There are situations when a person feels insecure in communicating with others, or he lacks the knowledge and skills of how to convey his will to his interlocutor. In such cases, effective methods of psychological influence on the interlocutor help. This article describes in detail how to influence people using psychology and what not to do.
Psychological influence helps to assert oneself in society
The psychological impact is
People who live together or are often in each other's company somehow exert an influence based on their own self-interest.
Psychological influence on a person can be called a set of ways that in a certain way influence the psyche of the interlocutor. These methods of influence involve several components:
- determining the character of the interlocutor;
- knowledge of reactions in stressful situations;
- behavioral features.
A person who uses influence techniques in communication can do it unconsciously or intentionally. People working in different fields may be interested in ensuring that consumers make a profitable decision.
Mental impact - types and features
Mental influence is classified according to certain criteria.
- Nature of impact.
- Simple - a specific plan of action is implemented during one session, for example, a conversation or interrogation.
- Complex - such an impact consists of several simple actions; it is a means to achieve a specific goal.
- Focus.
- Individual - used to work with one person.
- Social - used to work with a group of people.
- Technical equipment.
- Subjective action using words and psychological techniques.
- Instrumental action with the help of certain objects, for example, physical evidence.
In addition, the psychological impact differs in form:
- open - the appeal is aimed directly at a person’s consciousness;
- closed or unobvious - in this case, techniques are used that influence the sphere of the subconscious;
- combined - involves the use of open and closed exposure methods.
Also, it is necessary to distinguish between legitimate (allowed by law) and unlawful (prohibited by law - violence, blackmail) mental influence. It is this problem that is recognized by experts as key in relation to psychological influence.
Good to know! Despite the fact that the Criminal Code does not contain a definition of “psychological influence,” the current legislation determines the degree of influence allowed during operational search and investigative activities.
Methods of influencing a person
Mnemonics for memory development for adults and children - methods and techniques
Sometimes people can feel themselves being affected psychologically. The most common example found in everyday life is the personnel of marketing, trade, as well as politics and even in the legal environment, when a person is forced to comply with laws. Psychological methods of influencing people imply the ability to control the psycho-emotional level, turning off consciousness and the use of a certain technique.
Methods of influencing a person are the use of one or more methods at once:
- Attack on mental state. The technique involves actively influencing the interlocutor, alternating several actions: violent gestures, verbosity, constant change of body positions.
- Modeling behavior. The process of influence involves immobility of the manipulator, inaction and the use of unambiguous phrases or words. The method has an effect similar to hypnosis. The interlocutor begins to have a number of specific thoughts, his opinion becomes imposed by a manipulator, and his behavior becomes typical for a specific situation.
- Impact. A means of influencing through the use of ambiguous phrases and thoughtful posture. People develop ambiguous images, which is why they are forced to make a choice in favor of the manipulator.
- Mental pressure. The manipulator can control through an affirmative and commanding form of speech, the absence of objections, and a stable body position. A belittling effect is formed. This type of influence is often applicable in the military system.
The influence on the subconscious occurs daily from different areas of life.
Imitation
This is a type of psychological influence that is more applicable in pedagogy. The mechanism influences the process of personality development. A person has a desire to copy the behavior of the manipulator, his actions, speech, movements, etc. If the manipulator corresponds to the ideal in the imagination of the person under the influence, then the desire to imitate will be constant.
Infection
This is a form of influence when an emotional state is transferred from one person to another. For example, when an irritated individual spoils the mood of others. The impact of such an image can convey positive and negative emotions. This method is considered the oldest and most effective among large social groups. Success can be achieved most quickly in a poorly united team. A person conveys his thoughts, mood, and beliefs to the crowd precisely through emotions.
Belief
The main principle of the method is to be able to influence the mind of the interlocutor. This technique is unsuccessful with poorly developed personalities, since arguments often lead to nothing if the person is not intellectually developed enough. To gain the trust of your interlocutor, you need to remember the truthfulness of your speech. The trick of influence lies not only in expressing beliefs, but also in argumentation and proof of them.
