AGE DYNAMICS OF THE INDIVIDUALITY PROFILE IN RELATION TO ACADEMIC ACTIVENESS (FROM SCHOOL TO COLLEGE)
The paper outlines methods and results of research into age dynamics of the integral individuality profile of primary school children, teenagers and college/university students with varying levels of academic activeness. Aim : to find out age-related peculiarities of the profile of students’ individuality traits in relation to their academic activeness Methodology and research methods. Profiles of individuality are based on V.S. Merlin’s theory of integral individuality and include neurodynamic, temperamental, cognitive, personality and social characteristics. Academic activeness was assessed by inventories developed under A.A. Volochkov’s theory of individuality activeness. Results have demonstrated that the role of academic activeness in the development of individuality increases from primary school age to late adolescence. There is a sort of a paradox: decreasing significance of academic activity (well documented in developmental psychology) is accompanied by growing significance of academic activeness. At the same time teenagers and students with different levels of academic activeness have qualitatively different profiles of integral individuality. Across all ages the highest level of academic activeness leads to the most favorable profile of individuality on the whole and its separate levels in particular. Scientific novelty of the research is comprised of two factors: first, demonstrating the method of analysis of age dynamics of integral individuality structure and profile in relation to the level of activeness, second, discovering the growing significance of academic activeness in the development of integral individuality of teenagers and adolescents. Practical significance of the study lies in the method of analysis and interpretation of individuality profiles: its accessibility to counsellors and its potential use in assessing the effectiveness of various factors affecting the development of a person’s individuality. Apart from that, the study is significant for practice because it demonstrates the advantages of the most active students, with activeness becoming a long-term resource of their future development.