Topic 1. Social interaction and public relations

Everyday people interact with each other through short-term and close communication, but none of them thinks that every fleeting dialogue and five-minute meeting is an integral part of the development of society. Social relations are a set of interactions between people, groups and the state, social classes that arise according to the type of activity, characteristics of people’s environment, their interests and goals. Another name for this kind of interaction is public relations.

Structure

The system of social relations includes a dialogue between individuals and groups, their joint activities, carried out through unevenly distributed social values. Thanks to uneven distribution, social connections are formed, for example, such as: love, friendship, power, economic relations. Depending on the personal qualities of each individual, certain interactions develop, from which a close circle of people is subsequently created.

For the normal development of social relationships, at least 2 people are needed, since the main engine and connecting link in communication is dialogue. Relationships in society can be both positive and negative (social conflicts).

Structure of social relations

The structure of social relations consists of 3 main elements:

• Subjects of communication. In this case we are talking about two or more individuals, social groups, or an individual and a social group;
• Connecting link. These include subject, interest, shared value; they act as the basis for the emergence of communication;
• clearly defined system of responsibilities or set of functions that are mandatory for all partners in their interaction with each other.

At the present stage, there is a wide range of social relations; those that exist in all other relations and represent the basis deserve special attention. We are talking about the relationship of social dependence and power.

As an example, consider a romantic relationship between two people, which implies mutual obligations and dependence of one partner on the other. This format extends to friendship, respect, management and leadership, where relationships of dependence and power are most evident.

Negative relationships

Connections that have a destructive effect on a person’s psyche, his self-esteem, personality and self-esteem, as well as the health of society include: total (hidden or obvious) dependence on a person or group of people, fanaticism, admiration for the leader.

Although psychologists note that such dependence can be not only negative, but also positive. For example, a small child is completely dependent on his parents, and they, in turn, are also dependent to one degree or another on their baby.

Psychology of Interpersonal Relationships

Review questions

1. What content do you put into the definition of the category “personality”?

How do the concepts “person”, “individual”, “personality”, “individuality” differ from each other?

3. In your opinion, is a preschooler or schoolchild a person?

4. Briefly describe the meaning of basic theories of personality.

What are their strengths and weaknesses?

5. What is the structure of the individual’s needs? How to arrange the structure of needs depending on the increase in social significance for a person?

6. What motives guide a person in his activities? Give examples of motivation for the activities of a person.

Interpersonal relationships are an independent, complex and intensively studied section of psychological science. The category “communication” is one of the central ones in psychology, along with such categories as “thinking”, “behaviour”, “activity”, “personality”, “relationships”.

The “cross-cutting nature” of the communication problem becomes clear if we give one of the typical definitions of interpersonal communication. Along with communication, the main types of human social activities are also play, work and learning. These types of activities are characterized by specific interpersonal communication.

Interpersonal communication is a process of interaction between at least two persons, aimed at mutual knowledge, establishment and development of relationships and involving mutual influence on the states, views, behavior and regulation of joint activities of the participants in this process.

Over the past 20-25 years, the study of the problem of communication has become one of the leading areas of research in psychological science, and especially in social psychology.

Its movement to the center of psychological research is explained by a change in the methodological situation that has clearly emerged in social psychology in the last two decades. From a subject of research, communication simultaneously turned into a method, a principle for studying initially cognitive processes, and then the person as a whole.

Communication is the reality of human relations, which involves any form of joint activity of people.

Attention to the problem of communication has also increased due to the sharp increase in the intensity of communication in modern society.

It has been noted that in a large city with a population of one million, a person comes into contact with 600 other people every day, which requires constant control over the emotional sphere.

Communication is not the subject of only psychological research; in this regard, the task of identifying the specifically psychological aspect of this category arises with utmost importance.

At the same time, the question of the connection between communication and activity is fundamental; One of the methodological principles for revealing this relationship is the idea of ​​unity of communication and activity.

Based on this principle, communication is usually understood as the reality of human relations, which involves any form of joint activity of people. However, the nature of this connection is interpreted differently. Sometimes activity and communication are considered as two sides of a person’s social existence; in other cases, communication is usually understood as an element of any activity, and the latter is considered as a condition for communication. And finally, communication can be interpreted as a special type of activity.