Note! Persuasion is based on being able to influence a person's judgment.
The manipulator’s task is to change the interlocutor’s opinion, so the conversation should be started by the one who is interested.
Suggestion
This method of influence is not emotional. The manipulator must direct his gaze and intonation of voice at the interlocutor, choose the right words and show authority. People in pedagogical specialties often use this method with teenage students.
With the help of this type of influence, you can force a person to change his beliefs, type of thinking, and force him to perform some kind of role. The peculiarity of suggestion is that a person does not change the ability to think, but shows a willingness to accept someone else’s opinion.
Parents and teachers often resort to suggestion
Emotional impact
A person’s disposition during a conversation often reveals his emotional state. Several signs that a person has fallen under the influence of his interlocutor:
- When meeting an interlocutor, he shows joy so that he subsequently experiences positive emotions from the sight of the manipulator.
- While laughing, people look at the person they like.
- The use of negative particles at the beginning of a conversation immediately programs in the interlocutor’s mind a reluctance to do something. For example, to the phrase “Would you like to have some coffee?” the interlocutor is more likely to refuse.
- Don't apologize unnecessarily.
Other ways of influence
How to influence a person psychologically using some details of behavior during a conversation? You can learn to influence people by remembering a few techniques:
- Periodically address your interlocutor by name.
- Copying intonation, gestures and facial expressions during communication ensures the interlocutor's favor.
- In order for the interlocutor to begin to have a positive attitude, it is necessary to maintain eye contact. It is important to note to yourself what color your eyes are.
- It is necessary to master the art of flattery - it should be, but not excessive.
- Make sure to keep your voice calm during a controversial conversation. Subsequently, the interlocutor will feel a sense of guilt, this indicates that he was wrong.
Important! If you let your interlocutor speak out without interrupting, you can subsequently use the information you hear to your advantage.
Many people are unaware that they are using influence techniques
Minor types of psychological influence
One of the frequently used methods of influence is rumors. These are messages that come from a specific person. They are usually false and used to humiliate another individual. Often they are not supported by any facts. People perceive rumors because they want to quickly get the information they need.
Building Favor
This technique is often used by traders and sellers to sell their goods. They make favorable judgments about a person, especially about his appearance. They can additionally use imitation, copying a person’s behavior, his gestures, facial expressions, and manner of communication.
The communicator does this to create a positive impression of himself. In the process of forming favor, the following techniques are used:
- attention;
- compliments;
- seeking advice;
- playing along with identified complexes, etc.
The success of this type of influence depends on the first impression. The second important key to success is self-presentation.
In order for the formation of favor to have the desired effect, you need to have excellent communication skills. You need to be able to find an approach to a person, see his weaknesses and put moral pressure on them.
Request
A situation where a communicator makes a request to someone. He can do this calmly or obsessively. The result of influence depends on the relationship between individuals.
Often this is an appeal with a desire to satisfy the needs of the communicator. The secret weapons are a gentle voice, a calm tone, a smile and maximum sincerity and openness.
The ability to say “no” is important. Having this ability will help avoid conflict situations and relieve a person from having to justify his choice. There will be no shouting at each other either.
Self-promotion
This is an open type of influence. Designed to show your best qualities, professional skills and abilities. This method is used by people with a sense of self-worth. In the process of influence there is an open demonstration of professionalism and qualifications.
A common goal of self-promotion is to gain the competitive advantage necessary to achieve one's own goals. It can happen voluntarily or involuntarily.
Self-promotion is often implemented on:
- conferences;
- meetings;
- negotiations;
- interviews;
- public speaking.
This influence technique is often used by politicians when running for a certain position. Their goal is to gain recognition from citizens.
Compulsion
This type of influence is needed to force people to work or perform certain actions. Forms of coercion may include threats, blackmail, and imprisonment. The most brutal forms are physical harm, violence, restriction of freedom of action.
