(2017) Science and education, 3, 78-84. Odessa.

Oleksandr Sannikov,
Doctor of Psychology, senior researcher, associate professor,
Department of Theory and Methodology of Applied Psychology,
South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K. D. Ushynsky,
4, Fontanska Doroha Str., Odessa, Ukraine

CONCEPTUAL BASES OF RESEARCHING THE
ISSUE OF MAKING DECISIONS BY A PERSONALITY

The paper aims to systematize and structure the approaches, concepts and theories of decision-making in psychology; define the principles of studying the choice of a personality; develop the psychological system of decision-making by a personality. The review of psycho-pedagogical, socio-philosophical and economic literature has made it possible to identify the approaches to the study of the phenomenon of “decision-making”, its structure, mechanisms and factors that determine its effectiveness. The main ones are the following: strategic and style, normative approach, cognitive and target, regulatory and volitional, system and structural and subject and activity, providing the appropriate projection of the problem of choice of the personality. The insufficient development of the issue studied can be overcome by a deeper examination of the specifics of life decisions made by the personality. It seems productive to shift the focus of scientific interest from studying decision-making in the context of the activity to be performed to the personal context where the personality making life decisions becomes the object of research as well as the configuration of the psychological system, describing the features of the choice. The life decision is determinative at all stages of human existence, provides a constructive way out of various life situations, the formation and realization of the life path of the individual as a whole. The psychological system of making life decisions reflects the integrity of the personality which is formed by interrelated and complexly organized functional blocks and components. The structure of the properties forming the components of the system has a clearly expressed and stable character, retaining its characteristics within the type of life decision being made. Decisiveness is considered to be an integral characteristic of the personality, the ability to make mature life decisions easily and independently, selectively using personal resources.

decision-making, choice of personality, personal approach to decision making, decision-making theory, psychological decision making system, concept of personality choice.

1. Anokhin, P. K. (1978). Filosofskie aspekty teorii funktsionalnykh sistem [Philosophical aspects of the theory of functional systems]. Mosow: Nauka [in Russian].
2. Bekh, I. D. (1995). Vid voli do osobystosti [From the will to the personality]. Kyiv: Ukraina-Vita [in Ukrainian].
3. Ganzen, V. A. (1984). Sistemnye opisaniya v psikhologii [System descriptions in psychology]. Leningrad: Izd-vo Leningr. un-ta [in Russian].
4. Kondratenko, Yu. P. (2006). Optymizatsiia protsesiv pryiniattia rishen v umovakh nevyznachenosti [Optimization of decision making under conditions of uncertainty]. Mykolaiv: Vyd-vo MDGhU im. Petra Moghyly [in Ukrainian].
5. Kornilova, T. V. (2003). Psikhologiya riska i prinyatiya resheniy [Psychology of risk and decisionmaking]. Moscow: Aspect Press [in Russian].
6. Levin, K. (2001). Dinamicheskaia psikhologiya [Dynamic Psychology]. E. Patiaeva, D. Leontev (Transl.). Moscow: Smysl [in Russian].
7. Maksymenko, S. D. (2008). Zahalna psykholohiia [General Psychology]. Kyiv: Tsentr uchbovoi literatury [in Ukrainian].
8. Romenets, V. A. (1990). Istoriia psykholohii XVII stolittia [History of Psychology of the 17th century]. Kyiv: Vyshha shkola [in Ukrainian].
9. Sannikov, A. I. (2016). Psikhologicheskie mekhanizmy zhiznennogo vybora lichnosti [Psychological mechanisms of making a choice by a personality]. Nauka i osvita – Science and education, 11, 91-97 [in Russian].
10. Sannikov, A. I. (2016). «Reshimost» i «reshitelnost» v psikhologicheskoi sisteme priniatiia lichnostiu zhiznennykh reshenii [“Decisiveness” and “resolution” in the psychological system of making everyday decisions by a personality]. Teoretychni i prykladni problemy psykholohii – Theoretical and applied problems of psychology : Collected Works of East Ukrainian National University of Vladimir Dal (Vol. 1(39), (pp. 201– 213). Severodonetsk [in Russian].
11. Sannikov, A. I. (2015). Psikhologiya zhiznennogo vybora lichnosti: Monografiya [Psychology of life choices of a personality: monograph]. Odessa: Izd-vo VMV [in Russian].
12. Sokhan, L. V. (2010). Iskusstvo zhiznetvorchestva. Prednaznachenie. Zhiznetvorchestvo. Sudba: Sotsiologicheskie ocherki, sotsialno-psikhologicheskie esse, interviu, glossarii [The Art of Life Creation. Purpose. Life-making. Fate: Sociological essays, sociopsychological essays, interviews, glossary]. Kiev: Izdat. Dom Dmitriia Burago [in Russian].
13. Shvarts, G. M. (1997). Psikhologiia individualnykh reshenii [Psychology of individual solutions]. Moscow: Firma «Promysel»; Izd-vo AO «Dialog-MGU» [in Russian].
14. Kelly, G. A. (1955). The psychology of personal constructs. A theory of personality. (Vol. 1). New York: Norton [in English].
15. Kаhnеmаn, D. & Tvеrsky, А. (1979). Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under Risk. Econometrica, 47(2), 263-291 [in English].