It should be noted that in the overwhelming majority of psychological interpretations of activity, the basis of its definitions and categorical-conceptual apparatus is the “subject-object” relationship, which nevertheless covers only one side of human social existence.

In this regard, it becomes extremely important to develop a category of communication that reveals another, no less significant side of human social existence, namely, the “subject-subject(s)” relationship, ᴛ.ᴇ. the very essence of communication.

You can cite the opinion of the famous domestic psychologist L.V. Zankova, ĸᴏᴛᴏᴩᴏᴇ reflects the existing ideas about the category of communication in modern Russian psychology: “Communication I will call this form of interaction between subjects, which is initially motivated by their desire to identify each other’s mental qualities and during which interpersonal relationships are formed between them...” By joint activity we further mean situations in which interpersonal communication between people is subordinated to a common goal - solving a specific problem.

The subject-subject approach to the problem of the relationship between communication and activity overcomes the one-sided understanding of activity only as a subject-object relationship.

In Russian psychology, this approach is implemented through the methodological principle of communication as subject-subject interaction, theoretically and experimentally developed by B.F. Lomov and his staff. Communication considered in this regard acts as a special independent form of activity of the subject. Its result is not so much a transformed object (material or ideal), but rather the relationship of a person with a person, with other people. In the process of communication, not only a mutual exchange of activities takes place, but also ideas, ideas, feelings, a system of “subject-subject(s)” relationships manifests itself and develops.

In the works of A.V. Brushlinsky and V.A. Polikarpov, along with this, a critical understanding of this methodological principle is given, and the most famous cycles of research are listed, in which all the multidimensional problems of communication in domestic psychological science are analyzed.

The essence of psychological influence comes down to the mutual exchange of information and interaction. From the content side, psychological influence can be pedagogical, managerial, ideological, etc. and carried out at different levels of the psyche: conscious and unconscious.

The subject of psychological influence can act as an organizer, performer (communicator) and even a researcher of his influence process. The effectiveness of influence depends on gender, age, social status and many other components of the subject, and most importantly, on his professional and psychological preparedness to influence a communication partner.

The subject of interpersonal influence is multifunctional:

— studies the object and the situation in which the influence is carried out;

— chooses strategy, tactics and means of influence;

— takes into account signals received from the object about the success or failure of the influence;

— organizes counteraction to the object (with possible counter-influence of the object on the subject), etc.

In the event that the object of interpersonal influence (recipient) does not agree with the information offered to him and seeks to reduce the effect of the influence exerted on him, the communicator has the opportunity to use the patterns of reflexive control or manipulative influence.

The object of interpersonal influence, itself, being an active element of the influence system, processes the information offered to it and may disagree with the subject, and in some cases, carry out a counter-influence on the communicator.

The object correlates the information offered to it by the communicator with its existing value orientations and its life experience, after which it makes independent decisions. The characteristics of the object that influence the effectiveness of the impact on it include gender, age, nationality, profession, education, experience in participating in communication exchanges and other personal characteristics.

The process of interpersonal psychological influence (influence), being in turn a multidimensional system, includes strategy, tactics, means, methods, forms, argumentation and criteria for the effectiveness of influence.

Signs

Social relationships are not a manifestation of the individual as such; during everyday interactions, the personal “I” is often hidden under patterned, established and accepted behavior by the person. This contributes to the creation of certain “labels” that are often used by society. For example, a person at the workplace with colleagues behaves modestly and reservedly, does not be rude and does not argue with his superiors. Those around him begin to consider him a “mum,” a weakling and a coward. At the same time, next to close people, the personality of this person is fully revealed, and he turns out to be strong, capable of standing up for himself and his family, and showing firmness when necessary.

Signs of social relations in society are considered to be established, well-coordinated connections with someone from a person’s environment. This could be negotiations at work, meetings with companions or colleagues, friends, family gatherings. Moreover, even short-term communication in the form of a standard “hello” said to an acquaintance is already a sign of social relationships.