In addition to physical means, moral ones can be used. These are humiliations, insults, subjective criticism in a rude form.
The victim perceives coercion as strong psychological pressure and the taking away of necessary goods for a normal life. The threat can be deadly or precautionary. This implies the possibility of social sanctions or physical beatings.
Attack
One of the forms of releasing emotional tension. A sudden, deliberate attack is carried out on a person's psyche to make him irritable, nervous and aggressive.
This type of influence is often used by athletes, especially when the sport involves physical contact between 2 or more people. Speaking of attack, it should be said that resistance to other people's influence is resistance to the influence of suggestion.
The main tools of influence during an attack:
- negative statements;
- rude, offensive judgments;
- ridicule of life or certain qualities;
- a reminder of defeats or shameful incidents from the biography.
The person using the attack may impose his opinion on the communicator or give him advice. Often such an individual gets pleasure because he hurt another.
Argumentation
Usually used to convince a person that his thoughts are wrong. The speaker, by presenting specific arguments, tries to convince a person to change his decision.
Main requirements for argumentation:
- accuracy;
- correctness;
- reinforcement with proven and recognized facts;
- brevity.
This type of influence is often used by teachers in educational institutions. Trying to convince a student of his mistake, they begin to make a lot of arguments. The right to answer is usually given when a person has already thought about everything and is ready to voice a counterargument.
Another option for using argumentation is in the field of advertising. It is carried out together with persuasion. Initially, advertisers describe a product or service, and the need for its purchase is proven using arguments. They are a detailed description of the advantages of the advertised object.
Manipulation
One of the most frequently used influence techniques in everyday life. Manipulations are hidden incentives to experience certain states.
With the help of certain phrases, the communicator tries to influence the choice and decision-making of another person. He does this for selfish reasons to achieve his own goals.
Impact goals
Fear of people and society - what is this phobia called and what is it
Regardless of which group of people needs to be influenced, the goals of influence belong to one of the groups:
- indoctrination to other people to satisfy one's own benefit;
- assertion of authority among others;
- modeling standards of behavior and concepts;
- internalizing a sense of significance;
- self-realization.
Most often, the practice of manipulating other people is due to selfish views. When a person sees that his interlocutor is emotionally inferior to him, a desire arises to subjugate him to his will, albeit unconsciously. Some want to be listened to, others want some actions to be performed for them, others try to establish themselves with the opposite sex (especially among girls). Someone may use emotional influence with good intentions, but more often the reason lies in selfishness. In any case, the manipulator’s hidden motive in sum involves asserting his own importance in the eyes of people.
These goals are divided into intentional and unintentional. The first include those when the manipulator tries to assert himself, force someone to perform some actions for him, or pursues a selfish goal. A person can have an unintended influence simply by being in the room. Others begin to copy his behavior, succumb to his beliefs, and suddenly lean toward his point of view. Such an ability can manifest itself spontaneously without any malicious intent.
Most manipulators pursue their own interests
Communication influences
Communication includes certain ways in which individuals influence each other; the main ones are infection, suggestion, imitation.
Contagion is an unconscious, involuntary exposure of an individual to certain mental states. Infection acts as a form of spontaneously manifesting internal mechanism of human behavior. The mechanism of socio-psychological infection comes down to the effect of multiple mutual reinforcement of the emotional effects of people communicating with each other.
A special situation in which the impact through infection is enhanced is a situation of panic. Panic arises among a lot of people as a certain emotional state. The immediate cause of panic is the appearance of any news that can cause a kind of shock.
Suggestion is the purposeful, unreasoned influence of one person on another or on a group. With suggestion, an influence is exerted on another, based on the uncritical perception of a message or information.
Unlike infection, which is, as a rule, non-verbal in nature (dancing, games, music, emotions, etc.), suggestion, on the contrary, is verbal in nature, i.e. carried out through voice communication.
