. The concept of intrapersonal conflict

The concept of intrapersonal conflict

Definition 1
Intrapersonal conflict represents special negative experiences of a person, which are characterized by protractedness, confrontation between various structures of a person’s inner world, and reflect his contradictory connections with the outside world and society. This is a certain mental state of a person that systematically overcomes him.

Intrapersonal conflict can be either constructive or destructive:

Constructive intrapersonal conflict acts as an integral part of personal growth and human development.
Destructive intrapersonal conflict acts as a source of stress and difficult experiences, poses a danger to a person, and in some cases leads to suicide.

It is for the above reasons that a person must be aware of the presence of intrapersonal conflict and be able to resist it. In addition, it is necessary to be able to determine its main symptoms and indicators, which can manifest themselves in a variety of stages.

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The following areas are identified in which intrapersonal conflict manifests itself:

Emotional . It manifests itself through the presence of serious negative experiences and tension. Stress, depression, apathy, loss of joy in life, etc. may be present.
Cognitive . A person’s perception of himself is disrupted, self-esteem decreases, difficulties in choosing and making decisions are observed, a person doubts his motives and aspirations, etc.
Behavioral . Manifests itself through negative changes in human behavior. For example, the productivity and quality of an employee’s activity decreases, a person becomes dissatisfied with his own activities, etc.
Integral . It manifests itself through a complex violation of a person’s mental health, in which the mechanism of a person’s adaptation to various circumstances is disrupted.

Figure 1. Types of intrapersonal conflicts. Author24 - online exchange of student work

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What are the reasons for this phenomenon?

Experts believe that it is advisable to mention such types of reasons as:

Internal, which is contained in the contradictions of the personality itself;
External, determined by a person’s status in society;
External, which represents a person’s status in a specific social group.

We can talk about the presence of a relationship between the listed types of reasons. Their differentiation will be conditional. It is important to understand that internal factors that can lead to intrapersonal conflict will be precisely the result of a person’s interaction with society and the team. It cannot be said that this kind of phenomenon appears out of nowhere.

Internal reasons relate to the presence of opposition between completely different personal motives and the lack of consistency in the internal structure. A person suffers more from internal conflicts if he has a more intricate inner world, formed by a sense of value, and the ability to introspect.

Intrapersonal conflict will arise in the event of the following contradictions:

Between need and social norms;
Mismatch of interests, needs and motives;
The struggle of social roles (when you need to do urgent work and go with your family on a planned walk);
The contradiction between existing foundations and sociocultural values (the need to fulfill the duty of defending the Motherland and the desire to adhere to Christian commandments).

The contradictions considered must have a truly deep meaning for a person in order for an intrapersonal conflict to arise. Various aspects of existing contradictions must be equal in terms of the degree of dynamics of their impact on people. Otherwise, a person will still choose the more attractive of two goods, while choosing the lesser of two evils. Otherwise, intrapersonal conflict will not appear.

It is worth saying that the external factors that provoke the emergence of intrapersonal confrontation are determined precisely by the status in the team (see: Sitting at work).

We can talk about a variety of reasons that relate to a person’s position in a certain group. They can be combined in accordance with the inability to satisfy important needs and motives, the presence of which has a deep meaning and is of no small importance for a person in a particular situation. Thus, we can say about situations that provoke the emergence of intrapersonal conflict, such as:

Obstacles of a physical nature that can prevent the satisfaction of a basic number of needs (a prisoner locked in a cell cannot move freely or go beyond strictly defined limits);
Lack of facilities that are necessary to satisfy the current need (a person wants to drink coffee, but all establishments are closed);
Obstacles are specifically biological types (the presence of physical defects, serious defects whose difficulty is contained directly in the human body);
Circumstances of a social nature that represent the root cause of intrapersonal clashes.

Experts identify a cause-and-effect relationship that can lead to the awakening of intrapersonal conflict, which is associated with such types of contradictions as:

Between strictly assigned rights and increased responsibility for assuming responsibilities (the person was transferred to a higher position, with an expansion of a number of functions, but the rights will be just as small);
Between stricter requirements and uncomfortable working conditions;
Between existing tasks and 2 incompatible tasks;
Between the clearly established scope of the task and the unclear mechanism for its implementation;
Between existing norms, defined traditions, developed requirements of the profession that were established in the company, values and individual needs;
Between the desire for self-affirmation, creative self-realization, career and potential opportunities to implement them within the organization;
Conflict that is caused by a contradiction between social roles;
Between the desire to receive benefits and value guidelines.

