Professional identity in the dynamics of the technological development of the information society

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Recieved: 09/11/2022

Accepted: 09/22/2022

Published: 12/30/2022

Keywords: professional identity; information society; information technology; digitalisation; automation; robotisation; transhumanism; neo-Luddism; postcapitalism

p.: 9–18

DOI: 10.11621/npj.2022.0402

Available online: 30.12.2022

To cite this article:

Emelin, Vаdim A. . Professional identity in the dynamics of the technological development of the information society. // National Psychological Journal 2022. 4. p.9–18. doi: 10.11621/npj.2022.0402

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Emelin, Vаdim A. Lomonosov Moscow State University

Abstract

Background. In the context of developing technologies of the information society and with the exponential growth of their importance in all spheres of life, the question of how and to what extent technological innovations will transform the structure of professional activity emerges on the agenda. The problem associated with techno-substitution as well as with the displacement of a person in various professions is no longer a sociological or economic one but also becomes a relevant issue in work psychology.

Objective. The study seeks to identify and evaluate possible vectors of work in the future as well as of the professional identity transformation within the dynamics of information society technologies.

Methods. Сultural-historical and activity-meaning paradigms in psychology as well as the research on the identity of personality and its transformation in the information society (Tkhostov, Emelin, Rasskazova, 2012) constitute the theoretical and methodological basis of the study. The methods of theoretical analysis, generalisation and mental modelling are employed to achieve the goals set.

Results. It has been shown that the role COVID-19 pandemic played in changes of work activity structure and the increasing role of digital technologies application are secondary. The pandemic should be considered only as a catalyst that has transformed job market and, as a result, professional identity. In fact, these were the results of informatisation, digitalisation and robotisation in the information society that became deep reasons for those changes. The trends in dis- placement of various professions by “smart machines” have been analysed; the psychological consequences for employees who will turn out to be redundant as a result of the cultural-historical transformations in the information society has been evaluated.

Conclusion. In the near future, if no global cataclysms emerge, the welfare of society is going to increase due to the technological progress. However, this kind of progress will lead to the world which will have less work for people. None of the considered projects of future work can be considered to be effective, as they lack a psychological component, leaving the problem of maintaining/acquiring professional identity as an integral part of the personality out of scope.

Funding. The study is supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project No. 22-28-01590 “Professional Identity in the Context of the Development of the Information Society Technologies”.

Acknowledgements. The author is grateful to the staff member of the Faculty of Psychology of Lomonosov Moscow State University, V. Shchinov, who has helped in preparing the present paper and translating the abstract.

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