Suggestion acts with particular force on impressionable people who, at the same time, do not have a sufficiently developed ability for independent logical thinking, do not have firm life principles and beliefs, and are unsure of themselves.
Imitation as a method of influence is manifested in following an example or model through its reproduction. Imitation is of particular importance in the process of human mental development.
Psychological self-education
Questions for discussion and reflection
1. Philosopher E.V. Ilyenkov asserts that “personality arises when an individual begins independently, as a subject, to carry out external activities according to the norms and standards given to him from the outside - by the culture in whose bosom he awakens to human life, to human activity."
How does the category “activity” connect the concepts of “individual”, “subject”, “personality”, on the one hand, and the concepts of “norm”, “standard”, “culture” - on the other?
2. The outstanding teacher V.A. Sukhomlinsky writes: “The root of all difficulties and failures in the classroom in the overwhelming majority of cases lies in the teacher’s forgetting that a lesson is a joint work of children and a teacher, that the success of this work is determined primarily by those relationships, that develop between teachers and students.”
Is it possible to believe that the structure of relationships between schoolchildren in the classroom includes connections and relationships between schoolchildren and teachers?
3. If “personality begins, is realized and realizes itself in real actions,” then what are the possibilities of school in the formation of personality?
4. According to UNESCO, in developed countries, about 80% of all information received by children 12-15 years old is obtained not at school, but in the process of extracurricular communication. What pedagogical conclusions can be drawn based on this fact?
5. Why is the first impression of schoolchildren about the teacher such an important factor in their interaction in educational work?
6. Psychologist T.V.
Dragunov characterizes adolescence in the following way: “A teenager very clearly manifests, on the one hand, the desire to communicate and collaborate with peers, the desire to live a collective life, to have close comrades, a friend... The experience of loneliness is difficult and unbearable for a teenager... The merits of a peer they like often force a teenager to see and realize the lack of those qualities that appeal to him and are valued by his comrades. There will be a desire to be the same and even better. The comrade becomes a role model for the teenager.”
What, in your opinion, is unique about the relationship between activity, community and consciousness of a teenager? Can the given characteristics be used in relation to the initial period of student life?
Literature to read
Andreeva G.M. Social Psychology. M., 1994.
Bozhovich L.I. Personality and its formation in childhood. M., 1968.
Bodalev A.A. Personality and communication. M., 1983.
Bodalev A.A. On the relationship between communication and relationships // Issues. psychology. 1994. No. 1.
Buber M. Me and You. M., 1993.
Vinogradova M.D., Pervin I.B. Collective cognitive activity and education of schoolchildren. M., 1977.
Gippenreiter Yu.B. Introduction to general psychology. M., 1988.
Gordeeva N.D., Zinchenko V.P. Functional structure of action. M., 1982.
Davydov V.V. The concept of activity and psyche in the works of A.N. Leontiev // Problems of developmental education. M., 1986. P.217-224.
Dobrovich A. B. To the teacher about the psychology and psychohygiene of communication. M., 1987.
Kan-Kalik V.A. To the teacher about pedagogical communication. M., 1987.
Levitan K.M. Fundamentals of pedagogical deontology. M., 1994.
Leontyev A.A. Pedagogical communication. M., 1979.
Leontyev A.N. Activity. Consciousness. Personality. M., 1979.
Mudrik A.V. Communication as a factor in the education of schoolchildren. M., 1984.
Communication and optimization of joint activities / Ed. G.M.Andreeva, J.Yanousheka. M., 1987.
Petrovsky A.V. Personality. Activity. Team. M., 1982.
Parygin B.D. Fundamentals of socio-psychological theory. M., 1971.
Rubinshtein S.L. Fundamentals of general psychology: In 2 vols. M., 1989. T.2.
Slobodchikov V.I. Psychological problems of the formation of a person’s inner world // Issues. psychology. 1991. No. 2.
