Personality in the Global VUCA Challenge in the Pandemic

Abstract

The research analyzes the VUCA challenges that determine the critical state of the modern man’s world image. The stability of the world of yesterday is confronted by the uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of the world of today and the world of tomorrow — the world of the future in the continuing Covid‑19 pandemic. The existential question about accepting the new reality comes to the fore for many people. The research is aimed at seeking psychological indicators that define vital activity under the global VUCA challenge. The questionnaire “Pandemic in my life” developed by the authors has been used as the basic tool of analysis. The procedure is described in the research. At the first stage, a selected group of respondents who thought the period of life in a pandemic was difficult were asked to specify the difficulties in writing, and their essays were analyzed. At the second stage, the same essays were subjected to content-­analysis to identify similar difficulties that the respondents pointed out with reference to life in a pandemic. Three blocks of predictors that describe difficult life situations (DLS) in a pandemic have been identified: personal (internal), environmental (external), and socio-­psychological. These blocks constitute the basis of the Questionnaire. The online survey done for four age groups helped determine the DLS indicators. Personal predictors include life rhythm disorder, high anxiety, and concern for one’s own health and that of the inner circle. Environmental predictors embrace inadaptability of the habitual mode of life to prolonged quarantine and health restrictions, as well as to changes in working conditions and risks of employment prospects. Socio-psychological predictors include disruption of the normal social circle; difficulties in mastering the new form of professional activity; changes in job requirements, and material difficulties. It has been found out that the acceptance of the current life period as difficult by the persons of ontogenetic stages of “maturity” (over 25 years) is much more pronounced. As a result, the concept of “difficult life situations” is introduced. DLS are challenges of the global existential crisis as reflected in the human world. In it, an individual experiences the limitations of subjective activity and self-realization in the main aspects of being (personal, environmental and socio-­psychological), for an unpredictably long term. Identifying difficult life situations in the context of existential meanings and values the authors understand that the methodologies of existential, subjective concept in the further search for psychological resources for a personality to overcome global VUCA challenges are heuristic.