Business communication in psychology. What is it, ethics, types, rules, forms, principles, functions

Ethics of business communication

Business communication differs from personal, social and other types of communication, although it has some similar characteristics with them. Its ethics are determined by how correctly the characteristics of an individual’s behavior and his national psychological factors are determined.

That is, ethics within one country may differ significantly from the norms and standards adopted in another state. It also includes generalized characteristics of communication that are universally accepted.

If you know the national characteristics of the division of psychological types, characterized by nationality, customs, morals and cultural and historical heritage, you can more accurately select a model of the most ethical business communication.

Also taken into account:

• field of activity;
• professional orientation;
• status of subjects.

Effective communication is only possible if both entities respect and understand each other's national characteristics.

The concept of “ethics of business communication” is considered by many sciences, but it is psychology that provides clearer definitions and allows us to ensure the most effective organization of work. If we consider and study the ethics of business communication from a psychological point of view, then it is possible to achieve productive communication with people, regardless of their status and characteristics of upbringing.

Ethics in business communication should be equally possessed by civil servants and middle managers. Every person engaged in professional activities must have skills that will allow him to clearly formulate his thoughts, present the necessary arguments and prove his point of view in the most delicate, but at the same time, effective method.

Therefore, an important (or even the main) condition for maintaining ethics is the ability to listen to your opponent or interlocutor and maintain a friendly atmosphere during the communication process.

Business communication in psychology is not only compliance with certain rules, but also the ability to adhere to ethical standards. It is this approach that characterizes a professional who is not only an expert in his field, but also knows how to competently conduct a dialogue with employees, superiors, and partners.

Business communication: its types and characteristics

Business communication is a process of communication and interaction during which activities, information and experience are exchanged, which implies achieving a certain result, solving a certain problem or realizing a certain goal.

In general, business communication differs from ordinary (informal) communication in that its process prescribes a goal and certain tasks that need to be solved. In business communication, we cannot stop interacting with a partner. In ordinary friendly communication, specific tasks are not set and specific goals are not pursued. Such communications may be terminated (at the request of participants) at any time.

Business communication must have a certain result - the product of joint activity, information, career, power, as well as intellectual analysis and emotional experiences that accompany it. The term “business communication” emphasizes the expediency and possibility of separating subjective desires from objective conditions in the process of personal interaction. In the case of business communication, the desire to communicate is subordinated to necessity. Necessity is the main feature that distinguishes business communication from interpersonal communication.

Features of the circumstances of business communication:

• Commonality of goals, motives or activities;
• The presence of a common social space - time: organization, group, team;
• Interdependence of participants - a system of social roles and a hierarchy of communication;
• Regulation of forms of communication.

The actual space in which business communication occurs is the organization. An organization is a form of association of people that has goals, functions and structure imposed by the external environment, and exists independently of the individual people who interact in it.

The real socio-professional structure of society exists as a system of organizations of various levels and nature. Of course, a certain organization can be created by people who will work in it (they wanted and created the company). The fact is that the organizational form itself exists objectively, and after you create your own company, you will continue to live by the laws of organizational behavior that are characteristic of the organization as a whole.

An organization has not only its own goal, but also its own face and status in society, as well as its own corporate culture: a system of signs, symbols and rituals that allow employees to identify themselves as members of this very organization.

The workplace is one of the most important relationships between an individual and society. The internal structure of an organization includes service systems and professional roles that are performed by people regardless of their desires. Firstly, it is a system of social roles - bosses, colleagues, subordinates, partners, clients, in which subjects of business communication operate.

A boss (manager ) is a person who has the right to order in a given socio-professional space - in time due to external circumstances and the presence of special characteristics. The role of a boss requires the ability to make decisions, determine, organize, command, control, promote and punish.

A colleague is a person who is in the same professional community with another and has close social and official status. This role includes personal relationships, professional interactions, professional loyalty and ethics. Submission - This role requires the ability to execute, follow rules, and obey. The boss and subordinates should keep a distance from each other.

Psychology of business communication

Business communication involves communication, as a result of which information is exchanged, and both parties come to mutual satisfaction of their interests. If we compare this model of behavior, for example, with educational communication, it is obvious that the main goal of the second type of communication is to obtain knowledge unilaterally.