Factors of an external nature, which are caused by the corresponding status in society, can have a connection with the differences that exist at the stage of the macrosystem of society itself. They are contained in the specifics of the immediate social system, political and economic structure, and values accepted in society.

Types of intrapersonal conflicts

Conflictologists consider many types of intrapersonal conflicts, which manifest themselves in various forms. Different scientists identify different classifications of conflicts. However, it is impossible to bring the entire typology to a single denominator due to the presence of subjective factors.

There are several structures that are present in intrapersonal conflict: self-esteem, values and motives. Based on which aspects of a person enter into an intrapersonal conflict, we can define its six main types:

An adaptation conflict in which there is an imbalance between a person and the surrounding reality. Such a person places high demands on himself and his psychological and physical capabilities. However, he is temporarily not ready to fulfill the demands they make. For example, a similar situation arises when recruits need to adapt to a new regime in the army.
Role conflict, in which a person cannot fulfill several roles at the same time, that is, he cannot fulfill the requirements that are placed on himself. For example, women may experience some difficulties, simultaneously fulfilling the role of mother of their children, and also being an employee of an organization, educational institution, etc.
Moral conflict, in which there are contradictions between duty and desire, personal needs and morality. For example, a man may feel a similar conflict if he is a husband, but wants to start a relationship with another woman for whom he has a special sympathy.
Motivational conflict is one of the most common types of conflict. It is expressed in a person’s unconscious desire to possess a wide variety of goods, that is, a clash of motives occurs. For example, a teenager wants to take up boxing, but is afraid that he will get hurt.
Unfulfilled desires – in other words, this is an inferiority complex. In it, desires and reality confront each other, which blocks their satisfaction. For example, a person wants to live richly, but financial savings leave much to be desired.
Inadequate self-esteem – a person cannot adequately evaluate himself, has low or high self-esteem.
Neurotic conflict is the result of an ordinary intrapersonal conflict that has persisted for a long time and carries negative, destructive consequences.

How to deal with such a phenomenon?

Adler believed that there are mechanisms that explain the characteristics of the subsequent awakening of intrapersonal conflict. He managed to achieve the disclosure of all methods to overcome contradictions.

The first represents the formation of interest and social feeling. The developed aspect will be fully manifested precisely in the process of professional activity and adequate interpersonal relationships. If the social feeling is undeveloped, we can say that the intrapersonal conflict will take on negative forms: alcohol consumption, gambling addiction (see Gambling addiction - symptoms and treatment), tobacco smoking, drug addiction.

The essence of the second is to reveal your own potential, a feeling of superiority over your environment. You can always find a new hobby for yourself, find a group of similar interests. In addition, a person is able to become a mentor for those who want to learn a craft.

How to overcome interpersonal conflict? M. Deutsch mentions the following ways to solve the problem:

An objective approach to all circumstances that are considered the foundation of the contradiction;
Behavior in conflict situations, which is considered a method of interaction in which all subjects of the confrontation are involved.

According to experts, a person must make a conscious decision, get rid of doubts and still achieve his goals. It is these aspects that can lead to a truly harmonious and happy life (see How to actually become happy).

Forms of manifestation and causes of conflict

Intrapersonal conflict can be expressed in the form:

Neurasthenia (depression, loss of performance, insomnia);
Euphoria (public elevation of mood, laughter with tears);
Regressions (refusal to accept responsibility, primitivism);
Projections (excessive criticism, negative attitude towards others);
Nomadism (the desire for a comprehensive change in the environment);
Rationalism (justification of one's actions, lifestyle).

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Reasons for the emergence of conflict “with oneself”:

Internal – personal contradictions, dependent on the spiritual development of the individual. The higher the self-criticism and the ability to evaluate one’s actions, the greater the likelihood of conflicts;
External - role struggle associated with the position occupied in the group. The position of an individual in society may run counter to a person’s internal attitudes.

