Age-Related Differences in the Qualities and Properties of Personality in Relation to the Readiness of Ukrainian Winterers for Life in the Antarctic

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Age-Related Differences in the Qualities and Properties of Personality in Relation to the Readiness of Ukrainian Winterers for Life in the Antarctic

ABSTRACT

The article reveals the age-related differences in the qualities and properties of the personality in the manifestations of indicators of psychological readiness of winterers to extreme living conditions at the Ukrainian Antarctic "Akademik Vernadsky" Station. The wintering of Ukrainian polar explorers conducting scientific research on the coast of Antarctica is associated with a long stay in a limited area in difficult climatic conditions, which can lead to strong emotional and physical stress. It has been proved that stress resistance, adaptability, and psychological readiness for life activities, which are determined by the presence of relevant qualities and personality traits, are important factors in such extreme working conditions.

The aim of the article is to present the theoretical foundations and practical results of research on age-related differences in qualities and personality traits regarding the psychological readiness of Ukrainian winterers for life in Antarctic conditions using the example of 10 expeditions to the Ukrainian Antarctic "Aka- demik Vernadskyi" Station.

methods. A set of methods of psychological research on the qualities and personality traits of winterers of different age groups was used. 71 winterers took part in the experiment, they are participants of Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions during the year from 2011 to 2021.

the results of the research. There were 3 age groups of winterers - mature, middle and young. The components of the professional profile of a winter worker are clarified. As the result of the questionnaire, the qualities and attributes of the personality that contribute to or hinder the performance of professional activities of winter workers are determined. The results of empirical research on the presence of personality qualities and attributes in winterers of different age groups, which are defined as those that ensure the effectiveness of professional activities during wintering, are presented.

conclusion. It is proved that the greatest number of positive qualities and personality traits, according to the defined professional profile of a winter worker, are demonstrated by representatives of mature age - winter workers aged 46-64 years. It is recommended to include winterers of a certain age in the Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions in a sufficient number (not less than 30% of the total composition of the expedition members), which will ensure the appropriate level of psychological stability of the teams of winterers.

Key words: psychological readiness, life activities in Antarctic conditions, professional profile of a winterer, age groups of adulthood, the focus on activities in extreme conditions. psychological readiness akademik vernadsky

Вікові відмінності якостей та властивостей особистості щодо готовності українських зимівників до життєдіяльності в умовах Антарктики

кандидат педагогічних наук, доцент, доцент кафедри професійно-педагогічної, спеціальної освіти, андрагогіки і управління, Житомирський державний університет імені Івана Франка, м. Житомир (Україна)

мірошниченко Олена. вікові відмінності якостей та властивостей особистості щодо готовності українських зимівників до життєдіяльності в умовах антарктики.

ключові слова: психологічна готовність, життєдіяльність в умовах Антарктики, професіограма зимівника, вікові групи дорослості, спрямованість на діяльність в екстремальних умовах.

Introduction

The problem of a specialist's psychological readiness to perform activities effectively and safely carried out in extreme con© Miroshnychenko Olena

ditions has always attracted the special attention of scientists and practitioners, including the question of the readiness of Ukrainian winter workers to perform professional duties in the Antarctic. The research carried out at the station by Ukrainian winter workers is very important in terms of the global problems of the Earth's climate change. In turn, the effectiveness of the scientific work of specialists largely depends on the level of training of Ukrainian winter workers to fulfill the high scientific mission of conducting Antarctic research. The study on the psychological characteristics of winterers who conduct the researching at the polar station is relevant and important, because the work of specialists in the Antarctic in conditions of long isolation, a limited team and difficult climatic conditions is considered analogous to the work of submariners and astronauts.

Since 2011, we have been researching the psychological features of the readiness of Ukrainian winterers to live in Antarctic conditions, conducting diagnostics of psychological qualities and personality traits, studying interpersonal relationships within a closed team, carrying out psychological preparation for a long expedition, as well as readaptation measures after the return of winterers to Ukraine (Мірошниченко, 2023).

