Gender Characteristics of Reflection in Higher Education Students in Relation to Social Intelligence

Abstract

Purpose of article: to highlight the results of an empirical research on the gender characteristics of the differential type of reflection in higher education students in relation to social intelligence. Systemic reflection, which allows simultaneous coverage of both the subject and object poles, is found at a high level in all male and almost all female participants; at an average level, it is found in a small number of female participants. Introspection, which promotes focusing on the experiences of both own and other people, is identified at a high level in three-fifths of the male participants and slightly less than one-second of the female participants; at an average level, it is found in two-fifths of the male participants and slightly more than one-second of the female participants. Quasi-reflection, which involves detachment from the real situation due to a focus on an ideal object, is found at a high level in three-fifths of the male participants and slightly more than one-second of the female participants; at an average level, it is found in two-fifths of the male participants and slightly less than one-second of the female participants. No low levels of systemic reflection, introspection, or quasi-reflection were observed. Statistically significant differences were found only in the levels of introspection between male and female participants. Statistically significant correlations between the overall social intelligence indicator and systemic reflection, introspection, and quasi-reflection have demonstrated that reflection is a psychological mechanism of the development of social intelligence in higher education students with special educational needs.