Psychology identifies 3 ethical principles on which business communication is based:

• Top down. This principle implies a model of communication on the part of a manager in relation to a subordinate. In some ways, this model is similar to educational communication. In this case, the manager must also always remember his status, keep an appropriate distance, but also not forget about the norms of human communication, which can be included in one of the points of business communication ethics.
• Horizontal. This principle characterizes the communication of 2 employees who are equal in status. In this case, you must always remember to have an equal position with your interlocutor and not allow communication on your part according to the “top-down” or “bottom-up” model. Colleagues do not necessarily have to adhere to the same point of view, but from an ethical and psychological point of view they should not impose their ideas.

• Down up. This is the principle of communication on the part of a subordinate in relation to the manager or superiors as a whole. In this case, the subordinate should not use methods of fawning or affectation, which are completely contrary to the concept of business communication.

1. Competently and clearly designed “Subject” field. Specifying a subject saves the addressee's time, allowing him to immediately assess the content of the letter he receives and quickly decide on its priority when reading it.
2. Greeting and personal address to the addressee/recipients. Creates trust and gives the letter a personal touch. Ignoring the addressee's name is perceived as incorrectness.
3. Addressing accuracy. Correctly filling out the “To”, “Cc”, and “Bcc” fields is the most important tool for efficient and ethical communication.

In order to avoid mistakes when working with these fields, you need to know their purpose, which is generally accepted in the modern business environment:
- if your name is in the direct addressee field (“To”), this means that the sender of the letter is waiting for an answer to his question from you;

— if several addressees are placed in this field, this means that the sender of the letter is waiting for a response from each or any of the addressees;

- If your name is placed in the “Cc” field, this means that the sender wants you to be aware of the issue, but he is not waiting for a response from you.

You should not enter into the subject of correspondence if your name is in the “Cc” field. If you do decide to enter into correspondence, then a sign of good manners would be to start the letter with one of the phrases: “Let me join the discussion of this issue...”, “Sorry for interfering...”, “Let me express my opinion...”.

Particular attention in terms of ethics belongs to the “Blind carbon copy” field. This is the most “vulnerable” email tool from the point of view of business ethics, because... this field is usually perceived as an instrument of secret control and information. Bcc recipients are not visible to other recipients.

There are organizations that treat the “Bcc” field more calmly, adhering to the following universal rules:

— in the “Blind carbon copy” field, recipients (hidden addressees) are placed who should be aware of the correspondence, but their awareness should not be obvious to direct addressees;

— sending a letter with the “Blind Copy” field filled in presupposes a preliminary agreement or subsequent awareness of the author of the letter and hidden recipients about the reason and purpose of this form of awareness;

— the hidden recipient should not enter into the subject of correspondence from the “Bcc” field.

4. Prompt response. The response time to a letter is one of the indicators of your position in relation to the business interests of partners and clients. An acceptable response/reaction time to a letter is within two to three hours. If, having received a letter and read it, you understand that you cannot answer it within 24 hours, then the rule of good form would be to send the addressee information that you have received his letter and will respond to it: “I received the letter. I will answer today during the day” or “I received the letter. Additional information is needed to answer. I will try to answer no later than...”

5. Correct work with information (volume, language, structure, format). The nature and peculiarity of the presentation of information in the text of the letter is also a tool and indicator of your ability and desire to conduct correspondence as correctly and respectfully as possible towards your addressee:

— maximum comfort when reading the volume of the letter, which fits “in one screen”, maximum – in the volume of text of one sheet of A-4 format;

— the volume of sent attachments should not exceed 3 MB (larger files may create problems, as they may not pass through the recipient’s mail server);

— it is better to “pack” the sent files in universal encodings: Zip or rar (other extensions may be blocked or cut off during forwarding and create problems for the recipient);

— when responding to the addressee’s letter, the text of your answer should be placed at the top (at the beginning) of the letter, and not at the bottom (this saves the addressee from having to “scroll” through the previous text of the correspondence in search of the answer you wrote);

— you should not start a response to the addressee’s letter as a new letter (without saving the correspondence history). Such a response will force the receiving recipient to waste time searching for the original message;

- it is necessary to write in a language that is as understandable to the addressee as possible. In each specific case, the question of the appropriateness of using professional, internal corporate vocabulary, slang, abbreviations and anglicisms (borrowing from English in any other language) is resolved.

If the use of slang and abbreviations increases the speed and efficiency of correspondence, then the use of slang is acceptable and ethical. Thus, internal correspondence within an organization is almost always replete with slang: it is familiar and understandable to all participants in the correspondence and allows you to save time. But in correspondence with external business partners/clients, this is an issue that requires caution.