Feigenberg E.I., Asmolov A.G. Cultural-historical concept and possibilities of using non-verbal communication in the restorative education of the individual // Issues. psychology. 1994. No. 6.
Tsukerman G.A. Types of communication in teaching. Tomsk, 1994.
Elkonin D.B. Psychology of the game. M., 1978.
“Every person has three characters: the one that is attributed to him, the one that he ascribes to himself, and finally the one that actually exists!” ©Victor Hugo
A person’s behavior in the process of communication is influenced by his character.
Translated from ancient Greek, the word “character” means “minting”, “seal”. In fact, on the one hand, life mints and casts a person’s character, and on the other, character leaves its mark on all a person’s actions, thoughts and feelings.
What is character? Conditions for character formation
Character is a set of stable individual characteristics of a person that develops and manifests itself in activity and communication, determining the individual’s typical modes of behavior.
Character is determined and formed throughout a person’s life. Character is formed on the basis of the natural, biological properties of a person and as a result of the influence of the environment. Therefore, social conditions and specific life circumstances in which a person’s life takes place play a large role in the formation of character.
Why do we need self-esteem?
A person’s character is determined by his significant actions, and not by random reactions to certain stimuli or prevailing circumstances. Therefore, not all human features can be considered characteristic, but only significant and stable ones. If a person, for example, is not polite enough in a stressful situation, this does not mean that rudeness and intemperance are the main characteristics of his character.
In the article we will first of all consider the question of the meaning and influence of a person’s character on his communication. Let’s even be bolder and pose the question this way: “What character traits make communication special?” Is it possible to change your character?
Characteristics in communication. Character traits and properties
Character traits are characteristics distinguished in human behavior, called character traits. Any character trait is a certain stable stereotype of behavior - a stable form of behavior in connection with specific situations typical for a given behavior.
How to achieve your goal?
Human character has both general and specific traits and properties. Global character properties have an effect on a wide range of behavioral manifestations and human activities.
General human character traits:
1) self-confidence - uncertainty;
2) agreement, friendliness - hostility;
3) consciousness - impulsiveness;
4) emotional stability – anxiety;
5) intellectual flexibility - rigidity.
Particular traits and character traits:
sociability - isolation, leadership character traits, and vice versa, subordination, as well as optimism - pessimism, conscientiousness - shamelessness, courage - caution, impressionability - "thick skin", gullibility - suspicion, daydreaming - practicality, vulnerability - serenity, delicacy - rudeness, self-control - impulsiveness, peacefulness - aggressiveness, active activity - passivity, demonstrativeness - modesty, ambition - unpretentiousness, originality - stereotyping
.
In addition, a person’s character includes:
- intellectual (intelligence, observation, etc.),
- emotional character traits that manifest themselves in a person’s relationship to the world (excitability, rationality, etc.)
- volitional character traits that determine a person’s ability and willingness to consciously regulate their activities related to overcoming difficulties (decisiveness, determination).
Characteristics in communication: the importance of temperament
When communicating with people, a person’s character is manifested in his behavior, in the way he responds to people’s actions and actions. The manner of communication can be tactful or unceremonious, polite or rude. 4 temperaments: features of temperament types
And we should not forget about the importance of temperamental properties on the communication characteristics of a particular person. The properties of a person's temperament are extroversion and introversion, or in ordinary words, sociability and isolation. Temperament dossier
Extraversion and introversion as character traits manifest themselves in communication and express a person’s openness or closedness in relation to the world and to other people. An extrovert is a sociable person who takes a special interest in what is happening around him.
Faced with the choice of going to a party with friends or sitting at home watching TV, an extrovert is more likely to choose the first, unlike an introvert.
An introvert directs all attention to himself. He is the center of his own interests, puts himself and his individual inner world above what is happening around him.
Psychologists argue that the nature of communication is significantly influenced by a person’s temperament and his properties more than character traits, because, unlike temperament, a person’s character is determined not so much by the properties of the nervous system, but by the culture of a person and his upbringing.
