What Motivates Ukrainian Women to Choose a Military Service in Warfare?

6 PhD in Psychology, Department of military and social and psychological support, National Academy of National Guard of Ukraine, Kharkiv, Ukraine, email: mykola.tov.kot@gmail.com Ihor PRYKHODKO1, Natalia YURIEVA, Olexander TIMCHENKO, Karyna FOMENKO, Oleksandr KERNICKYI, Mykola TOVMA, Ilona KOSTIKOVA Abstract: Despite the fact that large-scale active hostilities have been ongoing in Ukraine since 2014, in recent years there has been a tendency to increase the number of women who want to connect their lives with the military profession. Objectives: to identify the characteristics of the professional motivation of female military personnel (N = 477) of the National Guard of Ukraine with different professional status. Methodology: the survey method using three questionnaires: “Questionnaire for determining the effectiveness of the service and combat missions by female military personnel”, “Questionnaire for studying the motivation for the professional choice of a law enforcement profession”, “Questionnaire for the study of the socio-psychological characteristics of women in military service”. Results. The survey revealed the types of motivation that ensure the adaptation and self-realization of women in the military sphere: among female contract service members the pragmatic type prevails, and by female cadets – institutional type. For female cadets who had just begun to study the military profession, the main motives for choosing were self-realization in professional activity, achieving success in a military career and usefulness to society. Female contract service members with experience of military service consider professional self-realization and material support as the main motives when choosing a profession. Currently, these motives contribute to the high-quality performance of official duties by Ukrainian women military personnel and ensure the high efficiency of their service in ordinary and extreme conditions.