6. Availability of signature and contact information. This is a necessary attribute that should end each of your letters.

The following must be placed in the signature block:

1.Your first and last name. This makes correspondence personalized, which affects the effectiveness and psychological comfort of communication. Abbreviations should not be used in your signature. Instead of T.L. Vorotyntseva in my signature I will write Tamara Leonidovna Vorotyntseva (or Tamara Vorotyntseva) so that the addressee can understand how to contact me in a reply letter.

2.Indication of your position. By doing this, you let the recipient understand the boundaries of your authority and professional competence in resolving issues.

3. Contact coordinates (telephone, email, name and address of the company, its website). By doing this, you will provide the recipient with the opportunity for additional operational communication if necessary.

Business communication culture

Business communication in psychology is the ability of employees of different status to demonstrate communication skills that characterize their level of professionalism. It is also how well an individual can follow job instructions and job responsibilities. The culture of business communication includes not only personal communication, but also telephone conversations and correspondence over the Internet.

Particular attention to the culture and etiquette of business communication should be paid in the process of communication between an entire group of people. During the conversation, people exchange not only information, but also the correct facial expressions and gestures.

In addition, in the process of communication, each partner creates for himself one or another virtual image based on the information received. Therefore, the task of all communication participants is to create those images that will fully correspond to the topic of the conversation.

We are also talking about the image of the subjects themselves. During the conversation, each participant forms or changes his opinion about other people who take part in the business conversation. The task of each of them is to prevent this opinion from changing for the worse.

The culture of business communication is inextricably linked with etiquette, that is, it implies adherence to certain rules and norms. For example, we are talking about punctuality, correct conversation, neat appearance and many other things.

Particular attention is paid to all these standards and rules during entrepreneurial activity, since it almost always involves negotiations and business conversations. There are areas of activity in which the speed of career growth directly depends on how much a person has business communication skills.

Features of business communication

Business communication is usually called the diverse processes of forming contacts between individuals who are connected by professional activities. The main feature of such communication is regulation, that is, unconditional submission to the norms of culture and ethics of communication.

Another feature of business communication is the extent to which a person adheres to the culture of speech. During communication, he must pay attention to style and grammar. If his speech contains a huge number of errors and incorrectly constructed sentences, then this changes his socio-cultural status for the worse.

Business communication should be organized depending on the needs of all participants in communication activities. Mutual interests and requests must be taken into account. This greatly improves communication productivity.

Introduction

Communication is the process of human interaction with other people as members of society, which occurs through linguistic and non-linguistic influence and is aimed at achieving changes in the cognitive, motivational, emotional and behavioral spheres of people involved in communication.

Social relationships between people are realized in communication. During communication, participants exchange not only their physical actions or products, work results, but also thoughts, intentions, ideas, experiences, etc.

In everyday life, from childhood, people have learned to communicate and master different ways of communication, depending on the environment in which they live, depending on the people with whom they interact. And this often happens spontaneously, during the accumulation of everyday experiences. In most cases, for example, this experience is not enough to master specific professions (teachers, actors, storytellers, investigators), and sometimes it is simply enough for productive and civilized interaction. For this reason, knowledge of its laws, the accumulation of skills and abilities to take them into account and use them must be constantly improved.

Language of business communication

The language of business communication should be formal and businesslike. It is characterized by a functional type of syllable and is used when it is necessary to maintain communicative interaction in business, commercial or other professional activities. That is, communication must occur at a certain level of social meaning using characteristic linguistic units.

Speech communication in business communication has specific characteristics. Communication of this type is also carried out at the level of the entire organization (meeting, negotiations) or when two employees communicate (conversation).

The type of information interaction depends on:

• positions of subjects;
• areas of activity of the enterprise;
• competence and other factors.

Such relationships are strictly regulated by norms. Acceptable information flows will vary at each institution.

Types of business communication

Orthology is used in business communication. This is the science of correct speech, language norms and their changes depending on changes in the modern world. These are peculiar schemes and phrases that are usually used in business communication. Employees conducting business correspondence must follow the rules of the Russian language and take into account the peculiarities of written speech.

Business communication involves the use of several communication styles. In psychology, these types are classified as follows.

Forms of implementation of business communication

Communication style differs depending on the form of communication.

Business conversation

This is the most common form of business communication. A business conversation is a conversation on a given topic, during which all participants in communication find a solution to the assigned tasks. The conversation can be between two people or an entire department of a company or production.

