Psychologist's Subjectivity: Structure, Dynamics, and Paths of Development in Professional Activity

The aim of this study was to comprehensively examine the structure of professional subjectivity among psychologists, integrating theoretical approaches and empirically assessing them in practice. The study was conducted using a subject-activity approach and the concept of subjectivity. The following psychodiagnostic methods were used: "The Personality Subjectivity Level Development Test-Questionnaire" by M.A. Shchukina and "Study of the Structure of Subjectivity" by E.N. Volkova and A.I. Seregina. Statistical analysis included dispersion, regression, correlation, cluster, and exploratory factor analysis (PCA, Varimax) using Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS Statistics. The study involved 106 practicing psychologists (100% women) aged 20 to 63 years (average age 39.6 years), with 0 to 40 years of professional experience. The empirical analysis revealed three key factors of agency: "Active Autonomy" (45.2% of the variance), "Social Harmony" (15.5%), and "Personal Uniqueness" (9.3%). The study showed that agency develops with age, reaching a peak at 43-44 years, after which a moderate decline is observed. Three clusters of respondents were identified: "Low Agency" (26.4%), "Normative Agency" (50.9%), and "Developed Agency" (22.6%), with the most significant differences in the "Active Autonomy" factor. The results can be used in professional training and advanced training programs for psychologists, in psychological counseling and supervision, as well as in research aimed at studying the professional development and well-being of psychologists. The paper proposes an integral model of the structure of psychologists' agency, conducts a comparative analysis of the age-related characteristics of its manifestation, and identifies typological groups of respondents based on agency profiles. The professional agency of psychologists is a multidimensional and dynamic characteristic, including active self-determination, effective social interaction, and a desire for development. High levels of agency are associated with the peak of maturity and are characteristic of professionals with pronounced active autonomy, social harmony, and personal uniqueness.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Applied psychology and pedagogy
Published
2026-08-03
DOI
https://doi.org/10.12737/2500-0543-2026-11-3-140-160
Primary Topic
Psychology of Development and Education
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Psychologist's Subjectivity: Structure, Dynamics, and Paths of Development in Professional Activity

Tatyana Maltseva
Applied psychology and pedagogy
Psychology of Development and Education
article

Psychologist's Subjectivity: Structure, Dynamics, and Paths of Development in Professional Activity

Tatyana Maltseva
article en

Abstract

The aim of this study was to comprehensively examine the structure of professional subjectivity among psychologists, integrating theoretical approaches and empirically assessing them in practice. The study was conducted using a subject-activity approach and the concept of subjectivity. The following psychodiagnostic methods were used: "The Personality Subjectivity Level Development Test-Questionnaire" by M.A. Shchukina and "Study of the Structure of Subjectivity" by E.N. Volkova and A.I. Seregina. Statistical analysis included dispersion, regression, correlation, cluster, and exploratory factor analysis (PCA, Varimax) using Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS Statistics. The study involved 106 practicing psychologists (100% women) aged 20 to 63 years (average age 39.6 years), with 0 to 40 years of professional experience. The empirical analysis revealed three key factors of agency: "Active Autonomy" (45.2% of the variance), "Social Harmony" (15.5%), and "Personal Uniqueness" (9.3%). The study showed that agency develops with age, reaching a peak at 43-44 years, after which a moderate decline is observed. Three clusters of respondents were identified: "Low Agency" (26.4%), "Normative Agency" (50.9%), and "Developed Agency" (22.6%), with the most significant differences in the "Active Autonomy" factor. The results can be used in professional training and advanced training programs for psychologists, in psychological counseling and supervision, as well as in research aimed at studying the professional development and well-being of psychologists. The paper proposes an integral model of the structure of psychologists' agency, conducts a comparative analysis of the age-related characteristics of its manifestation, and identifies typological groups of respondents based on agency profiles. The professional agency of psychologists is a multidimensional and dynamic characteristic, including active self-determination, effective social interaction, and a desire for development. High levels of agency are associated with the peak of maturity and are characteristic of professionals with pronounced active autonomy, social harmony, and personal uniqueness.

Applied psychology and pedagogyVol. 11(3)
Academy of Management of the Interior Ministry of Russia (RU), Moscow State University of Technologies and Management named after K.G. Razumovskiy (RU), University of Technology and Management (IN)
Gender equality
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Psychology of Development and Education
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.