The structure of creative thinking and the self-assessment of existential values in the context of student professionalisation

Introduction. The relevance of this topic is determined by the sociocultural nature of creativity, which necessitates analysis within professional contexts. Aim. The present research aimed to identify and compare the structural features of creative thinking among students from different fields of study, as defined by the relationship between their creative resources and existential values. Methodology and research methods. The study employs a system dynamics approach to investigate the structure of creativity alongside personal adaptation within a cultural context. The sample comprised 397 students from various specialisms who were informed of the study’s purpose and consented to participate. To assess creative thinking, E. P. Torrens’ test and the psychosemantic technique “Role Relations of Social Subjects with Creative Personalities” were utilised. Statistical data processing was conducted using the IBM SPSS Statistics software package. Results and scientific novelty. The study elucidated the specific nature of the relationship between the creative resources of personality and the self-assessment of existential values in students, contingent upon the focus of their professional training. It was established that students specialising in the humanities and social sciences exhibit an integration of value self-assessment with the adaptive resources of creativity, whereas students in technical disciplines display a contrast between these components. For the first time, a qualitative heterogeneity in the relationship between creative resources and existential selfassessment was identified, depending on the students’ professional training direction, leading to the classification of four integration types: synergy, dissonance, compensation, and denial of value within the “I” structure. The distribution of these types is industry-specific: humanities students are characterised by a “synergy-dissonance-compensation” complex with a high level of creativity; future social specialists predominantly exhibit dissonance and compensation; while those in technical fields most commonly demonstrate denial of values within the structure of creative resources. Practical significance. The research materials are of practical value for developing models that provide comprehensive support to students during the creation of programmes aimed at optimising the relationship between students’ creative potential and their personal self-assessment, with an emphasis on the professional component of their training.

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