There are several subtypes of business conversation:

• interview;
• problematic;
• disciplinary.

Depending on this, the goals of the business conversation will differ. For example, it can be used to resolve work issues, analyze the work of employees, or if there is a need to influence the behavior and work activities of an employee.

Business meeting

Business negotiations mean a process whose main goal is to achieve mutual compromise. It is achieved through joint decisions, as well as the distribution of obligations. Unlike other methods of communication, business negotiations have a more formal and diplomatic nature of communication.

With their help, the regulation of relations between several organizations and their leaders is achieved. They can also be carried out within the same company, when a group of employees must come to a common decision.

In order for negotiations to proceed according to all the rules, you need to follow the plan:

1. First you need to prepare. At this stage, the subject of negotiations is studied in detail and possible problems are analyzed. It is important at this step to have all the necessary information about other participants in the communication. Preparation also includes drawing up a plan and negotiation strategy.

2. At the next stage, all participants in the negotiations are greeted. It should not contain personal appeals.
3. After this, the topic of negotiations and specific positions are announced.
4. Next, a dialogue is held, during which all participants express their positions and offer options for solving the problem under discussion.

Business meeting

In fact, we are talking about a general meeting, during which standard agenda items and other problems that need to be solved to improve the work process are discussed.

The meeting can be:

• Informative. Each participant makes his own report. Provides general information to help you better identify the problem and find a solution.
• Meeting. It brings together representatives of individual sectors who consider a plan for further action.
• Creative. Ideas and theories are put forward that can improve the work process.

At the meeting, problems are resolved that the manager cannot solve unilaterally, alone.

Business communication during negotiations

A business meeting involves the exchange of opinions and information and does not imply the conclusion of contracts or the preparation of binding decisions. These may be independent, preliminary negotiations or an integral part of them.

Negotiations are more formal, more specific and usually involve the signing of documents defining the mutual obligations of the parties (agreements, contracts, etc.). The main elements of preparation for negotiations: Determining the subject of negotiations (tasks), searching for partners to solve them, understanding their interests and the interests of partners, developing a plan and program for negotiations, selecting specialists for the delegation, solving organizational issues and preparing the necessary materials - documents, drawings, tables, diagrams, samples of products offered, etc. The course of negotiations fits into the following scheme: Beginning of negotiations - exchange of information - argumentation and counter-documentation - development and decision-making - completion of negotiations.

The first stage of the negotiation process may be an introductory meeting (discussion), during which the subject of negotiations is determined, organizational issues are resolved, or a meeting of experts preceding the negotiations, with the participation of heads and members of delegations. The success of negotiations as a whole largely depends on the results of such preliminary contacts. Six basic rules for establishing relations between partners during preliminary negotiations and recommendations for their implementation, proposed by American experts, deserve attention. These rules, by the way, remain important throughout the negotiations.

Rationality. You need to behave with restraint. Uncontrolled emotions negatively affect the negotiation process and the ability to make rational decisions.

Understand. Insufficient attention to the partner's point of view limits the possibilities for developing mutually acceptable solutions.

Communication. If your partners are not very interested, still try to consult with them. This will help maintain and improve relationships.

Reliability. Incorrect information weakens the strength of argumentation and also negatively affects reputation.

Avoid a didactic tone. It is unacceptable to teach your partner. The main method is persuasion.

Adoption. Try to accept the other side and be open to learning something new from your partner.

The best days for negotiations are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The best time of the day is half an hour after lunch, when thoughts about food do not distract from solving business issues. Depending on the circumstances, a favorable atmosphere for negotiations can be created in your office, in your partner’s representative office or on neutral territory (conference room, hotel room adapted for negotiations, restaurant hall, etc.). The success of negotiations is largely determined by the ability to ask questions and receive comprehensive answers. Questions are used to guide negotiations and elicit the opponent's point of view. By asking the right questions, you can make the decision you need. The following types of questions exist. Information questions are used to gather information needed to form an opinion about something.

It's important to use screening questions in every conversation to find out if your partner understands you. Examples of control questions: “What do you think about this?”, “Do you think the same as I do? Benchmark questions are essential if you don't want your partner to push your conversation partner in an undesirable direction. With these questions, you can take control of the negotiation and steer it in the direction you want.