The researching of the problem of readiness for the conditions of staying in the Antarctic is carried out by Ukrainian scientists from the point of view of various aspects. For example, researchers Ye. Moiseyenko and G. Pyshnov studied the physiological features of adaptation of wintering animals (Moiseyenko, Sukhorukov, Pyshnov, Mankovska, Rozova, Miroshnichenko, & et al., 2016; Пишнов, 2012). They established that the participants of Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions, as well as representatives of such professions as air traffic controllers, electronic engineers, firefighters observed a pattern of transformation of chronic fatigue depending on the level of work intensity. A. Hor- deev is engaged in the development of information technologies for the professional selection of winterers taking into account the psychophysiological state of the body (Гордєєв, 2016). To

carry out the professional selection, the author created a computer system program and accumulated a specialized database. O. Kokun and L. Bakhmutova investigated the psychological features of the interaction of members of Ukrainian expeditions in the conditions of a closed team (Kokun, & Bakhmutova, 2021). The authors highlighted three spheres of communication between winterers during wintering (professional, personal, leisure time) and provided psychological recommendations for optimizing interpersonal relations in a limited team.

The researching, which conducted at Antarctic stations in other countries demonstrate that as a result of living in Antarctic conditions, winterers experience deterioration in well-being, mood, sleep disorders, and reduced work capacity (Chen, Wu, Li, Zhang, & xu, 2016). Extreme working and living conditions at Antarctic stations are caused by the region's low temperatures, increased solar radiation, stormy winds, and the duration of the polar night (Belkin, Dyurgerov, Finaev, & Soroko, 2016; W^slawski, 2020).

The research by Ukrainian and foreign authors testifies that work in extreme conditions involves an increased risk factor, high responsibility for task performance, the presence of unexpected obstacles in the performance of technical and psychological tasks (Смирнов, & Долгополова, 2008; Afanasieva, Svit- lychna, Bosniuk, & et al., 2019; Kokun, Agayev, Pischko, & Sta- siuk, 2020; Nicolas, Suedfeld, Weiss, & Gaudino, 2016). All the factors named by the authors are also observed in the activities of Ukrainian winterers at the “Akademik Vernadsky” Station and, accordingly, such activities place increased demands on the state of mental health of polar explorers (Moiseyenko, Sukhoru- kov, Pyshnov, Mankovska, Rozova, Miroshnichenko, & et al., 2016). Strong emotional and physical stress create prerequisites for the occurrence of mental and somatic disorders, as well as suicidal behavior in representatives of risky professions. In such extreme working conditions, important factors are stress resistance, adaptability of the individual, psychological readiness for

life in extreme conditions, which is due to the presence of the appropriate qualities and properties of the individual.

The aim of the article

The aim of the article is to present the theoretical foundations and practical results of research on age-related differences in qualities and personality traits regarding the psychological readiness of Ukrainian winterers for life in Antarctic conditions using the example of 10 expeditions to the Ukrainian Antarctic “Akademik Vernadsky” Station.

The problems of the study

We use the test “Non-existent animal” in the interpretation of M. Dukarevich to study the defined goal and set tasks (Дмитрієва, Максимець, & Бутузова, 2017: 94-99). It was used as an indicator of the development of such a cognitive process as imagination, and it is based on the results of this test, we investigated the levels of creativity, self-esteem, general energy of winterers, aggression and characterological features of winterers. The processing of these methods was carried out using mathematical methods (calculation of average values, percentages).

The obtained results of the methods were confirmed through the use of psychological observation and an auxiliary method - interviews, which were conducted with the subjects. The appli-

cation of these methods ensured the reliability and validity of our research.

Characteristics of the research sample. Research was conducted among members of ten Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions (11-12 people) during 2011-2021. The sample consisted of 71 winterers of the Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions, 69 of them were men and 2 women, the age of the subjects - from 22 to 64 years. In the course of the research, it was found that psychological readiness for life in Antarctic conditions depends in a certain way on the age characteristics of the wintering participants. Therefore, the subjects were conditionally divided into age groups: 22-34 years old (29 winterers) - young winterers, 35-45 years old (30 people) - middle-aged winterers, 46-64 years old (12 people) - mature winterers.

