Communication is a complex process of establishing contacts between individuals and entire groups. Without communication, human society simply will not exist. From the very appearance of the first man, it became the cause and guarantee of the emergence of society and civilization. Modern people cannot do without communication in any area of their lives and activities, regardless of whether a person loves loneliness or company, whether he is an extrovert or an introvert. There is almost always someone around us - spouses, parents, children, friends, colleagues and even complete strangers. This implies constant communication, both the desired and the unforeseen.
Why does a person need communication?
In a short answer to this question, the answer can be broken down into six points:
We communicate to satisfy our need for communication
By nature, people are social creatures, and they need other people as badly as they need food, water, and a roof over their heads. Two people can chat for hours sweetly about various little things, and after a few days neither of them will remember what was being discussed. Because the deep purpose of their conversation was not to discuss some burning topics, but to satisfy the need for communication.
We communicate to improve and maintain our self-image
Through communication, we learn who we are, what we are good for, how people react to our behavior. This affects our self-concept and the way we view ourselves in this world.
We communicate to fulfill social obligations
We say, "Hello, how are you?" a person with whom we sat at the same desk several years ago. This is how we fulfill our social obligations. With these words, we confirm that we have recognized this person, continue to consider him “ours” and are not arrogant.
We communicate to build relationships
Through communication, we first get to know each other, and then build relationships with other people.
We communicate to exchange information
We get some information through observation, reading, mass media, and some - through communication with other people. There are many situations like "What to wear?" or "Who to vote for?" in which we just need to consult with others.
We communicate to influence others
There is hardly a single person who has never tried to influence others. This does not have to manifest itself on a global level - each of us convinces people that a certain film is not worth watching, which restaurant should be chosen. And even an interview with a potential employer is a desire to convince him that we deserve to work in this position for a certain salary.
For greater mutual understanding and in order not to violate the freedoms and views of others, some rules for communicating with people were invented. It has been noticed that when using at least the basic rules of communication, people often achieve the location of others and have a reputation as a pleasant interlocutor. This ability to communicate well has a positive effect on career growth.
We have to communicate with different people, therefore, in each environment we try to use the appropriate rules, because everyone needs an individual approach. Socializing at work is very different from hanging out with family or friends on a fishing trip.
Techniques for achieving success in communicating with people
In order to learn to better understand the interlocutor in the process of communication, to be able to adapt to him emotional condition and communication style, psychologists recommend hone your communication skills. To this end, you can use the following techniques:
Observation
Observing your interlocutor, noting the features of his behavior, speech, style of dress, gestures, etc., one can draw certain conclusions about this person (about his field of activity, belonging to a particular social group, etc.). Based on the conclusions made about the interlocutor, it is easy enough to choose the manner and style of communication in order to find “ mutual language" with him.
Hone communication skills
Communicating with different people, both with acquaintances and with strangers, you can not only develop communication skills, but also overcome barriers in communication. By entering into a dialogue with strangers (asking for the time, specifying the route, talking with a random fellow traveler, etc.), a person can learn to intuitively adapt to the interlocutor.
Expanding your own horizons
Ability to “read” the emotions of the interlocutor and control your own emotions
Since a significant part of information during communication is transmitted non-verbally, the ability to distinguish between the different emotions of the interlocutors will be the key to understanding and effectively interacting with other people. As a rule, people with a developed ability for empathy are more successful in communicating with others, because in the process of dialogue they are guided not only by the words of the interlocutor, but also by his emotions and state of mind.
Compliance with the rules of etiquette and norms adopted in society
Another must-have for successful communication. The psychology of communication with people in general and the psychology of business communication in particular determines the norms of behavior and rules that must be adhered to when communicating, since they are accepted in wide circles of society.
Human life itself is unthinkable without communication. Through communication, we get to know each other and ourselves, advance in work and develop love relationships, find friends. What is communication from the point of view of psychology, what are its stages, structure, conditions and functions? Let's figure it out.