A person without social relations - can he?

From birth, every person is surrounded by other people. He constantly interacts: parents, kindergarten, school, clubs and interest sections, then college and work. At any stage of life, you need to join certain groups, become part of a team, in order to achieve your goals or at least get an elementary education and get a job, providing yourself and your family with money for food and clothing. At the same time, we should not forget about the soul, according to Maslow’s famous pyramid, when basic needs are fulfilled, you want more, even to the point of recognition. Therefore, without social relations, a person will not be able to develop and will become an outcast. After all, even hermits from time to time enter into conversations with random travelers and journalists, joyfully sharing their experiences.

Society is a complex system where each of us is important, we are all in close interaction, becoming participants in modern processes.

Kinds

Social relationships are a complex concept that includes several types of interactions, divided by:

• Subjects. This category includes: international, mass, moral, individual, aesthetic, social relations in society between individuals and groups.
• Objects. The following types of objects are distributed: family ties (family and household), religious relations, economic and political interactions, legal.
• Modalities. This subtype is directly related to the emotional state of a person, it includes: competitive and partnership attitudes, conflict and subordination.
• Formalities. According to formalization, social connections are divided into: informal (unofficial) and formal (official). Such relationships can be found among subordinates and their superiors, managers and lower-ranking persons.

A person’s choice of behavior in one relationship or another is significantly influenced by his physical and mental health, as well as a number of factors: level of education, family, field of activity. Sometimes there is duality in relationships, since many of them are interconnected.

Types of social relations

Society is a collection of connections, the result of coordination of actions . All forms and types of relationships have social status. Each of us has his own role and set of functions that give him status. A good example is a family, a guy and a girl become husband and wife, then they have children, new responsibilities and roles arise, the children grow up and start families themselves, forming extensive family ties.

In contrast to accepted roles, there is the concept of deviant behavior. This is a deviation from accepted norms of morality and culture; deviants often suffer from psychological illnesses that do not allow them to integrate into the structure of society; they are identified and isolated from other people. Thus, you can clearly see that the system regulates itself, ridding itself of unnecessary and dangerous elements.

At the general level, the following types of connections can be distinguished:

1. Class – interactions between different social groups of the population.
2. National – between different ethnic groups and nations.
3. Group – they consist of the interaction of different groups of the population.
4. Family - family ties within a family, no matter whether it is complete or not, and how many generations it contains, two or three (four generations are very rare).

Social relationships help preserve and transmit moral and cultural values, ensure the production of new products for consumption and aesthetic pleasure. They shape the history and worldviews of entire generations.

Most common types

Social social relations in society can only develop through complete reciprocity, but it is not necessarily mutually beneficial for both parties. For example, one person wants to “tie” another to himself through coercion and imposition of unnecessary joint activities, and the second pushes away the first, not needing him, provoking a quarrel. In sociology, four types of frequently occurring relationships are defined: conflict, competition and cooperation, complete or partial dependence.

Diversity of relationships

In general, the nature of social relations directly depends on what kind of society we are talking about. The modern world is very diverse. Literally within a few hours of flight from each other there can be a modern city, providing all the benefits of civilization, and a tribe that is at the level of decomposition of the primitive communal system. Between these two polar points there are gaps in which, in fact, the rest of the world is located.

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Therefore, it is almost impossible to speak in general. Or is it realistic only with strong generalization and constant amendments, because the same processes take on completely different forms in different societies. This is quite easy to verify if you do research. Or even simpler - carefully study the data that is periodically published by different thematic publications.

Addiction

Social dependence represents the dominance of one of the parties in a relationship; its actions and instructions entail the actions of the other, weaker party. Mostly there are interdependent connections, such as: parents-children, teacher-student, state-neighboring countries. Social dependence is also observed in groups consisting of people occupying a low position and those with a higher status. For example, subordinates are completely dependent on their leaders, and in politics, the people are legally and constitutionally dependent on the ruling persons.

Social justice concept

When talking about how relationships are built, one cannot fail to mention social justice. This is largely a conditional concept that measures the capabilities of society and an individual, the extent to which everyone can reveal their potential, realize themselves, and satisfy existing needs as fully as possible.