Introduction
Last six years after the "Revolution of Dignity" (November 2013 -February 2014), active military operations have been carried out in Eastern Ukraine, in which military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU) against illegal armed groups (IAG) participate (Melnyk et al., 2019). NGU is a military formation with law enforcement functions, which is part of the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. The main goal of NGU is to protect territorial integrity, public order and strategically important infrastructure.
Modern processes of democratization of public relations, the formation of new ideas about male and female roles, new opportunities for self-realization have enabled women to participate more actively in military service. Now more than 4.000 women (9.6% of the total staff) are serving at NGU, of which 352 are officers, more than 700 have the status of a war veteran, more than 40 have been awarded departmental awards, and 31 have received state awards (Klimova & Maltsev, 2017, p.8;Martsenyuk et al., 2015;Prykhodko et al., 2018). However, outdated stereotypes and views on the status of women in society continue to influence the motives for women to choose military service and the possibility of creating a military career. Unfortunately, even the transition of AFU to NATO standards forces female service members to prove their ability to effectively perform tasks on an equal footing with men (Vetrov, 2016).
The problems of female service members performing missions in the war zone are associated with deficiencies in the legal framework governing women's military service, the specifics of medical and material support, and insufficient study of gender issues in the AFU (Vetrov, 2016). The listed problems existed in the army back in the pre-war years (Aleschenko, 2006;Klimenko, 2014;Savchenko, 2011). Six years of the war and the participation of women in it contributed to their actualization and the emergence of positive dynamics in their solution (Prykhodko et al., 2018).
The scientific discussion of gender has a long history. The selfrealization of women in the military sphere (Nilesen, 2001) is one of the most discussed topics, among them the role of women soldiers in modern local military conflicts (Biank, 2013;Kamarck, 2016;Nuciari, 2006;Wood, 2017), identifying factors affecting women's choice of military service (Segal, 1995). According to the findings of researchers, in most countries of the world women choose military service because of the prestige of the military profession, sufficient material support, and social guarantees during the service and after retirement, self-realization in the military profession. Analysis of the problem of gender balance in the national armed forces of different countries of the world showed a growing trend in the number of women in the national armed forces of the democratic countries of the world (Fitriani et al., 2016). The number of female service members in the German Army is 9% of the total personnel, Lithuania -12%, France -13%, Estonia, Italy, Canada and Latvia -15% (Hrytsai, 2016), USA -16% (McGraw et al., 2016). The leader in the number of women in the national army is Israel -about 35%. In the US, France, Estonia, Latvia, etc., which actively promoting opportunities for women's self-realization in the national armed forces, the regulatory framework has been created and considerable practical experience has been generated (Biank, 2013;Hrytsai, 2016;Martsenyuk et al., 2015).
The most significant achievements in the field of gender equality in the US armed forces (Patten & Parker, 2011;Smith & Rosenstein, 2017;Tepe et al., 2016) include the right of women to assume command positions in mixed units; the right to join higher military educational institutions; the right to receive flight training in the air force; to marry during military service; the existence of a "perfect family" service that allows to plan better the career of families, where both husband and wife are military, to serve the interests of military service; to continue service by a pregnant women and by a women having young children; equal with men salaries for officers, equalization of the norms of monetary and material support for married men and women performing military service; women living in same barracks with men; expansion of opportunities for specialization and occupation of positions previously closed for women (Kamarck, 2016). These findings suggest that researchers pay particular attention to the place of women in the US Army in terms of gender equality (Kennedy-Pipe, 2000;Lobasz, 2008;Van Creveld, 2000). Scientists' findings prove that women, thanks to the high level of intellectual and volitional qualities, create healthy competition for men who claim to be on high positions in the army hierarchy (Wood, 2017). Currently, the focus of public debate is on the issue of women's rights and ability to participate in hostilities (Tepe et al., 2016).
The gender problem of military activity in the AFU is fragmented and its actualization is associated with the outbreak of hostilities in Eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian researchers found that in the pre-war period, selfrealization in the military profession and the socio-economic aspects were leading when women chose military service as a profession: high wages, social benefits, the possibility of early retirement, medical care, etc. (Aleschenko, 2006;Klimenko, 2014). We therefore predict: Hypothesis 1. Motives of self-realization in professional activities and socio-economic motives are the main ones when women choose the military profession.
The increase in the number of women in the Ukrainian army is due to several factors. First, the aggression and physical strength inherent in men in the armed forces are gradually losing their relevance and significance in connection with the transformation of the army at the present stage. This leads to more active involvement of women in the military sphere. Secondly, after amendments to regulatory documents, men and women began to have the same rights and obligations, therefore their participation and functions in the armed forces became identical regardless of their gender (Levinska, 2017). Thirdly, patriotism, which was actively manifested in men and women, especially in the first period of the war in 2014-2015. The results of study Martsenyuk et al. (2015) showed that during this period more than 90% of women volunteered for military service and took part in hostilities, guided by their civic duty to defend their homeland. Therefore, we predict: Hypothesis 2. During the period of warfare, women are guided by patriotic motives when choosing military service (institutional type of motivation).
In general, researchers of the gender aspects of military service in different countries have come to the conclusion that there are both positive and negative aspects in the military service of women (Dar & Kimhi, 2004;Maffey & Smith, 2020;McGraw et al., 2016;Prykhodko et al., 2018;Segal, 1995). The positive aspects in the military service of women are high discipline, internal self-discipline, respect for subordination, responsibility for completing tasks, striving for order and accuracy in the workplace, etc.
The negative aspects in the military service of women, researchers include: reassessment of one's own abilities when performing especially combat missions, physical and psychological discomfort associated with women staying in the field (long-term residence outside permanent locations, field exercises, day and night shooting, living in tents, dugouts, at checkpoints, etc.), increased emotionality, which often negatively affects the relationship in the team. In addition, family problems in women, as a rule, more often negatively affect the efficiency of the service than in male service members (McGraw et al., 2016;Prykhodko et al., 2019;Vetrov, 2016).
Thus, the identification of the main motives for women to perform military service will allow them to more effectively carry out combat missions, and will make it possible to solve a number of problematic issues during the military service of women in battle.
The aim of the study is to determine the characteristics of the

Organization of the Research
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards National Scientific Center for Medical and Biotechnical Research of Ukraine, which is based on the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. All participants have given consent for their data to be used in this research.

Participants
477 respondents took part in the study of professional motivation of female NGU military personnel. Since the sample was heterogeneous, two groups of subjects were created: female cadets (n = 74) name of institution (future employees of the personnel department of NGU divisions), age 17-21 years; female contract service members (n = 403) of military units, age 22-43 years. The groups differed in the level of professional training and the complexity of the performance of the service and combat missions (SCM).
The effectiveness of the SCM of the respondents was evaluated by the male commanders of units in which women perform military service, and deputy commanders of the personnel units (N = 41).