What is communication from the point of view of psychology? There is no unified theory:
- Some scholars argue that this is an independent activity.
- Other researchers say that this is a means of achieving (organization) of some kind, for example, labor.
One way or another, communication is the interaction of two or more people (groups). In a broad sense, communication means not only personal contact between two people, but also interaction by means of communication, including mass communication.
The role of communication
Through communication, people:
- exchange information, views, ideas, interests, moods and even character traits;
- assimilate social experience, which allows them to expand their personal experience.
Communication creates a sense of unity and is essential to fulfillment common tasks... For an individual, it is useful in that it develops a feeling:
- rivalry,
- empathy,
- assistance,
- sympathy,
- another "co-".
Terms of communication
Conditions for favorable communication include:
- the need for information exchange;
- unified interaction strategy;
- perception and understanding of the communication partner.
Stages of communication
Communication is carried out in several stages:
| Description | |
|
The need for communication |
|
|
Establishing contact |
Determination of the partner's mood, assistance in setting up for communication. |
|
Situation orientation |
Involvement of a partner in a conversation, determination of his self-esteem, distribution of roles. |
|
Content planning |
Selection of information. |
| Choice of funds |
Selection of phrases, gestures, behavior. |
|
Discussion of the problem |
Listening to your partner and their beliefs. |
|
Perception and evaluation of the response |
Affordable feedback(verbal and non-verbal information, feelings of a partner) control of communication is carried out. |
|
Summing up: whether the problem was resolved, whether the partners received a representation of opposing points of view. |
|
| Analysis, adjustment of style or methods |
If the result does not suit the initiator of communication, then he either returns to another stage, or stops communication. |
Table: stages of communication (according to R.V. Koz'yakov)
Communication structure
The structure of communication includes:
- the content itself, that is, the information that people transmit (knowledge, skills, experience, skills);
- the goal, that is, the needs that determined the beginning of the contact (cognitive, social, cultural, creative, aesthetic, moral and others);
- means of information transmission (coding, processing, decryption, transmission on a carrier, speech).
We send information not only by verbal and written speech (including drawings, drawings), but also through tactile contacts (handshake, kiss, hug), sensations (observation of a person's movements or speech at a distance, including sounds, for example, breaths), technical means of communication.
Communication functions
Communication is an activity that is important for socialization, that is, entering society. It performs the following functions:
Contact
Keeping in touch, the ability to receive and transmit information about yourself.
Information
Exchange of topical news of global importance.
Incentive
Direction to perform any activity ("Let's go ...").
The coordinating
Pronouncing the details of the common cause, for example, time and date, responsibilities of each party.
Emotive
Stimulating a certain partner.
Understanding function
Adequate perception of the meaning of communication, the state and intentions of the partner.
Influence function
Changing the behavior and thoughts of the communication partner (or yours).
Relationship function
Determination and confirmation of their status, role and functions in this particular interaction.
Thus, communication can be information-communicative (education), regulatory-communicative (correction) and affective-communicative (prevention, call to action, feelings).
Types of communication
Communication can be classified according to a number of characteristics.
By content
Material
Exchange of products of activity (including ritual greetings).
Cognitive
Knowledge Exchange.
Conditioned
Exchange of states, emotions, feelings.
Motivational
Exchange of interests, motives and motives.
Activity
Exchange of skills and habits, instructions.
By goals
Biological
Contacts to support the biological development of the body. These include, for example, sex, food, medicine.
Social
Contacts to support personal development. This includes training, communication of interests.
Affordable
Immediate
Mediated
By means of clothing, makeup or other external paraphernalia.
By contact
- Direct, that is, directly with the opponent.
- Indirect. Through intermediaries.
By communication channel
- Verbal, that is, through speech.
- Non-verbal, that is, with the help of facial expressions and gestures.
According to the conditions of the situation
Formal
The personal characteristics of the partner do not matter, their emotions and feelings are hidden behind standard phrases and gestures.
