The relationship between self-esteem and the nature of relationships in the service team of employees of internal affairs bodies

Kanunnikov Roman Igorevich ORCID: 0000-0001-6260-6604 PhD in Psychology Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Psychology and Humanities, Ural Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia 640042, Russia, Sverdlovsk region, Yekaterinburg, 40 let Oktyabrya str., 46 sq. 49. roma.kanunnikov@inbox.ru Other publications by this author

 IntroductionService in the internal affairs bodies is a special type of service that involves both individual and collective work.

Interpersonal relationships in the course of official activity imply the exchange of information between people, the development of rules and norms of behavior, the creation of psychological relaxation. Often in service teams there are situations when people occupy different positions in the group (some employees may be accepted by the team, and some rejected) ^[1]. How a person puts himself in a team, what attitude will be towards him in a group, confidence in his professional and personal abilities, his self-esteem and adequacy to what is happening will also be influenced by the level of his self-esteem. From this it can be assumed that the relationship in the team is influenced by the characteristics of each employee's self-esteem ^[10]. It can also be assumed that the favorable nature of the relationship between employees forms a favorable socio–psychological climate in the departments and the moral and psychological state of employees, which allows them to ensure readiness to perform operational and service tasks at a sufficiently high level ^[6].

Materials and methodsThe fundamental development of many problems of the psychology of interpersonal interaction is contained in the works of Russian psychologists: B.G. Ananyev, I.V. Lavrentieva, I.S. Kon, A.A. Rean, S.L. Rubinstein, D.B. Elkonin and others.

Research methodology: the psychodiagnostic method was used in the study, specific research methods were: the method of studying T.V. Dembo's self-esteem in the adaptation of S.Ya. Rubinstein, the method of "Personal differential", the questionnaire of self-attitude, the method of express diagnosis of SEC, sociometry.

According to V.A. Shapoval, the service staff in the internal affairs bodies is a rather specific formation. In the service team, as in any other, there are microgroups. Such microgroups are formed on the basis of mutual likes or dislikes that develop in the service team. The collision of such microgroups is inevitable. Therefore, the head of the service team should take into account their existence, have an idea of the leaders and outsiders of the group ^[11].

As L.G. Bikchintayeva notes, in addition to these members of the group, it is important to have so-called instigators in the group who are capable of provoking and inciting a conflict situation. The head of the service team must have information about the state of the socio–psychological climate in the team ^[2].

The influence of self-esteem on interpersonal relationships in a team has been studied by many researchers. Thus, in the studies of I.S. Cohn, self-esteem is considered as a component of the structure of self-consciousness ^[5].

V.B. Olshansky understands self-assessment as an assessment of personality, one's capabilities and abilities ^[8].

Police officers who have a low level of self-esteem do not seek to make extra efforts to solve their official tasks. They don't see any career prospects either. Moreover, according to A.A. Rean, people with low self-esteem generally do not seek the position of a leader in a team ^[9].

In the service team, self-esteem becomes the basis for the formation of the official and unofficial status of the personality of a police officer ^[3].

According to I.A. Kalinichenko, the self-esteem of a law enforcement officer is largely determined by the social roles performed by him, the status occupied in the service team. An employee of the internal affairs bodies looks at himself through the eyes of his service team, evaluates his behavior from the point of view of generally accepted norms ^[4].

In groups, psychological compatibility arises as a result of the action of various factors. At different stages of the group's activity, due to the development of interpersonal relationships, the level of such compatibility of members of the same group may be different. Taking into account the requirements of psychological compatibility, the recruitment of groups contributes to an increase in their level of satisfaction with the activities performed and productivity in work ^[7].

The self-esteem of an employee of the internal affairs bodies is largely determined by social roles, status and the place that this employee occupies in the service team. The self-esteem of a police officer in the service team depends on how much he can earn the respect of others, fulfill the task assigned to him. Thus, the self-esteem of a police officer depends on the achievements and successes that he achieves.

Results and discussion.When studying the relationship between self-esteem and the nature of relationships, a sample consisting of 90 subjects was involved.