Instruments
The study of the professional motivation of female service members was carried out by the survey method using three questionnaires: "Questionnaire for determining the effectiveness of the service and combat missions by female military personnel" (Questionnaire 1) (authors' questionnaire), "Questionnaire for studying the motivation for the professional choice of a law enforcement profession" (Questionnaire 2) (Moskalenko et al., 1999), "Questionnaire for the study of the socio-psychological characteristics of women in military service" (Questionnaire 3) (authors' questionnaire). The survey was conducted on paper in group form in accordance with generally accepted rules.
Questionnaire 1 was used to determine the level of professional effectiveness of female service members. The questionnaire consisted of 45 SCM indicators, which were evenly included in five subscales for assessing professional results: (1) labor productivity; (2) the ability to effectively motivate oneself; (3) discipline in the implementation of SCM; (4) adaptive potential (ability to attract external resources); and (5) professional opportunities. The above indicators were determined based on interviews with unit commanders, the study of regulatory documents (orders, field manuals, instructions) and the results of studies of psychological activity in extreme conditions. Male commanders (N = 41) rated each subordinate on a 6-point Likert scale (from 0 to 5 points). The maximum value (5 points) corresponded to the highest level of performance of the estimated indicator; the minimum value (0 points) corresponded to the lowest level of the evaluated indicator. The average value of each subscale was calculated as the sum of all indicators. Then, the individual level of professional effectiveness of the female service member was determined as the average value of the assessment of the sum of 5 subscales. Based on the results of a survey of commanders, all women service members were divided into 3 groups of professional effectiveness: high, medium and low level.
The types of motivation for women to choose the profession of a law enforcement officer was studied using the Questionnaire 2 (N = 477). 40 statements are combined into 8 subscales and made up a motivational profile of the personality of a law enforcement officer: motives of social goals and the content of the profession (subscale M1); motives of personal and professional development (subscale M2); independent choice of profession (subscale M3); non-independent choice of profession (under the influence of the reference group) (subscale M4); motives of the prestige of the profession and welfare (subscale M5); motives of the "romantic" attractiveness of the profession (subscale M6); motives for compensation of character flaws (subscale M7); antisocial motives (using the profession to obtain unlawful benefits) (subscale M8). The results were evaluated on a 6point Likert scale (from 0 to 5 points). The sum of points for each motivational subscale using the key was calculated. As a result, a motivational coefficient was obtained for each subscale. The significance of each motivational coefficient was evaluated as follows: less than 11 pointsan insignificant motive; from 12 to 14 points -not a very significant motive; from 15 to 25 points -a particularly significant (leading) motive. The type of motivation of the respondent was determined by the dominant coefficient of motivation for the choice of professional activity.
The main motives affecting the effectiveness of the professional activities of women military personnel (N = 477) were determined on the basis of the subscale "Motives for choosing a profession and professional self-fulfillment" (14 statements) included in the Questionnaire 3. The results were evaluated on a 6-point Likert scale (from 0 to 5 points).

Procedure
To represent the data, we used the main descriptive statistics (arithmetic mean M, standard deviation SD). To reliably detect significant differences between comparative groups (effective and ineffective female service members) the t-Student criterion was used (significance level p <0.1, p <0.05, p <0.01); for the different groups studied (female contract service members and female cadets) -the Fisher criterion. Mathematical data processing was carried out using SPSS 17.0.

Results
The determination of professional effectiveness and motivational characteristics was carried out in two groups of respondents: female cadets (group 1) and female contract service members (group 2). According to the results of the assessment of their commanders, the effectiveness of the activities of female military personnel is achieved due to the corresponding general professional qualities, a positive attitude to study and military service: hard work, perseverance, morality, sociability, ambition, the significance of the work performed. The performance indicators for group 1 and group 2 are shown in Table 1. Table 1. Indicators for assessing the effectiveness of performing service and combat missions by female cadets and female contract service members (in points). The commanders of the units where female contract service members served praised their general positive attitude towards SCM. This indicator is significantly higher for them than for female cadets. The commanders praised the desire for moral standards of conduct, honest performance of their duties, success in professional activities and manifestation with the best results. At the same time, the commanders noted that the female military personnel of both groups did not fully have professional competencies, which limited their ability to organize themselves in professional activities and to perform command and administrative functions.