Consequences

If an intrapersonal conflict is not resolved in time, then over time it will accumulate and lead to serious consequences. The strongest of them are stress, neurosis and frustration.

Stress is a condition that occurs in response to emotional influence. It can manifest itself both at the psychological, physiological and behavioral level. Stress itself quite often stimulates the development of conflict or gives rise to new ones, since, trying to get rid of it, a person begins to lash out at his neighbors and throw out his anger.
Neurosis is a nervous, mental disorder that is psychogenic in nature. The impossibility of resolving an internal conflict is accompanied by the emergence of painful and painful experiences, failure, unattainability of goals, unfulfilled needs, and loss of meaning in life. In such a situation, we are talking about the development from an intrapersonal to a neurotic conflict.
Frustration, a human condition that is caused by objective or subjective difficulties that arise on the way to achieving a goal. May be considered a form of psychological stress.

Over time, intrapersonal conflict will lead to the development of destructive indicators that will become a dead end in personal development. The first signs of this condition are:

human disorganization, both physically and mentally,
constant state of stress, anxiety, increased suspiciousness, dependence on the opinions of other people,
active participation and effectiveness in any type of activity is noticeably reduced,
there is no opportunity to fully perform one’s personal and social functions,
a person may experience polar actions, or submissiveness, or aggressiveness, there will be confidence that he is worthless, inferior, and there will be a lack of confidence in his abilities.

Unproductivity, as a consequence of internal conflict, can spread to relationships in society:

there is a desire to isolate yourself from other members of the group, criticism is not accepted,
blaming others for one's mistakes and failures or increased self-criticism,
an inadequate reaction to people’s behavior; such a person may also exhibit abnormal behavior and behave demonstratively; this is especially characteristic of adolescence. A person may comply with the norms of communication, but at the same time there will be a lack of internal balance.

You can also consider the positive consequences of conflicts within the individual:

the mental state becomes more resistant to internal and external influences,
a person who, over time, will be able to sort out his inner world, will be able to get out of internal conflict, will be able to cope with new conflicts more easily, and will be closer to achieving his ideal self,
constructive influence in a conflict situation consists of self-improvement, self-development and self-affirmation,
By struggling with internal contradictions, a person’s will and character can be strengthened. People who were able to overcome internal obstacles better mobilize their personal resources and get to know themselves.

Examples of conflicts within the individual

A person wants to go to the cinema, but at this time he needs to prepare for exams.
You need to take a walk with your child, but at the same time you have deadlines at work, so you need to stay late at work.
A man who is at war is forced to kill his opponents, at the same time he must observe the commandment “thou shalt not kill.”
A prisoner who wants to travel, but cannot move freely due to being in a cell.
A small income does not allow a housewife to purchase a washing machine, which is so necessary.
When there is no coffee at home and the shops are closed for the holidays.
The person was given a new position, obliged to carry out a large number of functions, but at the same time his rights remained the same.
When you need to urgently complete a task in production, but the necessary equipment constantly breaks down.
When the boss demands that something be done, he does not care about the means and methods. Must be done at any cost.

Gradebook No. 5291_

Kemerovo - 2005

CONTENT:

Introduction. 3

1. The concept of intrapersonal conflict. 4

2. Types of intrapersonal conflicts. 5

3. Consequences of intrapersonal conflict. 8

3.1. Negative consequences of intrapersonal conflict. 8

3.2. Positive consequences of intrapersonal conflict. 13

4. Ways to resolve intrapersonal conflicts. 14

References.. 19

The personality is the ultimate subject (opponent) of the conflict. In this capacity, it forms one of its sides. But besides this, each person is an independent generator of conflict, within which it unfolds. In other words, a person constantly produces and reproduces conflicts within himself - intrapersonal conflicts, of which he is the carrier. And we can say without exaggeration that the whole life of a normal person is a conflict, and, first of all, the conflict is not external, but internal, from which we cannot escape.