The age of the subjects is from 25 to 48 years.

The qualitative composition of the study sample is presented by employees of the OMVD of Russia in the Rejevsky district.

A comparative analysis of SPC indicators was carried out between groups with a predominance of subjects who have adequate and inadequate (overestimated or underestimated) self-esteem. To do this, 2 groups were taken, one of which had the maximum number of subjects with adequate self–esteem, and the other had the maximum number of subjects with low or overestimated self-esteem. The level of self-esteem of the subjects was determined by the methodology of studying the self-esteem of T.V. Dembo in the adaptation of S.Ya. Rubinstein, the questionnaire of self-attitude and the methodology of "Personal differential".

The study examined correlations between the level of self-esteem of the subjects and how they assessed the state of the SEC in their team, as well as with their sociometric status in the group. At this stage, the level of self-esteem was determined by the method of studying T.V. Dembo's self–esteem in the adaptation of S.Ya. Rubinstein, the "Personal differential" and the self–attitude questionnaire, the socio-psychological climate - the method of studying SEC in law enforcement personnel collectives and the sociometric status - based on the results of sociometry.

A comparative analysis of satisfaction with the state of the climate and sociometric statuses between subjects with different levels of self-esteem was carried out.

At this stage, groups were selected from the entire sample of subjects:

1) a group dominated by subjects with an adequate level of self-esteem according to the Dembo-Rubinstein method;

2) a group dominated by subjects with an inadequate (overestimated and understated) level of self-esteem according to the Dembo-Rubinstein method;

Further, a comparative analysis of the level of socio-psychological climate between these groups was carried out. The results are presented in table 1.

Table 1

Notes to table 1:

A - the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an adequate level of self-esteem;

H - the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an inadequate level of self-esteem;

PA – methodology for assessing the psychological atmosphere in the team;

p is the significance level of differences according to the Mann-Whitney U-criterion (for the PA scale and the 0 scale of the SEC methodology) and ?* is the Fisher criterion (for subscales 1-6 of the SEC methodology).

The results for subscales 1-6 of the SEC methodology are presented in percentages of subjects satisfied with the evaluated parameters, the scale 0 of the SEC methodology is presented in the average value.

Correlations between the level of self-esteem of the subjects and their personal sociometric statuses in the group according to the parameter of labor activity

Table 2

Correlations between the level of self-esteem of the subjects and their personal sociometric statuses in the group according to the leisure parameter

Table 3

Notes to Tables 2-3:

A - the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an adequate level of self-esteem;

H – the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an inadequate level of self-esteem;

C+ is the index of positive status in the group;

C- – index of negative status in the group;

P – predominance of positive status over negative;

H – neutral ratio of positive and negative status;

O – predominance of negative status over positive;

E – index of general expansiveness (sociability);                                            At this stage, the characteristics of the subjects' self-esteem were compared:

1) with the results of studying their sociometric statuses in the group;

2) with how the subjects assessed the socio-psychological climate in their team.

The results of a comparative analysis of the indicators of the personal sociometric index and the level of satisfaction with the climate in the team between subjects with different levels of self-esteem.

The comparative analysis procedure was carried out by comparing the level of satisfaction with the climate and PSI indicators between groups of subjects with characteristics of an understated, adequate and overestimated level of self-esteem. To distinguish these groups according to the scales of the "Personal Differential" methodology and the self-attitude questionnaire, arithmetic averages (M) and standard deviations (?) were calculated. The average scores were obtained by the subjects whose results entered the range M ± ?; the "extreme" groups with high and low values included subjects who showed results above and below this range, respectively.

To conduct a comparative analysis on the methods of assessing the psychological atmosphere in the team (PA), the general scale of the methodology of rapid diagnosis of the socio-psychological climate in the collectives of law enforcement officers (SEC) and sociometric personal indexes (PSI), the Mann-Whitney U-test method was used - a statistical criterion used to assess the differences between two independent samples by the level of any feature measured quantitatively. To compare satisfaction with individual indicators of the state of the SEC and the prevailing type of sociometric status in the group (positive, neutral, negative), the criterion ?* – Fisher angular transformation was used.

