How the Individual's Choice of Coping Behavior Strategy is Influenced by the Agentic Activity Type

Abstract

With reference to the ideas of the dialogic (M. Buber), structural-dynamic (B.D. Parygin) and subjective-existentialistic (Z.I. Ryabikina) concepts, basing the research methodology on the principles of synergetics, we have developed the agentic-dynamic approach to personality studies, where emphasis is made on the role of personality positioning systems in the agency development processes. The development of the personality positioning systems self-organization follows four vector lines: Infantile, Aggressive, Sabotaging, Mighty. We have proposed to use the term “agentic activity type” for such ways of personality positioning self-organization, since these systems predetermine the typical nature and direction of the agent’s activity. The study became possible by virtue of the development of the Model of the Dispositional Structure of Agentic Activity and creation of the Personality’s Agentic Activity Profile inventory based on this model. The inventory tests the agentic activity profile as an individual dynamic system formation. The factorization of the data allows to identify sets of personality positions as pervasive organizing principles, or types. As system formations, the agentic activity types should be manifested in various personality characteristics, including the characteristics of coping behavior. The article presents the results of an empirical study of the correlation between the agentic activity types identified via factorization of the data obtained using the author's “Personality’s Agentic Activity (PAA) Profile” inventory and the scales of Lazarus’s WCQ (Ways of Coping Questionnaire). Regression models have been built, allowing to predict the coping behavior of an individual both specifically, that is, for selected personality positions, and globally, for an agentic activity type. It has been shown that the Infantile, Aggressive and Sabotaging types tend to choose coping strategies within an instinctive-protective paradigm: escape-avoidance, confrontation, distancing. The mighty type tends to use rational coping strategies aimed at practical resolution of the conflict and transformation of the situation, i.e. positive reassessment and decision planning. Notice has been given to similarity of the holistic styles of coping behavior of the Infantile, Aggressive and Sabotaging types with the styles of coping with basal anxiety according to K. Horney. The obtained results allow to consider the personality positioning systems of an agent as a source that forms “mature” or “immature” coping behavior.