Psychological Features of Women’s Self-Fulfillment in Unemployment

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze psychological features of women's self-fulfillment in unemployment. We view self-fulfillment as implementation of one’s potential capabilities, abilities and talents, as accomplishment of one’s mission, pursuit of one’s vocation, as greater awareness and perception of one’s own authenticity. Self-fulfillment is a dynamic process and involves realizing under their own steam person’s «ego» capabilities, their abilities in the process of collaborative activity and joint creative work with other people, with society, with the world at large. We single out such diagnostic criteria for unemployed women’s self-fulfillment as motivation to self-develop, self-affirmation patterns, personal self-actualization, her value system, attitude towards unemployment, possible prospects and ways out of the unemployment situation. Based on the empirical research findings, we find that most women lack motivation for self-development and predominantly develop aggressive self-affirmation strategy. Majority of the respondents are characterized by low levels of personal self-actualization, indicating difficulties in perceiving the present, self-doubt, low level of self-credibility and confidence in others, in the world, problems in establishing contacts with other people and willingness to cooperate at an average level of self-fulfillment and creativity value intensity. We also find that most women consider love, help and mercy to others, people’s recognition and respect, influence on the environment as dominant values, while health, learning something new in the world, nature or man; communication, searching and enjoying the beautiful, social activity aimed at achieving positive changes in the society are viewed as insignificant values. Analysis of the intensity of self-actualization and value indicators may testify to the effect that features of unemployed women’s self-fulfillment depend on personality characteristics rather than on the unemployment situation. Women generally perceive lack of work as a dead end, but they see the positive side in the opportunity to spare the time for the family and studying; only half of women believe in employment prospects; they see the way out of the unemployment situation in work by hire or abroad. A noteworthy detail is that unemployed women are scarcely ready to start their own business. We find some slight differences in self-fulfillment of unemployed men and women.