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Extreme Psychology and Personal Safety
2025. Vol. 2, no. 2, 8–22
doi:10.17759/epps.2025020201
ISSN: 3034-3666 (online)

Strategic thinking and psychological security of the individual

 
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Abstract

Context and Relevance. The study examines the concept of “strategic thinking” as a complex ability of an individual, closely tied to long-term planning, critical thinking, and metacognitive capabilities. This, in turn, is directly related to psychological well-being and the psychological safety of the individual. Objective: to explore and substantiate the relationship between the psychological constructs of “strategic thinking” and “psychological safety” of the individual. Hypotheses. “Strategic thinking”, manifested in the ability for long-term planning and risk analysis, contributes to enhancing personal psychological safety by reducing uncertainty and anxiety. Additionally, metacognitive processes, which are part of “strategic thinking”, strengthen personal psychological safety, enabling better management of emotions and reactions in stressful situations. These two directions can influence social representations and social attitudes, and interventions aimed at strengthening the construct of “strategic thinking” can contribute to improving the social situation by reducing anxiety and enhancing adaptive capabilities. Materials and methods. The study employs theoretical methods such as analysis (since “strategic thinking” comprises several interconnected components) and synthesis (to identify common features of the “strategic thinking” construct and psychological safety, and to explore their intersection and interaction across multiple dimensions). Abstraction enables the identification of key characteristics and features of strategic thinking, which are subsequently compared through generalization. The application of a systemic approach allows for a comprehensive examination of the concept of “strategic thinking”, without reducing it to isolated manifestations such as “critical thinking”, “metacognitive skills”, or “reflection” Results. Strategic thinking and the psychological safety of the individual are interconnected in several aspects. Conclusions. These constructs are interconnected in directions such as: reducing anxiety through goal-setting, evaluating information and its sources via the development of critical thinking, adjusting social attitudes, and enhancing metacognitive abilities that help alleviate worry. The results confirm that “strategic thinking”, particularly due to its capacity for long-term planning and risk analysis, plays a crucial role in enhancing personal psychological safety by reducing uncertainty and anxiety. Additionally, metacognitive processes, which are an integral part of the “strategic thinking” construct, strengthen psychological safety by enabling individuals to better regulate their emotions and cope with stressful situations. These cognitive strategies can positively influence social representations and attitudes, fostering more adaptive social interactions. Interventions aimed at developing such skills demonstrate their effectiveness in improving the social situation and enhancing individuals' adaptive capabilities.

General Information

Keywords: strategic thinking, critical thinking, analytical abilities, metacognitive abilities, mindfulness, well-being, psychological safety, education, organizational culture

Journal rubric: Theoretical Research

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/epps.2025020201

Received 08.04.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Mishina, M.M., Kaulin, K.V. (2025). Strategic thinking and psychological security of the individual. Extreme Psychology and Personal Safety, 2(2), 8–22. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/epps.2025020201

© Mishina M.M., Kaulin K.V., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Marina M. Mishina, Doctor of Psychology, Professor of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy of Education, L.S. Vygotsky Institute of Psychology, Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9348-7804, e-mail: mishinamm@yandex.ru

Kirill V. Kaulin, Master's student at the L.S. Vygotsky Institute of Psychology, Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3933-9824, e-mail: kirkreps@gmail.com

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