Every person constantly exists in a conflict situation not only with the surrounding social environment, but, above all, with himself. And this is not something to be afraid of. For a mentally healthy individual, an internal conflict situation that does not go beyond the norm is quite natural. A person who considers himself always right and who always has a “calm conscience”, such a person, according to I. Kant, cannot be a moral person who is “never free from guilt.” And from the point of view of another great philosopher, V. Solovyov, this reveals the very essence of man, his difference from animals. It is no coincidence that he contrasts the rationalistic anthropologism of the Western European tradition, the thesis of R. Descartes: “I think, therefore I exist,” with his thesis: “I am ashamed, therefore I exist.”

The situation of intrapersonal tension and inconsistency, within a certain framework and degree, is not only natural, but also necessary for the development and improvement of the personality itself. Any development cannot be carried out without internal contradictions, and where there are contradictions, there is also a basis for conflict. And if intrapersonal conflict occurs within the limits of measure, it is really necessary, because dissatisfaction with oneself, a critical attitude towards one’s own “I”, as a powerful internal engine, forces a person to follow the path of self-improvement and self-actualization, thereby filling not only his own life with meaning, but also improving the world.

Text of the book “Conflicts: how to manage them (conflictology)”

8.2. Types of intrapersonal conflicts

Just as there are numerous grounds for classifying conflicts in general, there are various grounds for distinguishing types of intrapersonal conflicts.

Three types of intrapersonal (psychological) conflicts

Thus, there are three types of intrapersonal (psychological) conflicts:

1
Conflict of needs.
Its basis is that our needs can oppose each other and motivate us to different actions. Sometimes we want contradictory things at the same time and therefore cannot act. For example: a child wants to eat candy. But his mother asks him to give the treat to her. In this case, the child would like to eat the candy and also give it to the mother. He experiences a conflict of needs and begins to cry.

2
Conflict between need and social norm.
A very strong need can collide within us with a coercive imperative. Regardless of whether we give in to this need or not, the situation becomes conflictual.

Numerous examples of this kind of intrapersonal conflicts are described by Z. Freud. In his terminology, the contradiction that causes this type of conflict is the contradiction between the It (Id)

and
Superego (Superego).
It (Id) is the concentration of blind instincts (either sexual or aggressive) seeking immediate gratification. The super-ego (superego) includes moral norms, prohibitions and rewards acquired by the individual.

3
Conflict of social norms.
The essence of this conflict is that a person experiences equal pressure from two opposing social norms.

In the last century, a duel, prohibited by the church, was the only socially recognized means of washing away an insult and restoring one’s honor. The conflict situation for the believing nobleman was the contradiction between class and religious duty.

Classification based on the value-motivational sphere of the individual

1
Motivational conflict.
These are conflicts between unconscious aspirations, between the desires for possession and security, between two positive tendencies (the situation of Buridan's donkey).

2
Moral conflict,
often called moral or normative conflict. This is a conflict between desire and duty, between moral principles and personal attachments.

3
Conflict of unfulfilled desire, or inferiority complex.
This is a conflict between the desires of the individual and reality, which blocks their satisfaction. Sometimes it is interpreted as a conflict between “I want to be like them” and the inability to realize this desire. It can arise as a result of a person’s physical inability to fulfill this desire. For example, due to dissatisfaction with one's appearance or physical characteristics.

4
Role conflict.
It is expressed in experiences associated with the inability to simultaneously fulfill several roles
(inter-role
intrapersonal conflict), as well as with different understandings of the requirements imposed by the individual himself to fulfill one role (
intra-role
conflict). An example of inter-role intrapersonal conflict would be a situation where a person, as an employee of an organization, is asked to work overtime, but as a father, he wants to devote more time to his child. An example of an intra-role conflict is a situation when a believer, in order to defend the fatherland, needs to take up a weapon and go to war to kill.

5
Adaptation conflict.
This conflict has two meanings. In a broad sense, it is understood as arising on the basis of an imbalance between the subject and the environment, in a narrow sense - as arising when the process of social or professional adaptation is disrupted. This is a conflict between the demands that reality places on an individual and the capabilities of the person himself (professional, physical, mental).

6
The conflict of inadequate self-esteem
arises due to the discrepancy between the claims of the individual and the assessment of one’s capabilities.

The result of this is increased anxiety, emotional stress and breakdowns.

7 Neurotic conflict -

the result of an ordinary intrapersonal conflict persisting for a long time, characterized by high tension and confrontation between the internal forces and motives of the individual.