Provocative questions allow you to determine what your partner really wants and whether he understands the situation correctly. To provoke means to challenge, to incite. These questions may begin with: “Are you sure that you...?”, “Do you really think that...?”

Alternative questions give the interviewer a choice. However, the number of options should not exceed three. Such questions require a quick answer. In most cases, however, the word “or” is the main component of the question: “Which time is best for discussion - Monday, Wednesday or Thursday?

To achieve mutual understanding, confirmatory questions are asked. If your partner agrees with you five times, he will also answer yes to the sixth question. Examples: “Do you agree that...?”, “Are you sure that you are happy that...?”

Opposing questions are aimed at gradually narrowing the discussion and bringing the negotiating partner to a final decision. It is considered impolite to answer a question with a counter-question, but counter-questioning is a skillful psychological technique that can be very beneficial when used correctly.

Introductory questions are used to find out what the interviewer thinks about the topic at hand. These are open questions that require detailed answers. For example: “What effect do you expect from this decision?

Guiding questions are asked to determine whether your partner continues to hold previously expressed views. For example: “What is your opinion on this issue?”, “What conclusions did you come to?

Single questions means that the person you are talking to repeats your question as a sign that they understand what you are talking about. This ensures that the question is understood correctly and the respondent has time to think about the answer.

Questions that open negotiations are essential for effective and engaged discussion. The negotiating partners immediately developed positive expectations. For example: “If I offer you the opportunity to solve a problem quickly... without risking anything, will you be interested?

The final questions are aimed at a speedy positive conclusion of the negotiations. It is best to first ask one or two supporting questions, accompanied by a friendly smile: “Did I manage to convince you of the advantages of this proposal?”, “Are you convinced of how easy it is to solve everything? And then you can easily ask the question how the negotiations will be completed: “What time do you prefer this offer - in May or June?

The success of business discussions and negotiations largely depends on partners' adherence to ethical standards and principles, such as accuracy, honesty, correctness and tact, listening (attention to the opinions of others) and specificity.

Exactly. One of the most important ethical standards inherent in a businessman. The duration of the agreement must be observed to the minute. Any delay is a sign of your unreliability in business.

Honesty. This includes not only loyalty to the obligations assumed, but also openness in communication with the partner, direct business answers to his questions.

Correctness and tact. It does not rule out that the negotiations are being conducted correctly, with persistence and energy. Factors that disrupt the flow of conversation should be avoided: Irritation, mutual attacks, false statements, etc.

The ability to listen. Listen carefully and with concentration. Do not interrupt the speakerphone.

Specificity. The interview should be specific, not abstract, and include facts, figures and relevant details. Concepts and categories must be agreed upon and understood by partners. The speech must be supported by diagrams and documents.

Last but not least, a negative outcome in a business meeting or negotiation is not a reason to be harsh or cold at the end of the negotiation process. The farewell should be such that contacts and business relationships can be preserved for the future.

Rules of business communication

Business communication in psychology is a type of conversation that should be conducted according to several rules:

• Psychological contact. You need to take a comfortable position. All participants in business communication should be at an acceptable distance from each other so as not to feel discomfort. At the same time, it is important to set up a dialogue with your partner: you need to take into account his experience, position and characteristics of the thinking and speech process.
• Working atmosphere. The conversation should not be tense. If it arises, you can defuse the situation with a joke, a compliment or a personal appeal. Or you can immediately move on to the issue under discussion so that there are no awkward pauses. Information must be presented briefly and as clearly as possible so that all participants in the conversation understand the essence of the presentation.
• Focusing attention. All communication participants should be focused on the problem being discussed. During the conversation, arguments and counterarguments are expressed. It is very important that all participants in a negotiation or conversation treat each other with respect.

  
  Principles of business communication in psychology

At the end of the conversation, a solution should be found or at least several of the most optimal plans for further work should be proposed.

Compliments can be extremely sincere. If the interlocutor understands, even only on a subconscious level, that they are being joked about, the entire tone of the conversation can become negative. It is customary to say thank you for a compliment. Criticism is allowed, but only if it is non-aggressive and supported by facts.

The speaker's speech should be as clear and intelligible as possible. Each listener must understand what is being said. You should avoid monotonous storytelling, as this does not allow you to concentrate on the main problem. That is, the conversation must have a certain emotional coloring.

It is recommended to pay attention to the pace of speech. It should be average. Narrating too slowly causes a person to lose interest. The interlocutor begins to get distracted.