Personality traits in communication: What can you learn about a person from the way he communicates?
In any communication, you can identify character traits that indicate a person’s attitude towards: 1) other people (sociability, isolation, indifference, sensitivity, etc.) 2) their work (hard work, laziness, responsibility, initiative, negligence, etc.) 3 ) to oneself (modesty, vanity, self-criticism)
4) things (neatness, thrift).
Manipulation errors
How to manipulate people - can this be learned, methods of influence
It is not always possible to use methods of influencing people correctly. Some common mistakes reveal people's motives, and methods of influence become ineffective:
- The first mistake is that the interlocutor notices that he is being manipulated. This is possible if the interlocutor himself has a similar communication skill, or if the manipulator has overdone it. In some areas, communication involves manipulation, for example, in a work environment between a boss and a subordinate, in a family environment between parents and children.
- The manipulator did not take into account the influence of additional factors. Any psychological influence can work or not under the influence of various factors: the interlocutor knows the technique of protection from psychological influence, the interlocutor is distracted by his thoughts, or any other reasons. A technique may sometimes not work, but this does not mean that it is ineffective in general.
- The manipulator hopes to influence a person’s subconscious and forgets about his logical thinking. If a technique can work on a subconscious level, then a sufficiently developed logic can seize on a detail and cause doubt, which is why the psychological impact may not be successful.
Methods of influence are divided into methods: emotional and physical. Each is more effective among different groups of people and for achieving different goals. The manipulator's goals themselves may be intentional or not; in practice, in most cases, the manipulator pursues selfish motives. You can learn the technique of influence at a psychologist’s appointment or on your own, using a practice course based on manuals or audio books.
Belief:
Conviction appeals to logic, the human mind, and presupposes a fairly high level of development of logical thinking. It is sometimes impossible to logically influence people who are underdeveloped. The content and form of persuasion must correspond to the level of development of the individual and his thinking.
The process of persuasion begins with the perception and evaluation of the source of information:
1) the listener compares the information received with the information he has, and as a result, an idea is created of how the source presents the information and where he gets it from. If it seems to a person that the source is not truthful, hides facts, makes mistakes, then trust in him drops sharply ;
2) a general idea of the authority of the persuader is created, but if the source makes logical errors, no official status or authority will help him;
3) the attitudes of the source and the listener are compared: if the distance between them is very large, then persuasion may be ineffective. In this case, the best persuasion strategy is: first, the persuader communicates elements of similarity with the views of the persuaded, as a result, a better understanding is established and a prerequisite for persuasion is created.
Another strategy can be applied when at first they report a large difference between attitudes, but then the persuader must confidently and convincingly defeat alien views (which is not easy - remember that there are levels of selection and selection of information). Thus, persuasion is a method of influence based on logical techniques, which are mixed with social and psychological pressures of various kinds (the influence of the authority of the source of information, group influence). Persuasion is more effective when a group is persuaded rather than an individual.
Conviction is based on logical methods of evidence, with the help of which the truth of a thought is justified through other thoughts. Any proof consists of three parts: thesis, arguments and demonstrations.
A thesis is a thought whose truth needs to be proven; the thesis must be clear, precise, unambiguously defined and supported by facts.
An argument is a thought whose truth has already been proven and therefore can be given to justify the truth or falsity of a thesis.
Demonstration is logical reasoning, a set of logical rules used in proof. According to the method of conducting evidence, there are direct and indirect, inductive and deductive.
Manipulation techniques in the process of persuasion:
– substitution of the thesis during the proof;
– the use of arguments to prove a thesis that do not prove it or are partially true under certain conditions, but are considered as true under any circumstances; or the use of deliberately false arguments;
- refutation of other people's arguments is considered as proof of the falsity of someone else's thesis and the correctness of one's own statement - the antithesis, although logically this is incorrect: the fallacy of the argument does not mean the fallacy of the thesis.