The results of a comparative analysis of the level of PA and SEC between different groups of subjects according to the self-attitude questionnaire

Table 4

Notes to table 4:

A - the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an adequate level of self-esteem;

H – the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an inadequate level of self-esteem;

PA – methodology for assessing the psychological atmosphere in the team;

1) organization and working conditions;

2) the nature of the manual;

3) labor motivation system;

4) the nature of the relationship between employees;

5a) physical well-being of employees;

5b) emotional well-being of employees;

6) traditions in the team;

0) the general level of satisfaction with the state of the socio-psychological climate in the service team.

According to the results, it can be concluded that the subjects who have an adequate level of self-esteem have a more favorable psychological atmosphere in the team, they are disposed to the nature of leadership, the system of labor motivation, the nature of relationships between employees.

The results of a comparative analysis of the PSI by the parameter of labor activity between subjects with different levels of self-esteem according to the questionnaire of self-relations

Table 5

The results of a comparative analysis of the PSI by the parameter of leisure activity between subjects with different levels of self-esteem according to the questionnaire of self-relations

         Table 6

Notes to Tables 5-6:

A - the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an adequate level of self-esteem;

H – the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an inadequate level of self-esteem;

C+ is the index of positive status in the group;

C- – index of negative status in the group;

P – predominance of positive status over negative;

H – neutral ratio of positive and negative status;

O – predominance of negative status over positive;

E – index of general expansiveness (sociability).

As can be seen from Tables 5-6, the subjects in the group with a predominance of adequate self-esteem have a higher positive sociometric status and a predominance of positive status over negative in terms of leisure activity. This means that subjects with a predominance of adequate self-esteem feel better in the conditions of the service team.

The results of a comparative analysis of the level of PA and SEC between different groups of subjects using the "Personal differential" method

Table 7

Notes to table 7:

A - the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an adequate level of self-esteem;

H – the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an inadequate level of self-esteem;

1) organization and working conditions;

2) the nature of the manual;

3) labor motivation system;

4) the nature of the relationship between employees;

5) physical well-being of employees;

The results on the PA scale and the 0 scale of the SEC methodology are presented in average values; The results on subscales 1-6 of the SEC methodology are presented in percentages of subjects satisfied with the evaluated parameters;

P is the significance level of differences according to the Mann-Whitney poU-criterion (for the PA scale and the 0 scale of the SEC methodology) and ?* is the Fisher criterion (for subscales

1-6 methods of SEC).

The results of a comparative analysis of the PSI by the parameter of labor activity between subjects with different levels of self-esteem using the "Personal differential" method

Table 8

The results of a comparative analysis of the PSI by the parameter of leisure activity between subjects with different levels of self-esteem using the "Personal differential" method

 Table 9

Note to tables 8-9:

C+ is the index of positive status in the group;

C- – index of negative status in the group;

P – predominance of positive status over negative;

A - the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an adequate level of self–esteem; H - the results of subjects with a predominance of subjects with an inadequate level of self-esteem;

The results on the C+, C- and E scales are presented in average values;

The results on the N, N, O scales are presented in percentages of the subjects; p is the significance level of differences according to the Mann–Whitney U-criterion (for the C+, C- and E scales) and ?* is the Fisher criterion (for the N, N, O scales).

Conclusions.As can be seen from the tables, subjects with an adequate level of self-esteem are more satisfied with the psychological atmosphere in the team, the nature of leadership (leadership style, level of professionalism and competence of their supervisor, etc.). They are satisfied with the system of labor motivation (salary level, the system of non-material labor incentives, the possibility of professional and career growth, etc.), the nature of relationships between employees (the level of cohesion and mutual assistance in the team, the style of business and interpersonal communication between employees, etc.), their emotional state and the overall socio-psychological climate in the team.

This means that in teams where subjects with an adequate level of self-esteem predominate, there will be a more favorable SEC and the moral and psychological state will be more satisfactory.Thus, the hypothesis was confirmed that the level of socio-psychological climate is higher in those collectives in which subjects with an adequate level of self-esteem predominate.