Other types of intrapersonal conflicts

The named types of conflicts do not completely exhaust their classification. Depending on other reasons, a different typology of intrapersonal conflicts can be given. This is evidenced by the very history of the development of conflictological concepts, which distinguish various types of intrapersonal conflicts. Let us note the main ones:

The conflict between morality and morality, between what should be and what is, between the moral ideal and reality (I. Kant, F. Dostoevsky).

The conflict between human drives, biological needs and social norms, which is biological and biosocial in nature (3. Freud).

A conflict caused by the need to choose between forces of equal magnitude acting on a person (K. Levin).

The conflict between the “I-concept” and the ideal “I” (K. Rogers).

The conflict between the desire for self-actualization and the real result (A. Maslow).

The conflict between the desire for meaning in life and the existential vacuum, i.e. “noogenic” conflict, or “existential frustration” (V. Frankl).

7 Conflict between elements of the internal structure of the personality. between her motives (A. Leontyev).

Chapter 9. Causes and consequences of intrapersonal conflict

Intrapersonal conflict, like any other, does not arise out of nowhere.
A person lives in a social world, is involved in diverse social relations that influence him in different directions and with different signs. No individual as a social being can develop outside this system of social relations. And only in society can he satisfy his needs, strengthen his interests and achieve his goals. In other words, it is impossible to live in society and be free from it. On the other hand, every personality strives for freedom and self-realization. This objective contradiction between the individual and society initially predetermines the emergence of various intrapersonal conflicts, which have various consequences for the development of the individual. 9.1.
Causes of intrapersonal conflict A person’s relationship to the world, to other people and to himself is contradictory,

which also determines the inconsistency of the internal structure of the personality. A person as a part of society cannot “jump out” from the integral system of contradictory social relations, which ultimately determine his consciousness, psyche and entire inner world.

“Diverse relationships,” wrote A.N. in this regard. Leontiev, into which a person enters into reality, are objectively contradictory. Their contradictions give rise to conflicts, which, under certain conditions, are fixed and become part of the personality structure.

With a more specific consideration of the causes of intrapersonal conflict, they can be divided into three types:

1) internal reasons rooted in the contradictions of the individual himself;

2) external reasons due to the position of the individual in a social group;

3) external reasons determined by the position of the individual in society.

It should be borne in mind that all these types of causes of conflict are interconnected, and their differentiation itself is quite arbitrary. We are essentially talking about individual, special and general causes, between which, as well as between the categories that reflect them, there is a dialectical relationship. For example, the internal causes of conflict are the result of an individual’s interaction with both the group and society, and do not arise on their own, out of nowhere.

Internal reasons

The internal causes of intrapersonal conflict are rooted in the contradictions between various motives of the individual, in the mismatch of its internal structure. Moreover, the more complex a person’s inner world is, the more developed his feelings, values and aspirations, the higher his ability for self-analysis, the more the personality is susceptible to conflict. Among the main contradictions that cause internal conflict are the following:

• contradiction between need and social norm. The intrapersonal conflict that arises on this basis is classically described by 3. Freud;

• contradiction of motives, interests and needs (both you want to go to the theater and you need to prepare for the seminar);

• contradiction of social roles (in production you have to stay late to fulfill an urgent order, and take a walk with your child);

• contradiction of social values and norms: how to combine the Christian value “thou shalt not kill” and the duty of defending the fatherland on the battlefield.

For an intrapersonal conflict to arise, these contradictions must acquire a deep personal meaning, otherwise a person will not attach importance to them. In addition, the different sides of the contradictions should be approximately equal in the strength of their impact on the individual. Otherwise, a person easily chooses the lesser of two evils, and the greater of two goods. And no conflict arises.

External reasons

External causes of intrapersonal conflict can be caused by: the position of the individual in the group, 2)

the position of the individual in the organization,
3)
the position of the individual in society.

