Personality Development in the Context of University Training: A Comparative Study

Using the concept of the zone of proximal development, the paper attempts to describe the process of development of professionally significant personality traits in military students (future officers of special operation forces) and in psychology students during their university training. In keeping with their conscious choice of military university, future officers display high levels of development of personality traits important for military professions. It is assumed that the zone of proximal development for these qualities is wide enough. Thus, mastering the content of academic programs and inclusion in the specific system of social interactions at university result in the actualization of personal resources, defining the vector of personality development and the overall level of professionally significant qualities development, as well as the individual’s readiness for professional activity. As for students of universities for humanities training in the field of human-human relationships, the development of professional qualities is less intense in those individuals with initially low levels of the qualities’ development but with a relatively wide zone of proximal development.