Historically, the concept of justice had a direct bearing on how exactly benefits were distributed. There is quite a lot of discussion about whether equality is fair or not. After all, people themselves are not initially born equal to each other. And we’re not even talking about conditions, about different families with different baggage. Inequality is determined by the diversity of physical and intellectual abilities, innate talents, health status and other factors.

On the other hand, sociologists note that we are talking about diversity, about the fact that everyone is completely unique in themselves. And his decision-making makes him even more unique. Which can sometimes conflict with the concept of equality. However, there are some objections to this point of view. Different lives have the same, equal value. As well as different talents, abilities, etc. This is what formed the basis of democratic and humane values ​​in modern Western countries.

But this approach also leads to conflicts that are associated with the lack of an answer to the question of what exactly is considered acceptable. Can every choice be respected? What if we are talking about a crime? These issues still remain controversial. However, many believe that unambiguity can be achieved here. In any case, the development of ideas is also constantly happening.

Rivalry

Market and socio-economic relations cannot exist without competition and rivalry, since these relationships are their basis. Rivalry is a kind of competition, a struggle using all kinds of methods and means for material wealth, capital, resources or power, a high position in society. This type of relationship is formed under the condition of strong negative feelings and emotions (hate, hostility, envy, fear) caused by a competitor in a person (group of people), and an irresistible desire to be first at all costs, to work ahead.

Public, social and interpersonal relations: the essence of concepts

The main categories characterizing the specifics of the emerging relationships.

Interpersonal relationships are objectively experienced, to varying degrees perceived, relationships between people.

To denote a system of relations, various concepts of “social relations”, “public relations”, “human relations”, etc. are used. In some cases they are used as synonyms, in others they are opposed to each other.

Social relations are official, formally secured, objectified, effective connections. They are leaders in regulating all types of relationships, including interpersonal ones.

Social relations are relationships between social groups or their members.

Public and social relations are classified on the following basis:

1. From the point of view of ownership and disposal of property;

2. By the amount of power (vertical and horizontal relationships);

3. By sphere of manifestation (legal, economic, political, moral, religious, etc.);

4. From the position of regulation (official, unofficial)

Interpersonal relationships are objectively experienced, to varying degrees perceived, relationships between people. They are based on the various emotional states of interacting people.

Interpersonal relationships include three elements:

1. Cognitive element, which involves awareness of what is liked or disliked in interpersonal relationships;

2. The affective element, expressing the various experiences of people about the relationships between them;

3. Behavioral component, implemented in specific actions.

Interpersonal relationships are built vertically (subordinate - leader, mother - son) and horizontally (sister - brother, friends).

The emotional manifestations of interpersonal connections are determined by the sociocultural norms of the groups to which the communicating people belong and individual differences.

Interpersonal relationships can be formed from the positions of dominance - equality - submission and dependence - independence.

There are a number of categories that characterize the specifics of the emerging relationships.

Social distance is a combination of official and interpersonal relationships that determines the closeness of communicating, corresponding to the sociocultural norms of the communities to which they belong. Social distance allows you to maintain an adequate level of breadth and depth of connections when establishing relationships. Its violation leads to disjunctive interpersonal relationships, and then to conflicts.

Psychological distance characterizes the degree of closeness of interpersonal relationships between communication partners.

Interpersonal compatibility is the optimal combination of psychological characteristics of partners that help optimize their communication and activities.

Interpersonal attractiveness is a complex psychological property of a person, which, as it were, “attracts” a communication partner and evokes a feeling of sympathy in him. The formation of this property is influenced by a number of factors:

• § physical attractiveness;
• § spatial proximity;
• § accessibility in communication;
• § expectation of continued interaction;
• § reciprocity;
• § similarity;
• § complementarity;
• § empathy;
• § promoting the achievement of personally significant goals;
• § personal harmony.

Emotional attractiveness is the ability of an individual to understand the mental states of a communication partner and, especially, to empathize with him.

