Personality psychology: rethinking traditional approaches in context challenges of modern realit

Abstract

In the XXI century the reality changes are becoming new challenges in psychological science. These changes initiate reconsideration of the current representations, content and core concepts of even such traditional scientific fields as psychology of personality. The review of the subject of the most relevant scientific events of 2016 (31 World psychological congress, 2 World conference of personality, 18 European conference of personality) revealed that the major part of the studies is implemented in a framework of structural and functional approaches. Such studies mainly pay attention to personality traits, working on methodological solutions and personality evaluation measures. It takes place in spite of new directions appearing such as neurobiological investigation of personality, behavioral genetics, daily life learning, as well as the increase of quality research. However, there is a tendency towards a new look on well-known traditional approaches: both core concepts of psychology of personality and its methodological basis. This affirms that there is an urgent need in contemporary psychology of personality. The analysis of publications in Russian leading psychological magazines also demonstrates the prevalence of the studies based on structural and functional approaches. At the same time no decrease of the interest in theoretic discussion of the concept of personality is observed. Psychology of XXI century claims for a new approach, especially in the case of psychology of personality in Russian ('a changing person in a changing world') and foreign ('exploration of a real person in the real world') scientific societies. As a consequence in Russian psychology there is a shift of interest to the field of human investigation in the space of challenges in uncertain and complicated world. This is considered to be an essential aim of psychological science. Working on a concept base in the context of reality challenges may be a promising development direction of contemporary psychology of personality.