The methodological justification for the selection of age groups of winterers in terms of readiness for life in Antarctic conditions became the works of Ukrainian scientists: B. Hrytsu- liak and V. Hrytsuliak distinguish the following periods in the age of an adult: mature age, I period - 22-35 years; mature age, II period - 36-60 years old men; elderly age - 61-74 years (Грицуляк, & Грицуляк, 2021: 8-9).

K. Krutiy and L. Zdanevich offer a different (social-psychological) basis for distinguishing age periods in the life of an adult of our time (Крутій, & Зданевич, 2017: 58-59).

This periodization is based on the theory of generations, according to which modern adults are divided into age groups depending on the years of birth: born in 1947-1967 - born after the Second World War (in our study, these are winterers of older mature age 46-64); born in 1968-1987 - generation “X” (in our study, these are middle-aged winterers 35-45 years old); born in 1988-2000 - generation “Y” (in our study, these are young winterers aged 22-34).

Results and their discussion

Researchers who deal with psychological features of human activity in polar conditions note that some winterers develop

long-term mood disorders with signs of depression, especially during the final phase of the Antarctic expedition (Khandelwal, Bhatia, & Mishra, 2017). At the same time, as scientists emphasize, the results of successful adaptation to adverse environmental conditions are observed in people who work for a long time at Antarctic stations thanks to positive personal qualities, manifested in high enthusiasm, optimistic orientation to the future, the need for achievements, which contribute to the personal growth of the winterer (Blight, & Norris, 2018). Scientists have established that an important role in adaptation to extreme conditions is played by the following features from the social sphere of the individual, which help to adapt to unusual life activities, namely: responsibility for one's own actions, cheerfulness, courage, patience, benevolent attitude towards friends (Kokun, & Bakhmutova, 2021).

Our preliminary studies concern the role of age and individual-typological characteristics of Ukrainian winterers in the process of readiness for life in Antarctic conditions. In the process of a long natural experiment, it was proved that the highest levels of adaptation to extreme conditions of activity at the Antarctic station are demonstrated by older and middle-aged winterers with signs of a phlegmatic or sanguine temperament and a predominant social or professional-resultative motivation (Мірошниченко, 2023).

Our definition of a person's psychological readiness for life in extreme conditions (which includes the conditions of the Antarctic) is based on a personal-activity approach. We interpret it as an integral formation of the personality, which consists in a focus on activities in extreme conditions, arising on the basis of a positive attitude towards such activities, it is determined by personal needs and sustainable motives, awareness of the social significance of work, as well as the presence of professionally important and socially significant qualities that ensure the proper performance of professional duties in extreme conditions.

In the course of the study of age and psychological-typological features of readiness for life in Antarctic conditions, we modeled the professional profile of a Ukrainian winterer. We consider a professional profile as a descriptive, technical and psychological characteristic of the type of activity that is inherent in a certain type of profession, and also includes the psychological qualities of a person engaged in this type of activity. Representatives of Ukrainian psychological science in the field of work psychology and management hold a similar opinion (Баклицький, 2008; Рибалка, 2023).

The authors believe that the professional profile includes a list of knowledge about a specific profession and is the basis of the professional approach to the organization of professional training of a specialist. As for knowledge about the specific activities of the Ukrainian winterer, our personal experience of visiting the Antarctic “Akademik Vernadsky” Station as a member of the seasonal detachment, as well as the opinions of experienced winterers and the management of the Antarctic Center, play a significant role here. We believe that in the selection of candidates for wintering, it is necessary to connect the psychological service in order to correlate the candidate's knowledge about the conditions of life in Antarctica with reality and to create a psychological portrait of the specialist, which correlates with the psychological functions inherent in a specific profession.

Having analyzed the professional profiles of other groups of specialists and studied the peculiarities of life activities at the “Akademik Vernadskyi” Station, we modeled the professional profile of the Ukrainian winterer, in which we highlighted several main clusters of concepts: functional duties (performed functions) of winterers during life at the Antarctic station; dominant types of activities related to them, areas of their application; a list of the correspondingly grouped components of the professional profile, highlighted by us, personal qualities and properties inherent in winterers of different age groups.

We separate outline the qualities and attributes of the individual that ensure the success of professional activity, and those that prevent it (undesirable and incompatible). They were determined by conducting a questionnaire with the participants and leaders of Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions for 10 years of research (see Table 1).

Table 1