External causes of intrapersonal conflict, determined by
the position of the individual in the group,
can be varied.
But their common feature is the impossibility of satisfying any important needs and motives that have deep inner meaning and significance for the individual in a given situation. In the work “Psychology of the Individual and the Group,” in this regard, four
types of situations that cause intrapersonal conflict are identified:

1) physical barriers that prevent the satisfaction of our basic needs: a prisoner whose cell does not allow freedom of movement; bad weather preventing harvesting; insufficient income that does not allow the housewife to purchase what she wants; a lowered barrier or a sentry, not allowing entry into one place or another;

2) the absence of an object necessary to satisfy the felt need (I want to drink a cup of coffee, but the shops are closed and there is no more coffee left at home);

3) biological limitations (mentally retarded people and people with physical defects, for whom the obstacle is rooted in the body itself);

4) social conditions (the main source of the largest number of our intrapersonal conflicts).

When our need for respect is not understood, when we are deprived of freedom or feel like strangers in our class because of the attitude of some people towards us, we are in a state of frustration.

There are many examples of conflict situations of this type in society, since very often groups put pressure on their members, which leads to personal conflicts.

At the
organizational
, external causes that cause intrapersonal conflict can be represented by such types of contradictions as:

1) the contradiction between great responsibility and insufficient rights for its implementation (a person was promoted, new employees were given subordination, functions were expanded, etc., but the rights remained the same);

2) the contradiction between strict requirements for deadlines and quality of task completion and poor working conditions (the production task must be completed at all costs, but the equipment is old and constantly breaks down);

3) a contradiction between two mutually exclusive requirements or tasks (requirements to simultaneously improve the quality of products and at the same time increase their production with unchanged equipment);

4) the contradiction between a strictly defined task and poorly defined mechanisms and means of its implementation (in our recent past, under the conditions of a rigidly planned economy, in this regard, the slogan “plan at any cost” was popular);

5) the contradiction between production requirements, norms and traditions in the organization, on the one hand, and personal values or needs, on the other (constant work on weekends, constant rush jobs, the practice of bribes and gifts, fawning, the boss’s habit of pestering subordinates with advances, systematic collective drinking at work, etc. - these kinds of requirements, customs and norms may not be acceptable to people and may not correspond to their values and needs);

6) the contradiction between the desire for creativity, career, self-affirmation and the possibilities of realizing this within the organization (Many people strive for advanced training and self-realization as a vital goal, and if there are no conditions for this, intrapersonal conflict may develop);

7) contradictions caused by the incompatibility of the social roles of the individual (this cause of intrapersonal conflict occurs quite often. Its content consists in the contradiction between the functions that a person must perform, having different statuses - In this case, different roles will make different demands on the person, perhaps even contradictory requirements. For example, the status of the head of an organization will impose certain requirements and standards of behavior in relation to a subordinate, and the status of a close friend will impose others);

a contradiction between the desire for profit and moral standards (a person works in an organization that produces profitable, but low-quality products or products that are harmful to consumers).

3 External causes of intrapersonal conflict, determined by the position of the individual in society.

These reasons are associated with contradictions that arise at the level of the social macrosystem and are rooted in the nature of the social system, the social structure of society, its political structure and economic life.

For Russia, in this regard, it is necessary to pay attention, first of all, to the influence of market relations

on the emergence and development of intrapersonal conflict. For us, this issue is especially relevant, because the country has recently embarked on the path of a market economy. And although this issue has not yet been adequately studied in the domestic literature, we can turn to research available in other countries that have long taken the path of economic liberalism.

Social environment and personality. K. Horney

Karen Horney made a major contribution to the development of this problem.

(1885 – 1952).
Studying the influence of the surrounding social environment on the formation of personality, she showed that it is market relations that significantly influence the emergence and development of intrapersonal conflict and even neurotic personality. According to her observations, the market and general competition bring the problem of rivalry to the forefront in the personality structure .
In the conditions of the general struggle of all against all, constant rivalry and competition develop into hostility of the individual not only towards others, but also towards himself,

into constant dissatisfaction with oneself. The entire culture and sociocultural environment, under the dominance of market relations, is characterized by competition and individualism, which are not only the driving force of the economy, but permeate our entire personal life.

Under these conditions, the personality is in constant conflict with itself.

On the one hand, her success is admired almost regardless of the means by which it was achieved, on the other, society views modesty and altruism as social and religious virtues and rewards these qualities with praise and recognition.
The particular difficulty that an individual faces in the system of market relations is that in order to compete he must have at his disposal a fair amount of aggressiveness and at the same time he is required to be unselfish and even self-sacrificing. This is the real objective social basis
of intrapersonal conflict under the dominance of market liberalism.

