prism of labor knowledge and skills. Work is placed on a pedestal by a person and often arises in everyday home life. May lead to a revision of values ​​and a change in personal qualities. Social professional deformation of personality entails changes in behavior. For example, having taken a respectable position, a person begins to behave arrogantly.

Another form of professional deformation is a change in social circle.

Causes of personality deformation

There are many reasons that cause professional deformation, let's look at some of them:

• The most common cause of deformation is the specificity of the surrounding people and the professional environment with which the specialist deals in the process of work;
• monotony of work performed, especially when performed automatically;
• full involvement in the work process in the absence of worthy recognition;
• a clear time limit for completing the work, especially with tight deadlines;
• tension and conflict situations in the work environment, as well as critical attitudes from colleagues;
• lack of favorable opportunities for self-expression in a professional capacity;
• unpromising work, lack of self-improvement and development programs;
• intrapersonal tensions and unresolved personal problems.

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In the process of professional activity, emotional stress arises, which has a positive or negative result.

Positive results include personal growth and professional skills, establishing mutual understanding in the team, harmonious perception of current situations, the emergence of enthusiasm and inspiration.

Negative results include a negative perception of situations, one’s behavior, excessive criticism, loss of enthusiasm, isolation and apathy.

There are several types of deformation:

• episodic;
• stable;
• superficial;
• global.

Note 1

The appearance of personality deformation takes place both in the external social environment and in the professional performance of work activities.

Examples of manifestations of professional deformation

What types of professional deformation can there be in different industries?

The easiest way is to consider several options for the occurrence of such a problem in order to understand how to calculate one of the unpleasant phenomena associated with work in practice:

1. If such a phenomenon is observed by a marketer, then most often in stores or on the TV screen he will evaluate the product not as a consumer, but as a specialist in this field of activity. As a result, instead of resting, he will try to track whether the advertiser created the image of the product correctly? Is there a clearly defined marketing strategy for promoting this product?
2. A sales manager can get to the point where, instead of being happy about his friend’s trip to a certain country, he will ask how well some aviation companies are doing, or how quality the service was in a particular hotel.
3. During personality deformation, teachers will find fault with even the smallest mistakes that students make. There may be shortcomings in the work that was done “excellently”. A strict attitude towards children and a disdainful attitude towards people who do not behave according to the rules of etiquette are also possible.
4. If such a deviation overtakes a doctor, then even during a normal handshake with his acquaintance, he can try to feel the person’s pulse, look at the color of the person’s skin, and see how dilated the pupils are. It is possible that as a result the doctor will try to give some advice to his friend who does not need it at all.

What does professional deformation entail?

Based on the nature of the changes, different levels of professional deformation are distinguished:

• Physiological. Changes in the body associated with the way of acting in the workplace. For example, sedentary work leads to a slower metabolism and excess weight gain.
• Psychological. They include all behavioral features caused by the specifics of the position held. For example, teachers may often lecture or speak in a raised voice in everyday life.

Moral and professional deformation of the individual can manifest itself in a constructive or destructive way. With positive development, improvements occur. For example, a person becomes punctual and responsible. But here it is important to remember that with severe deformation, the line between adequate and excessive manifestation of these tendencies is very thin.

In the case of a negative scenario, changes for the worse are observed. They entail problems in relationships with loved ones. It is also possible for a person to shift the boundaries of what is permitted. For example, taking advantage of his official position, a person turns into a corrupt official.

Deformation levels

Nowadays, several levels of deformation have been established:

1. General professional . Permissiveness syndrome or abuse of power may appear.
2. Specialized . For example, surgeons may become cold-blooded and indifferent.
3. Professional-typological . Directly related to the psychological qualities of a person. This includes temperament, character and ability.
4. Individual . Demonstrates the characteristics of specialized professions among workers. In the process of work, for example, excessive sensitivity or fanatical activity arises.

Prevention of occupational deformities

The best prevention of professional deformations is the ability to separate work and personal life. You shouldn’t drag reports and telephone conversations into your kitchen. If your profession requires training at home, set up a separate workplace. When you get up from your desk, stop mentally continuing to solve business problems.

Leisure planning also plays a huge role. Switching attention, changing the environment and type of activity has a beneficial effect. It is important to come up with a hobby that is far from your main occupation. In addition, skill decompensation will have a beneficial effect. As a leader, sometimes allow family members to make choices for you at home and compromise more often.

Useful literature on the topic

Reading specialized literature will help you cope with professional deformation. There are several examples:

• Alexander Asmolov “Personality Psychology”;
• Olga Polyakova “Psychohygiene and prevention of professional personality deformations”;
• Aelita Markova “Psychology of Professionalism”;
• Ewald Zeer “Psychology of Professions”;
• Evgeny Ilyin “Emotions and feelings.”

Thoughtful reading and practical application of advice returns interest in work activities and teaches you to separate your personal and professional lives.