Organizational Psychology

The following article discusses possible selves that are defined as individual’s ideas about the person he wants to become, might become or afraid of becoming in future. The purpose of the study isto analyze the differences between positive possible selves (hopes) and negative possible selves (fears) in the professional domain of Russian (NRU HSE) and American (FIU) students. Study design. The Possible Selves Questionnaire was used to assess possible selves of 142 American students and 157 Russian students. Findings. Significantly more American students, when compared to their Russians counterparts, considered their possible selves in the professional domain as their most important hope and most important fear, while the latter thought about their possible selves in the family and relationship domains as the most important. Different types of possible selves in the professional domain are described. American students have more possible selves related to their studies at university (short-term goals) and their career (long-term goals), whereas Russian students have more future images connected with their academic career (long-term goals). American students have significantly more belief that their hopes in the professional domain will become real (Mann — Whitney U-test, p <.001), they spend more time thinking about their hopes (Mann — Whitney U-test, p < 0.001), and they also think that their hope is closer to their real self (Mann — Whitney U-test, p < .001) compared to Russian students. Value of the results. It is concluded that there are cross-cultural differences in possible selves, because American students have significantly more possible selves in professional domain than Russian students, and also American students are more optimistic about their hopes.