You shouldn't speak too quickly either. The interlocutor simply does not have time to process the information received. Communication in this case will be disrupted. The best option is to alternate short and long sentences. Then the speech will not be too heavy and will allow better communication.

It is important that the interlocutors know how to listen to each other. Advice and personal statements are not welcome. Insults must be eliminated. You must express your point of view gently, you cannot be intrusive. At the same time, we must not lose focus on the main problem.

When conducting a formal conversation, it is important to take into account the positions of the interlocutors and your own. Regardless of a person's status, he must treat those of lower or higher position with equal respect.

The speech of the person who speaks should be varied. He must have a good command of professional terms and use expressions customary in a particular field of activity.

Business communication styles

Business communication in psychology is a method of communication that can have different colors. But the official presentation of information remains unchanged. There are 2 main types of work dialogues.

Verbal

It's about verbal communication. That is, direct eye contact is made between the interlocutors. The effectiveness of such communication is explained by the fact that the participants in communication are able to exert an emotional influence on each other. Gestures and other speech enhancers are taken into account.

Great importance is given to the voice in verbal communication. A person must be restrained, but pronounce words clearly and clearly. Also in the process of verbal communication, non-verbal communication techniques are used.

Non-verbal

Nonverbal communication is less effective, but is often used. It implies non-speech communication channels. This is a sign system when a person gestures or expresses emotions through facial expressions. The style of communication is inextricably linked with verbal, when a person not only speaks with certain intonations, but also supplements speech with other signs that reinforce words.

Electronic

This type of communication is usually called indirect. Communication is carried out through correspondence. This is a more restrictive form of communication that is not effective when it comes to influencing another person. In this case, it becomes impossible to use verbal and non-verbal interaction techniques.

Very often during business communication all 3 styles are used at once. For example, online negotiations can be held, during which speakers show visual material, gesture and correspond.

When communicating in business, you need to take into account a lot of nuances. There are many communication strategies in psychology. If you know the rules of conversation, you can achieve excellent results in negotiations and improve your work process.

Social psychology and business communication

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The problems of social psychology and the science of “business communication” are closely interrelated. It was within the framework of social psychology that a detailed study of such a very important socio-psychological phenomenon as communication began. The specifics of communication, its structure, content and main functions were established.

It follows immediately about - this is a specifically Russian term. In foreign psychology there is no exact translation of this word and most often it is replaced by “communication”. In Russian psychological science, communication is considered only as one of the aspects of communication.1

Despite the different interpretations of the concept of “communication” in domestic social psychology, its most significant characteristics can be identified. Firstly, this is a special form of manifestation of the subject’s activity; secondly, this is a special type of reality of interpersonal relationships; thirdly, communication always presupposes certain forms of joint activity of people. Communication and activity are closely interrelated. But there is also a difference between them as types of human activity. In addition to the creation of any product (material or spiritual), which is typical for activity, communication also involves the influence of people on each other.

1 See: Sidorenko E.V.

Training of communicative competence in business interaction. - SPb.: Speech. 2003. - P. 18.

One of the generally accepted definitions of communication presupposes its understanding as a special form of activity of the subject, the result of which is not so much an object as an interpersonal relationship.1

When considering the structure of communication, two approaches dominate. One of them identifies three levels of analysis of communication: macro level (communication is considered as significant for the mental development of an individual, the system of his relationships with other people); mesauro-ven (communication is analyzed as a dynamic system of contacts, situations, stages of communication) and micro-level (communication is considered as a set of elementary units of communication, which is understood as the interaction of subjects of communication in any behavioral act).2

The second approach is based on identifying three interrelated aspects of communication: communicative, interactive and perceptual.3

The communicative side of communication with its information and communication function involves the exchange of information between communicators through two sign systems, verbal and non-verbal, and a single or similar system of codification and de-codification of messages.

The interactive side of communication involves the implementation of a regulatory and communicative function aimed at the behavioral sphere and the organization of joint activities of subjects of communication.

The perceptual side of communication is associated with the perceptual-communicative function, which is realized in the interpersonal perception of each other by the subjects of communication.

Recently, in social psychology it has been proposed to expand this structural classification of communication to five components, including two more structural components:

the cognitive component associated with the implementation of the cognitive-communicative function and characterizing the processes of interpersonal cognition and understanding of the subjects of communication;

the affective component, which performs an affective-communicative function and is associated with the regulation of the emotional states of the subjects of communication.4

Thus, communication is a multidimensional socio-psychological phenomenon, which includes certain psychological mechanisms of cognition and understanding of subjects

1 See: Dushkina M.R.

Psychology of influence. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2004. - P. 12.

