Personal Peculiarities as a Factor of Arctic Workers' Socio-Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify differences in the aptitude of sprinters, stayers, and mixters for work in the Arctic. For this purpose, a questionnaire survey was used. The study enrolled 618 people who were considering work in the Arctic with different degrees of probability. The respondents were divided into three groups: sprinters, stayers, and mixters. It was found that stayers had the following social and psychological characteristics which have a positive effect on their aptitude for work in the Arctic: friendliness, sociability, calmness, tranquillity, steadiness, perseverance, decisiveness, and strength. Moreover, they are self-possessed persons and less concerned with the climate and other unfavourable factors of the Arctic region. In this regard they more often (in comparison with other types) admit the possibility of work in the Arctic. Although mixters are thought to be intermediate types, it is not always so. In some cases they have the positive personal traits of stayers, while in other cases they bear more resemblance to sprinters, which is not always compatible with the manifestation of positive psychological characteristics. Therefore, mixters, similarly to sprinters, are less suitable for work in the Arctic than stayers. So, if we know the weaknesses and strengths of each type and peculiarities of their adaptation to different conditions, it will be possible to improve the appeal of the Arctic Region for young talents who would use then their professional knowledge and skills to develop the Arctic. Keywords—sprinters; stayers; mixters; arctic; adaptation