Operatory Thinking: Conceptualization, Psychodiagnostics and Methodology Standardization

doi:10.26565/2410-1249-2025-24-07

Tamara Khomulenko Department of Psychology, H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3962-0795
Valeriia Krynychko H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0391-417X
Karyna Fomenko Department of Psychology H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Kharkiv, Ukraine, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2511-6803

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26565/2410-1249-2025-24-07

Keywords: psychodiagnostics, salutogenic approach, phenomenology of the embodied self, psychological well-being, psychosomatics, operatory thinking, psychoanalytic approach, alexithymia

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive study of the phenomenon of operatory thinking as a specific form of cognitive-affective functioning characterized by a reduction in symbolic activity, a deficit in the mental representation of emotional experiences, and an excessive attachment to concrete reality. The relevance of this research is determined by the increasing prevalence of psychosomatic disorders in modern psychological practice, where up to 60–80% of individuals demonstrate symptoms of somatization of psychological distress. The aim of the article is the theoretical and methodological conceptualization of the phenomenon of operatory thinking through the systematization of its structural and functional characteristics within seven interrelated domains of mental functioning, as well as the development and standardization of psychodiagnostic instruments for identifying individuals with a heightened risk of psychosomatic disorganization. The study conducts a systematic analysis of the theoretical legacy of the Paris Psychosomatic School (P. Marty, M. de M’Uzan, C. Smadja), identifying seven main domains of operatory thinking manifestation: linguistic (reduction of the symbolic function of language, concreteness, avoidance of metaphoricity), social (disturbance of interpersonal distance, conformity, formalization of contacts), psychodynamic (deficit of sublimation, disturbance of affect regulation, instability of object relations), cognitive (reduction of imaginative life, dominance of concrete thinking, rigidity of cognitive schemas), behavioral-activity (monotony of activity, emotional detachment), emotional-affective (alexithymia, somatization as a form of expression, disruption of emotional differentiation), and the domain of interaction with external reality (hyperinvestment in the external, dependence on social norms) [1–6]. The result of the research is the development of a psychodiagnostic questionnaire of operatory thinking comprising 122 items and 12 scales: energetic-motivational rigidity, alexithymia, control and cognitive rigidity, affective isolation, deficit of imagination and symbolization, avoidance of personal contact, social adaptive dependence, emotional-semantic reduction, emotional distance, deficit of emotional attachment, operational approach to emotions, and rationalization of affect. This methodology operationalizes key theoretical constructs and enables differentiated diagnostics of the intensity of particular components of operatory functioning. The practical significance of the work lies in creating a valid instrument for identifying individuals belonging to the psychosomatic risk group in psychological counseling and psychotherapeutic practice. The integration of classical psychoanalytic concepts with contemporary research in mentalization (P. Fonagy), neurobiology of emotions (A. Damasio), and somatic psychology (P. Ogden) opens new perspectives for understanding psychosomatic phenomena and for developing psychocorrective strategies aimed at enhancing reflexive function, emotional literacy, and symbolic activity [7; 8; 9].

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