In her works, Horney identified a number of contradictions in market culture that underlie typical intrapersonal conflicts, even leading to neuroses.

The contradiction between competition and success, on the one hand, and brotherly love and humanity, on the other. On the one hand, everything is done to achieve success, which means that we must not only be assertive, but also aggressive, capable of pushing others out of the way. On the other hand, we have deeply imbibed Christian ideals that say that it is selfish to want something for ourselves, but that we should be humble, turn the other cheek, and be compliant.

The contradiction between the stimulation of our needs and the actual obstacles to their satisfaction. For economic reasons, in a market culture, needs are constantly stimulated by advertising, demonstrations of consumerism, and the ideal of being on the same level with someone. However, for the vast majority, the actual fulfillment of these needs is severely limited. The psychological consequence for a person here is a constant gap between desires and their implementation.

The contradiction between the asserted freedom of man and all his actual restrictions. Society tells its member that he is free, independent, can build his life in accordance with his free will; The “great game of life” is open to him, and he can get what he wants, if, of course, he is energetic. In reality, for most people, all these options are limited. The humorous expression that parents are not chosen can be extended to life in general - to the choice of work, friend, vacation. As a result, a person fluctuates between a feeling of unlimited power in determining his own destiny and a feeling of complete helplessness.

These contradictions inherent in our culture are exactly the conflicts that the neurotic is desperately trying to reconcile: the tendency towards aggressiveness and the tendency to yield: excessive demands and the fear of never getting anything: the desire for self-aggrandizement and a sense of personal helplessness.

The conflict between the essence and existence of the individual. E. Fromm

A significant contribution to the development of the question of the influence of market relations on intrapersonal conflict was made by the famous American psychologist and philosopher Erich Fromm

(1900 – 1980), who considered modern Western society, characterized by a “market character,” to be a “sick society.”
Its main disease is general competition and alienation,
which permeate all spheres and levels of “developed capitalism”: society as a whole, relations between social strata and groups, communities and individuals.
They even penetrate into the family, where there is a struggle for power, prestige and status. Finally, alienation affects the very internal structure of the personality.
A person’s self-alienation from his essence occurs. A conflict arises between the essence and existence of the individual.

This process of self-alienation and destruction of personality has worsened most sharply in our time, when market orientation begins to progress rapidly and a new market is developing - the “personal market.”

Today everyone comes to it: officials, businessmen, administrators, doctors, scientists, lawyers, artists, etc.
And they all enter into relationships with each other as goods.
At the same time, the principle of evaluation is the same for both the goods market and the personal market - in both cases, use value is not the main one. The main thing is the exchange value of the product. In other words, the price of a product, including a person, depends not on its qualitative certainty, essence, but on the demand for it. Therefore, a person in the “market of personalities” is forced to act according to the principle of marketing - the main thing is the ability to “present yourself” and sell at a higher price, the main thing is that there is a demand for you, no matter who you really are, in essence - a doctor, scientist, broker and etc.

Therefore, the personality in the system of general dominance of market relations and alienation is bifurcated.

In this continuous market she feels like both a seller and a product. A person is concerned, first of all, with not losing the ability to sell himself and only after that will he have his own life and his own happiness.

The market man feels that his self-respect depends on market conditions, which he, however, cannot control. He feels that his value does not depend on his human qualities, but on success in a competitive market with constantly changing conditions. Therefore, he is forced to continuously struggle for success, and any obstacle on this path poses a serious threat to his internal state and gives rise to intrapersonal conflict. At the same time, success is less common than failure, and in case of failure, a person develops a feeling of helplessness, insolvency and inferiority. The market thus tramples any sense of self-worth and pride.

All this, according to E. Fromm, also leads to the loss of one’s own independence and loss of self-identity.

If in general, in mature, healthy and creative individuals, a sense of self-identity arises as a result of the understanding that a person is the very source of his strength and his destiny, and this feeling can be briefly expressed in the words: “I am what I do,” then in market conditions a person considers his capabilities and abilities as a commodity, alienated from him. The personality and its abilities and powers no longer constitute a single whole. Now the human condition is expressed in the words: “I am what you want me to be.” It is this gap between who a person feels himself to be, his abilities and capabilities, on the one hand, and what is required of him in the market, on the other, that underlies constant intrapersonal conflict.