The concept of “attraction” is closely related to interpersonal attractiveness. Some researchers consider attraction as a process and at the same time a result of the attractiveness of one person to another; distinguish levels in it (sympathy, friendship, love) and connect it with the perceptual side of communication.

Others believe that attraction is a kind of social attitude in which a positive emotional component predominates.

Attraction is understood as the process of preferring some people over others, mutual attraction between people, mutual sympathy.

Attraction is determined by external factors (the degree of expression of a person’s need for affiliation, the emotional state of communication partners, the spatial proximity of the place of residence or work of those communicating) and internal, actually interpersonal determinants (physical attractiveness, demonstrated style of behavior, the factor of similarity between partners, the expression of personal attitude towards partner in the process of communication)

Cooperation

Mutual assistance, partnerships - all this is cooperation. In relationships of this kind, the prerogative is to achieve a common goal. People who are united by cooperation take into account not only their own desires, but also the needs of their companions and partners. Participants usually have common interests and values ​​that contribute to joint fruitful activities.

Types and characteristics of interpersonal relationships

Strategy is the subject’s methods of action to achieve the main goal of psychological influence on the recipient. Tactics is the solution of intermediate tasks of psychological influence through the use of various psychological techniques.

In social psychology, verbal (speech) and nonverbal (paralinguistic) features of means of influence are distinguished.

Methods of influence include persuasion and coercion (at the level of consciousness), as well as suggestion, infection and imitation (at the unconscious level of the psyche).

The last three methods are socio-psychological. Forms of interpersonal influence are verbal (written and oral) and visual. The argumentation system involves both ideological (abstract) evidence and information of a specific nature (numerical and factual information is easier to remember and compare).

It is advisable to take into account the principles of selection and presentation of information - evidence and satisfaction of the information needs of a particular object, as well as communication barriers (cognitive, socio-psychological, etc.)

What relationships in managing society are most preferable?

For the normal functioning of management, the prerogative is considered to be social relations of people based on any impact on a person. In a democratic society, legal ties, respect for the individual and human freedoms, and instilling love for the homeland come first.

Power, submission, dominance, dependence, dominance, instilling fear - all these aspects can be seen in the official, competitive, political, economic and legal social relations in a society ruled by dictators. This model of social relations leads to increased tension in society, frequent conflicts and outbreaks of discontent among the middle and lower classes.

What are social relationships?

Social relations are relatively stable connections that are formed between individuals and social groups. Social relationships ensure the interaction of people, the exchange of information and experience within one social group.

The interaction of people with each other is not random. They act as representatives of certain social groups and occupy a certain place in the existing hierarchy. Based on this, people are selected to establish communication. Social relations are reproduced within the functioning of society and are its product. A change in a person’s social status leads to changes in the nature of his relationships with other people. Changes of a social nature imply a change in the entire system of relationships.

It is important to note that communication between people is carried out not on the basis of their pure “I”, but as between individuals who are at a certain stage of development of productive forces and needs. In this regard, their personal, individual attitude towards each other, the mutually conditioned communication of two people as individuals on the basis of the norms and values ​​of a particular social group that they share or do not share, created and reproduces social relations every day. Within the framework of human interaction, not only already formed social relations appear, but also new ones are formed that correspond to new economic relations.

Material and spiritual relationships

In social science, two types of social relations are distinguished - material and spiritual.

In the process of practical activity, various material relations develop. Their occurrence does not depend on the will and desire of man. Most often they are associated with the production sector. During economic activity, people can:

• collaborate (for example, create cooperatives);
• manage (activities of a manager);
• to obey (the labor of hired workers);
• exchange goods and money (wholesale purchase of equipment for sale through retail outlets);
• appropriate the goods produced (purchase of goods in a store).

Rice.
1. Buyer and seller. These examples illustrate the relationships that arise in the process of production, distribution, exchange and consumption.

The concept of property plays a decisive role in the sphere of material interaction. Property relations are based on ownership of the means of production, objects and things.

The basis of spiritual relationships are the values ​​and guidelines of people. They are formed in accordance with the concepts embedded in the human consciousness. Let's get acquainted with a brief definition of the varieties of this interaction.

