Personal predictors of university students’ research potential development

The article is devoted to the problem of developing the research potential (RP) of university students. Basing on the results of empirical study, the authors analyze the correlation between indicators of research potential and university students’ personality characteristics as predictors of its development. Methodologically the study was based on the structural-functional approach and the model of the research potential of students’ personality proposed by N.V. Bordovskaya, S.N. Kostromina, S.I. Rozum, N.L. Moskvicheva. The study employed the survey method (a questionnaire developed by the authors was used) and the psychodiagnostic method using a set of techniques: the questionnaire of N.V. Bordovskaya and co-authors «Methodology for assessing research potential», «Test of meaningful life orientations» adapted by D.A. Leontiev, «Assessment of the level of claims» by V.K. Gerbachevsky, and «Determination of the level of self-esteem» by S.V. Kovalev. A correlation analysis of the obtained empirical data was carried out with the calculation of the Pearson coefficient. The questionnaire survey revealed that outside of academic tasks university students demonstrate little interest and involvement in research activities. The correlation study shows the interconnection between the components of the research potential and the level of aspirations, self-esteem and meaningful life orientations of the university students’ personality. The identified personal characteristics of university students act as predictors of the development of research potential, which provides a basis for the development of psychological and pedagogical technologies considering the correlation between RP components and meaningful life orientations and indicators of the locus of control of the Self, the core of the motivational structure of the personality, predictive assessments of activity.