PERSONALITY AND COGNITIVE DETERMINANTS OF PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION FORMATION IN POLICE OFFICERS ACROSS DIFFERENT STAGES OF ADULTHOOD

Abstract

The article examines the role of social and emotional intelligence, as well as tolerance for uncertainty, as key psychological factors that ensure relevant and professionally effective communication of police officers in the context of modern challenges, particularly during the full-scale war. It is emphasized that police service activities involve constant interaction with various categories of citizens, high event dynamics, risk, and a lack of information, which requires the ability to quickly adapt, regulate emotional reactions, and build constructive communicative strategies. Emotional intelligence ensures awareness and management of one’s own emotions, whereas social intelligence enables understanding the intentions and behavior of others, forming effective interpersonal connections, and predicting the development of interaction situations. Tolerance for uncertainty is presented as an important psychological resource that supports resilience, balanced decision-making, and the ability to act productively under ambiguous conditions. The empirical part of the study was conducted on a sample of 70 police officers aged 27–45, divided into two age groups. The research employed the Emotional Intelligence Assessment by D. Lyusin, the Social Intelligence Test by J. Guilford, and D. McLain’s Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. The study found that social and emotional intelligence are key psychological determinants of police officers’ adaptability to professional uncertainty and define the nature of their communicative behavior. It was shown that in the age group of 27–35, these components of intelligence are associated with cognitive flexibility, the ability to respond quickly to changing conditions, and to maintain productive interaction in risk situations. In contrast, in the 40–45 age group, the leading role is played by more structured, experience-based communicative strategies focused on stability, self-control, and a cautious attitude toward uncertainty. The obtained results indicate that the development of social and emotional intelligence, combined with tolerance for uncertainty, is important for improving the quality of professional communication of police officers, ensuring their psychological resilience, and enhancing the effectiveness of their service activities.