Indicators of service and combat activity
Based on the results of a survey of commanders using the Questionnaire 1, the female cadets and the female contract service members were divided into 3 groups of each: with high, medium and low levels of SCM effectiveness. Respondents with a general indicator of ≥ 200.54 points were included in the group with a high level of SCM effectiveness. The lowlevel group included women with scores of ≤ 155.19 points; the averagelevel group were the respondents with scores ≥ 155.19 points, but < 200.54 points. The results of study the types of motivation of female cadets with different levels of SCM effectiveness are presented in Table 2. Significant differences in the groups of female cadets with high and average effectiveness were identified based on the social objectives and content of the profession (M1) and motives related to personal and professional improvement (M2). The obtained results showed that for all groups of female cadets, the dominant motives are motives that are related to the objective social goals and content of the profession (M1); the desire for personal and professional improvement (M2); the external prestige of the profession and material prosperity (M5); the desire to compensate for character flaws (M7). Of the average value for female cadets were motives for the independent choice of the profession (M3) and the "romantic" attractiveness of the profession (M6). The reasons for non-independent career choices (M4) and antisocial motives (M8) were found to be insignificant for future female officers. Moreover, the essential features of a group of female cadets with a high level of effectiveness of the SCM should What Motivates Ukrainian Women to Choose a Military… Ihor PRYDHODKO et al.

BRAIN. Broad Research in
September, 2020 Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience Volume 11, Issue 3 45 include a significantly lower contribution of motivation than in the other two groups for almost all of the motives presented. Thus, the high values of the (M1), (M2) and (M5) scales in the highly effective group of female cadets were the lowest compared to other groups with lower efficiency. We may assume that for the female cadets, in order to achieve high efficiency of SCM performing, it is important to compensate for character flaws to prove to others their readiness for difficulties related to military service, and the seriousness of intentions regarding professional choice and growth. The results of the study of the types of motivation of female contract service members with different levels of effectiveness of the SCM regarding the choice of a law enforcement officer profession are presented in Table 3. The results showed that the most important for them are the motives, related to the purpose and content of the profession (M1). With the increase of the efficiency of the SCM, the value of this motive is reduced, although it is held in a leading position among other motives. In the female contract service members with a high level of effectiveness of the SCM, the motive of independent choice of profession (M3), which is significantly higher than women with average efficiency. The motives, related to the external prestige of the profession (M5), personal and professional improvement (M2) and desire to compensate for a character defect were found to be important for female contract service members. Insignificant for female contract service members with high and average levels of professional efficiency is the independent choice of profession (M4). Almost the same low values were found in them in asocial motives for choosing a profession (M8).
The results of study the main motives that guided women for the further implementation of military activities are presented in Table 4 (the respondents did not choose the two proposed motives; therefore they are not indicated in Table 4). The motives of choosing the military profession are different. So, 74.32% of future female officers chose the profession of military because they hoped for the best professional self-realization, to become successful and independent; these results are significantly higher than that of female contract service members. This is the main leading motive for choosing a profession for the female cadets. They (8.1%) hoping to secure their future and future of their families with guarantees of social and legal protection, 5.41% of respondents indicated that they had "romantic" ideas when choosing a military profession. Other motives related to the choice of the future profession were found to be insignificant (less than 3% of the surveyed).
About half of the female contract service members (43.92%) chose military service because they hoped that it would provide them and their families with a guarantee of basic needs (stable salary, guaranteed social package, privileges, including accommodation, guaranteed pension). This motive of the choice is significantly higher than that of female cadets. The second most important motive for choosing a profession for a woman in this category (27.54%) is the motive for self-determination in professional activity, achieving the best self-realization, achieving professional success and being useful to society.
More than 5% of female contract service members sought to be closer to their husbands-servicemen when choosing a military profession, which is significantly higher than that of female cadets who are currently not married. Almost 5% of women joined NGU in order to gain masculine qualities and physical skills, to feel secure, to be able to protect themselves, to provide their own personal security. 3.72% when entering the military service underestimated its complexity and routine, poorly understood the requirements for a military professional, and had a "romantic" idea of the military profession. 2.98% of women indicated that they could not find another worthy path other than the motives for choosing a military profession to express their own patriotism and the desire to protect their homeland.

