THE PHENOMENON OF PROFESSIONAL THINKING IN MODERN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE

The article presents the existing scientific views on the content of the professional thinking of a modern specialist. The analysis of the work of American, Russian and Ukrainian scientists. It is determined that representatives of Western psychological science are focused on a specific object and categories, which include professional thinking. The actual lack of a common understanding in the interpretation of the essence of professional thinking is determined. Analyzed the work of Western scientists, which are represented by studies of professional thinking in the framework of specific activities: psychotherapist, clinical psychologist, lawyer. The views of Russian and Ukrainian scientists on the understanding of professional thinking were divided into subject and activity approaches. An attempt has been made to consider professional thinking as a separate type of thinking, the main task of which is the realization of tasks and the solution of problems of a certain professional field. The complexity of professional thinking is determined, which is caused not only by the psychological mechanisms of its implementation, but also by the peculiarities of a certain type of professional activity of a specialist. The understanding of professional thinking is grounded, as the thinking is supra-individual and social in nature, but one that is realized with the help of the psychological mechanisms of the personality's thinking. The professional community is defined as the carrier of the basic requirements and criteria for the professional thinking of a specialist. The main psychological mechanism by which professional thinking is realized is reflection. The prevalence of the descriptive approach in understanding the essence of professional thinking of a specialist is determined. An assumption is made about the insufficiency of modern studies of professional thinking from the position of the activity approach. As a prospect for further research, an assumption was made about the need for further consideration of professional thinking from the position of the activity and system approaches.