This internal conflict of personality in a society of a “market nature” is constantly supported and stimulated by the social environment, accepted values and standards, when the main thing is not “to be,” but “to have.” The main thing here is not who a person is in his active essence, but what kind of capital he has. But in this situation, if a person loses capital, suffers a fiasco in the market, then he loses everything, his life turns into a drama, and often into a tragedy. Therefore, not only losers, but also wealthy people live in conditions of fear and anxiety about the future, in conditions of constant intrapersonal conflict.

All this should be kept in mind in relation to Russia when it comes to the influence of market relations on the formation of personality. We too should be prepared for the challenges associated with an increase in intrapersonal conflicts, frustrations, stress and neuroses. Moreover, the negative consequences of the influence of market reforms on the human psyche and on the development of intrapersonal conflicts are already manifesting themselves quite noticeably.

Factors in social life and neuroses

It should be noted that the reason for the increase in intrapersonal conflicts in the country is not only market relations directly, but also other factors of social life that are new to our society and associated with the beginning of its reform. It is from this time that the number of neuroses in all segments of the population has sharply increased. .

A rapid reassessment of values played a big role in this. An entire generation of people was unable to adapt to market values or did not want to accept them. It turned out that the ideals that it lived by and believed in for decades were of no use to anyone and became irrelevant. And this situation could not but cause feelings of disappointment, apathy and worthlessness.

More prosaic reasons also contributed to the increase in stress. Thus, a powerful wave of patients and even suicide was caused by the reform and liquidation of Union ministries and departments, and above all such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB. Thousands and thousands of healthy and able-bodied people, most of whom had no other profession other than the military, found themselves on the streets. Many officers join the ranks of those suffering from neurosis today, because they are often dismissed from service at the age of 40–50, without being provided with living space, without caring that they are unable to feed their families.

One of the most vulnerable categories of people to neuroses are public sector employees. Highly qualified specialists - doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists and other public sector workers - are very frequent patients of the clinics. And no wonder, not every engineer, doctor, teacher can change their profession without mental trauma in order to take the place of a market seller or a janitor. But not only representatives of the poor and beggars were susceptible to neurosis. Neuroses have become widespread among the “new Russians”, for whom business is often not only a profession, but also their life’s work. And if plans collapse, bankruptcy occurs, millions of dollars are lost, then the person experiences extreme stress. And the very way of life of such people is existence in a permanent stressful situation: constant anxiety, worry, overwork, the need to “spin” and “spin.” Often their personal life is not going well. Many of them also view love and marriage through the prism of commodity-money relations, “buying” their wives and mistresses and competing with their peers in the market of goods and services. As experts note, such a person often experiences a sublimation of sexuality, replacing this function with work that lasts from morning to night.

But the wives of the “new Russians” also have a hard time. As a rule, they do not work anywhere and are not busy with anything. Meanwhile, even among housewives, women who do not work in production but raise children and do housework, neuropsychiatric disorders are four times more common than among those employed in production. In recent years, even a new term “housewife syndrome” has appeared in psychotherapy, which affects young women. Against this background, it becomes clear that the wives of the “new Russians” - young women sitting in a “golden cage”, having servants and not doing any housework at all, suffer from neurosis to an even greater extent than women working at home and raising children.

It should be noted that the internal and external causes of intrapersonal conflict are closely interrelated. Thus, people in a state of intrapersonal conflict pose a potential danger to interpersonal relationships in the group. And if we mean those who occupy high positions in society, then they can have a negative impact on relationships on a larger scale.

At the same time, external conditions and contradictions that a person faces are translated into the internal plane and can give rise to psychological conflict. For example, a person who cannot find a job for a long time due to objective conditions, in most cases tends to view this as his own inability to adapt to life, experiences this as a conflict between the demands of reality and individual capabilities. Such an individual may experience a conflict of inadequate self-esteem, accompanied by increased emotional anxiety, stress, or even a neurotic breakdown.