Discussion
Professional motivation is formed under the influence of factors of the surrounding reality and represents an instrument, which carries out professional development and professionalization of a person. Therefore, the definition of the peculiarities of motivation is important not only for predicting the speed and quality of assimilation of professional knowledge and skills, the length of the period of productive labor, but also for predicting the probability of professional deformation and its specifics (Prykhodko et al., 2016).
The personality of a female service member is considered as a certain socio-professional type of personality, which has a set of specific characteristics, individual psychological characteristics (emotional stability, perseverance, determination, self-confidence, a set of specific knowledge, skills and abilities) that make it possible to consciously, on a par with men, successfully to achieve the goal (Klimenko, 2014).
We found that the professional activity of female NGU military personnel, like that of the male, in combat operations shows the most effective result when the personality structure of a military specialist meets the basic requirements for a specific professional activity. Such a coincidence is possible, says Prykhodko et al. (2016), if a military specialist, regardless of gender, possesses the necessary qualities -a combination of individual psychological and professional qualities that are identified and developed in the process of professional activity.
The study has shown that the effectiveness of professional motivation and self-realization of a female military in warfare depends on: intrinsic factors (woman's own choice, her inner desire to realize herself in this area and to take appropriate action to achieve the goal); extrinsic factors (imperfect legislation and its violation, humiliation of women's dignity by colleagues or male commanders during hostilities or in daily activities, gender stereotypes of male servicemen).
It was found out that in other researches about female military the problems are different, but the questions basically the same. The results of the study (Maffey & Smith, 2020) showed that women Jordanian military personnel perceived their positive military experience and ability to achieve 49 aspirations as factors contributing to their success, which they considered unlikely in the civilian workforce. Different problems as women in the military, the soaring rise of sexual assault cases in the armed forces, ground combat jobs for women are debated (Women in the Military, 2014). Understanding how women's military service affects their post-military lives, and how they can be better served is discussed too (America's Women Veterans…, 2017). Biank (2013), McGraw et al., (2016) and Tepe et al. (2016) write about the most problematic issues in the professional activities of women military in combat. We found that female cadets, like Ukrainian male military servicemen, consider military service as an area for the implementation of professional plans and career aspirations. King (2013) compares the experience of several Western armed forces and concludes that in the modern world of professional armies, effectiveness is determined not by gender, but by training and competence. The results of our study convince us that successful training and competence is impossible without professional motivation for the quality performance of official duties by female military personnel.
We found that the leading role in increasing the effectiveness of SCM for female military personnel of various categories are motives related to the goals and content of the profession, professional self-realization, independent choice of profession, the external prestige of the profession and material well-being. The economic component of the professional motivation of Ukrainian women is explained by the fact that in Ukraine, as in a country with a low standard of living (in comparison with other European countries), female contract service members consider military service as a way to improve material well-being, obtain social guarantees for themselves and their families. The results of the study confirm hypothesis 1. Self-realization in the military profession and socio-economic aspects are the leading motives for women choosing a profession, both in peacetime and during the warfare.
At the beginning of hostilities, according to the results of research Martsenyuk et al. (2015), patriotic motives prevailed in women. The results of our study showed that their share decreases sharply in the general structure of professional motivation: 2.98% of female contract service members and 0% female cadets choose the motives of patriotism and protection of their family. In our opinion, such a transformation in the structure of the motivation for military service of both women and men occurs in connection with the protracted nature of the military conflict: socio-economic factors are returning to the forefront of choosing a military profession. This suggests that over time, a person adapts to everything and even to war. Thus, the results of our study partially confirm hypothesis 2.
Insignificant for military women of both categories were the motives associated with the "romantic" attractiveness of the profession. Despite the widespread myths (Aleschenko, 2006), the study showed that women do not choose military service to attract the attention of men or find a partner for a future life.

Conclusions
Despite the fact that large-scale active hostilities have been ongoing in Ukraine since 2014, in recent years there has been a tendency to increase the number of women who want to connect their lives with the military profession. The study revealed the features of professional motivation for different categories of female NGU service members. The survey made it possible to identify the types of motivation that ensure the adaptation and self-realization of women in the military profession: for female contract service members -pragmatic, for cadets -institutional. For female cadets who had just begun to study the military profession, the main motives for choosing were self-realization in professional activity, achieving success in a military career and usefulness to society. Female contract service members with experience of military service consider professional self-realization and material support (stable salary, social package and privilege) as the main motives when choosing a profession. Currently, these motives contribute to the high-quality performance of official duties by Ukrainian women military personnel and ensure the high efficiency of their service in ordinary and extreme conditions.