• Moral relations are formed on the basis of moral ideas.
• Political are relationships between people and organizations based on the distribution of power.
• Legal arises in the sphere of legislation. They are based on legal rights and responsibilities.
• Religious relations affect interaction in the sphere of beliefs and beliefs in the existence of higher powers.
• Cultural characterize the interaction of people in the sphere of spiritual and cultural values.

Rice. 2. Preparation of documents.

Three levels of relationships

If we analyze in detail all the intricacies of relationships between people, then, probably, we can compile a whole table of forms, criteria and levels of such interactions. But in our analysis, which presents a simple system that covers all their main components, there are only three levels of relationships, which are quite sufficient for a general analysis.

Three main levels or stages that describe the depth of a relationship:

1. The initial stage of dating . Usually, at the first or second meeting (we are not considering acquaintances at work and formal ones for now), sympathy arises or, conversely, repulsion and hostility. Often there is no reason for this yet.

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Vladimir Ekimov

I develop industrial automation systems. I create websites. I write articles for websites, books, and love to travel. Healthy lifestyle experience for more than 17 years.

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I had a period of actively searching for a woman to live with. After several unsuccessful meetings, an internal mechanism for initially assessing a partner has already developed. When a woman approached the meeting place (for example, in a cafe), and not a single word had yet been spoken, a specific feeling (liking, neutral attitude, or repulsion (rejection)) arose inside. Accordingly, a woman could experience something similar.

I assume, as I wrote in the first chapter, this is the interaction of biofields, higher structures of the human being, and their summaries are transmitted to the physical plane in the form of feelings and sensations. It is important to learn to decipher them correctly. I did this for some time until it became possible to translate most of these “messages” into a language and logic accessible to us.

It is clear that if sympathy arises, then it is worth continuing to meet. And at this stage, partners recognize each other, character traits, individual expressions and traits, worldviews and reactions to external manifestations.

The first emotional reactions and feelings arise. Although they can arise literally immediately during the first acquaintance (“love at first sight”). In general, these are the initial “grinding in” to each other if there is a need for a long-term relationship.

1. Level of in-depth study of each other. We can say that this is the stage of mutual attraction or repulsion. Here, if the first level has been passed and the sympathy that has arisen has not disappeared, the search for new points of contact, interaction, and understanding of the interests of the other begins. People try different options for joint leisure and common interests. They may try to live together. Emotions and feelings intensify. We can figuratively say that people try each other “for taste and color.”

But if a feeling of hostility has arisen, then at this stage, people will try to avoid each other or reduce interaction to a minimum (if, for example, they work together).

1. Level of joint interaction. Here emotions and feelings are already fully manifested. One might say, “overflowing,” especially if both partners, or even one, are highly emotional. And since emotional reactions require feeding, people who sympathize with each other begin to actively cooperate, find common interests, set common goals, help, and quickly get used to each other. This stage is the most emotional and active in relationships. Because to meet a person with whom you would be comfortable and would like to live and act together, of course, it cannot be said that it is completely difficult, but it is also not as easy as we would like.

Well, for people who have had hostility and cannot break up or limit communication to a minimum, everything can turn into hatred, most often manifested in the form of quarrels and conflicts. Moreover, these are very destructive, often completely empty, petty, illogical conflicts that destroy the nervous system, psyche and disrupt the physiology of the body.

In general, most interpersonal relationships progress through these three levels. Then a logical question arises: “Where to move next?” And there is a good answer to this: “But nowhere, actually. As they say – “Here we are!” That is, the further development of interpersonal relationships is problematic. Of course, we can and should look for some new forms of interaction, new common interests.

Or you can maintain these relationships at a certain level, live together, conduct joint activities (children, business, interests), help and support each other. Then, anyway, the intensity of feelings and emotions weakens and turns into an even burning. And here you need to have experience, awareness and some wisdom, maintain joint relationships, affection for each other for a long time.

You should take care of your good and harmonious relationships and not strive to rekindle the fire of passion (although this is probably possible for a short time). Attachment and sympathy for a long time (or for a lifetime) are much deeper and more expensive than fleeting and stormy passion. Attachment is a less strong, therefore more stable feeling.