IDENTIFICATION OF PROFESSIONS: PSYCHOLOGICAL PECULIARITIES OF ACQUIRING A PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY OF TEACHERS

The article offers an integrated review of literature on the phenomenon of professional identity. Empirically, professional identity has been studied in the experimental group consisting of 214 Daugavpils University students majoring in teacher training programs, using M.Kuhn methodology and the unfinished statement technique. The data obtained from processing first-year students' responses demonstrate a high level of identifying with the social role “student”. The second-year students begin expressing ambivalent and neutral attitudes to their profession. The situation is quite favorable for building up a professional identity. The Third-year students become more satisfied with their professional behavior during their studies. The Fourth-year student crisis has been identified and the reasons for its appearance discussed.