Psychology of the Civil Servant and Its Correction in Modern Society: From Rigidity to Adaptability Introduction: Mental Models of Bureaucracy The psychology of the state servant (civil servant) is formed under the influence of a unique set of factors: pressure from normative prescriptions, hierarchy, public responsibility, and the need to interact with a mass client. This gives rise to specific cognitive and behavioral patterns that may conflict with the demands of modern society for flexibility, customer orientation, and digitalization. The correction of these patterns becomes a key task of public administration reform, requiring not only administrative measures but also a deep understanding of psychological mechanisms. 1. Formation of the "bureaucratic ethos": key psychological characteristics Based on the theories of Max Weber, Robert Merton, and modern organizational psychologists, a stable complex of characteristics can be identified that are characteristic of classical bureaucratic psychology: Rigidity and hypertrophied formalism (ritualism). As Merton noted, the civil servant often replaces the original goal of the organization (solving public problems) with a means of achieving it – by following the rules. The rule becomes an end in itself. This is a defensive mechanism against uncertainty and personal responsibility, but it leads to the well-known "Mertonian dysfunction": the inability to respond to exceptional circumstances. Depersonalization and dehumanization. The relationship "civil servant-citizen" is reduced to the interaction "official – applicant". This allows to minimize emotional costs and avoid accusations of bias, but it generates a feeling of insensitivity in the system among citizens. Risk aversion and avoidance of responsibility (CYA-syndrome – "Cover Your Ass"). In a hierarchical system, an error is punished more severely than passivity. The ideal strategy is to minimize personal decisions, transferring them to superiors, colleagues, or for ... Read more