A New Psychosocial Variable in Mental Health Studies: Agency

Abstract

The term agency has been defined as a sense of responsibility for one's life course, the belief that one is in control of one's decisions and is responsible for their outcomes, and the confidence that one will be able to overcome obstacles that impede one's progress along one's chosen life course. Agency is an upper psychological structure which consists of self-esteem, purpose in life, self-efficacy (ego strength), and internal locus of control. Literature offers quite different explanations for agency concept. The reason of this situation may be the attribution of different meanings to the concept by psychologists and sociologists. When considering the agency literature in Turkey and other countries, it can be said that the number of studies on agency subject is lower than the number of studies on other psychosocial study subjects. Agency should be taken into consideration as a psychosocial variable in the studies to be made in Turkey.

Keywords

• agency, personal agency, individualization, agentic personality

Ruh Sağlığı Çalışmalarında Yeni Bir Psikososyal Değişken: Eylemlilik

Öz

Eylemlilik, kişinin yaşamının yönüne ilişkin sorumluluk duygusu, yaşamı için sorumluluk alması, kişinin yaşamı ile ilgili kararları kontrol edebilme ve bunların sorumluluğunu alma konusundaki inancı ve yaşamdaki engellerle baş etmede ve seçtiği yaşam yönünde ilerlemeye ilişkin güveni olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Eylemlilik, öz saygı, yaşam amaçları, öz-yeterlilik ve iç denetim odağı olmak üzere dört psikolojik yapının birleşiminden oluşan üst bir psikolojik yapıdır. Literatürde, eylemlilik konusunda oldukça farklı açıklamalar olduğu dikkati çekmektedir. Bu durumun nedeni, kavrama sosyologlar ve psikologlar tarafından farklı anlamlar yüklenmesi olabilir. Eylemlilik konusuyla ilgili hem yurtdışındaki hem de Türkiye'deki araştırmalar diğer psikososyal çalışma konularına göre nispeten azdır. Türkiye'de yapılacak çalışmalarda eylemlilik diğer bir psikososyal değişken olarak dikkate alınmalıdır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• eylemlilik, kişisel eylemlilik, bireyleşme, eylemli kişilik

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