2See: Psychology. /

Under general ed. V.N. Druzhinina. — P. 354.

3Andreeva G.M.

Social psychology: Textbook for universities. - M: Aspect Press, 2001. - P. 82.

4 Dushkina M.R.

Decree. op. — P. 15.

communication. Four such psychological mechanisms were identified: identification, empathy, reflection, and attraction. They all participate in business communication.

Of great importance for the development of the theoretical foundations of business communication was the development in social psychology of the problem of conformity—a change in behavior or beliefs as a result of group pressure. Conformity manifests itself in two forms: external and internal. External conformism is compliance - “externally following the group in the face of internal disagreement.” Internal conformism is approval, “full compliance of beliefs and actions with group pressure.”1 Usually, two reasons for conformity are distinguished: normative and informational influence

groups.

The study of interpersonal relationships in small groups is another achievement of social psychology. It allowed us to establish the effect of social facilitation, which is very important for business communication - “strengthening dominant reactions in the presence of others.”2 It was found that the presence of others improves the performance of simple tasks associated with the manifestation of dominant mental reactions.

One of the important areas of social psychology is the study of psychological mechanisms of intergroup interaction. The development of such phenomena as ethnocentrism, in-group favoritism, out-group discrimination, contributed to identifying the causes of intergroup aggression and hostility. Research by American psychologists D. Myers and D. Turner showed that “a distinctive feature of intergroup relations is the subjectivity and bias of intergroup perception and assessment.”3

A special place in social psychology is occupied by the study of mental processes of large social groups and mass phenomena. The identification of such spheres of mental processes as cognitive, motivational, affective and regulatory-volitional has made it possible to establish the role of group-wide motivations and needs in shaping the orientation of the psyche of individuals included in large social groups.

In business communication, the importance of the cognitive and need-motivation spheres can manifest themselves in the desire of members of large social groups (for example, entrepreneurs) to unite in

1 Myers D.

Social psychology: Trans. from English - St. Petersburg: Peter, 1999. - P. 292.

2 MyersD.

Decree. op. — P. 357.

Psychology /

Under general ed. V.N. Druzhinina. — P. 369.

associations, corporations, unions based on common interests and needs.

The inclusion of mental processes characteristic of mass gatherings of people, communities, and large diffuse groups into the subject of social psychology research has become a significant step in the development of social psychological science. The study of these processes was first undertaken at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries in the works of G. Tarde and G. Le Bon. An analysis of the psychology of the crowd carried out in G. Le Bon’s work “Psychology of Nations and Masses” showed that the crowd is a special socio-psychological phenomenon. It is characterized by such psychological qualities and traits as the dominance of unconscious mental processes, the increasing susceptibility of individuals in the crowd to suggestion, mental infection, and affective emotional reactions, and at the same time a weakening of individual will and conscious control over their actions.'

Based on these characteristics, Le Bon formulates the psychological law of the spiritual unity of the crowd, which is found in the collective actions of the crowd, its collective will and soul.2

The development of mental processes characteristic of mass social gatherings of people was continued in the works of the modern French psychologist Serge Moscovici. Rightly noting that the increasing role of electronic communications in the second half of the 20th century led to the “globalization of the masses” - the creation of masses on a global scale, Moscovici draws attention to the other side of this globalization - the ability to easily indoctrinate the masses and exercise psychological domination over them.3 For In business communication, especially important is Moscovici’s remark that the mass media are constantly changing and transforming the relationships between the masses and social communities of people. Economic and professional divisions lose their traditional character and are transformed by the press, which softens them and dresses them in the form of public opinion that goes beyond their boundaries.4

These provisions of Moscovici reveal the psychological mechanisms of information technologies of business communication, which use manipulation and suggestion to change people's opinions and behavior.

1 See: Lebon G.

Psychology of peoples and masses. - St. Petersburg: Layout, 1995. – P.162

2 Ibid. P. 157.

3 See: Moscovici S.

The age of crowds.
Historical treatise on mass psychology: Trans. from French -
M.: Center for Psychology and Psychotherapy, 1998. - P. 237.

4 Ibid. P. 244.

Thus, the development of such a fundamental psychological theory as social psychology contributed to the creation of the theoretical basis of the science of “business communication”.

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