Professional identity and problems of novice journalists

Abstract

Two approaches to the study of journalist’s professional identity are compared: institutional and ontological. The theoretical foundations and heuristic possibilities of the ontological approach are demonstrated on the example of empirical research into the psychological problems of novice journalists. Professional identity is considered not as an externally set standard, but as a psychological attitude spontaneously formed in real life, which is found in the deep structure of respondents’ anxiety. In order to identify the most common psychological problems faced by novice journalists, a survey of journalism students is conducted. Based on the subjective assessments of the respondents, a ranking of the most frequently occurring anxiety is compiled. The limited resolving power of self-reports frequency processing is shown in comparison with multivariate analysis, which allows us to move from the realized anxiety’ level to the anxiety underlying determinants level. In the course of factor analysis, the main components of professional identity as an individual-personal and collective attitude are identified. The interrelation between the identity components and ontological properties of a journalist is shown. Using non-parametric criteria for comparing samples, the influence of the place of training on the intensity of anxiety anxiety is demonstrated. The conclusions about the necessity to take into account the psychological structure of professional identity during the training of future specialists are drawn.