Formal role
Formal communication, defined by the strict framework of a social role.
Primitivist
Communication is established only with beneficial people. When the benefit is received, the contact is terminated.
Business
The result of the activity and the content of information are more important than the personal characteristics of the participants in the interaction.
Image
Attempts to describe the opponent's worldview and reactions based on ideas about him.
Manipulative
Achieving your advantage through competent management of the situation and the qualities of a partner.
Secular
It consists in the expression of feelings and thoughts approved in a particular society, and not their real feelings.
Each type of communication requires an individual approach. Actually, even communication with the same person, but in different situations, requires different skills of a person. Communication is a guide, a guide in the world of man's transition.
Not everyone admits that they are addicted to communication. For a person, being in society is a vital necessity. Why does a person need communication, what is its meaning and benefit. Why is the need to interact with other people so important to an individual. What problems can arise with a lack of communication and how to avoid them. You will find answers to all these questions in the article.
Why do you need communication
Little-known fact: if a person is isolated from society for a long time, he will begin to degrade. There will be changes in the psyche. Man is a herd creature, and we cannot live and develop normally without communication and interaction.
Psychologists understand communication as interaction with the help of words, gestures, body position, facial expressions, facial expressions. It is very important for a person that there are people like him around
Why is communication so important?
- A person receives confirmation of his "I" from others. Personal identification is in progress. It does not seem to be significant for consciousness, but it is very important for. We look in others as in mirrors, and they show us who we are.
- Communication allows you to compare yourself to others. We receive an assessment of our qualities, actions and deeds. So a person sets a framework for himself - moral barriers.
- We receive approval, empathy and support as confirmation that our feelings are correct and justified. When others like us tell us that they felt the same in such a situation, it becomes easier to get over the stressful situation.
- A person experiences pleasure when he shares his feelings with others. Joy will not be complete if there is no one nearby who could be happy for you. And grief alone is even more difficult to survive. This is also a property of the psyche: to consult, to share.
This is why communication is important to a person. Thanks to him, he does not lose himself. He focuses on other people, compares himself to them. This is how societies of people are created in which it is not customary to kill, humiliate. People are building a peaceful life that is comfortable for the majority. There are and have always been asocial personalities, but they are, rather, an exception that only proves the rule. For them, our society has special correctional facilities: offices of psychologists, psychiatrists, prisons.
If people lived apart, did not communicate with each other, we would have a world similar to a psychiatric hospital. A person cannot be mentally healthy, being in isolation for a long time. Remember Robinson Crusoe: he talked to the ball. If he hadn't done this, he would have gone mad.
Mutual understanding in communication
This is, perhaps, the basis that lies on the surface. It is mutual understanding that people consider the main benefit of communication. This is why a person needs communication: he feels that others understand him. He realizes that if others do and feel the same way, then he is right.
Not every person will be able to reach mutual understanding. This is influenced by many factors.
For example, different temperaments: if a melancholic sobs in three streams, the choleric person will only get angry and condemn such a reaction.
Another example: different living conditions. When a poor man loses his wallet, it is perceived much more difficult than if it happens to a rich man.
They say: "One who is well fed is not a friend to the hungry." And this is true. If a single girl is late for a date and tells her married friend about it, she will not understand the depth of her disappointment.
Also affects. People who like to speculate about deep things, the universe, discuss some lofty topics, will not be able to do this with people of a different mental order. So, a candidate of sciences in philosophy will have nothing to talk about with his classmate, who is only interested in fashionable handbags and last news... Many felt this for themselves: not all classmates managed to find a common language. It's just that everyone is different. And without mutual understanding, the relationship will not work.
If a husband dreams of a cool car and travels in a fun company, and a wife wants a lot of children and her own home, such a couple will not last long. Mutual understanding is a coincidence of views, thoughts, preferences. That's what communication is for. The contact established on this base. Such people become friends.
The benefits of communication
Not every person has friends. It happens: there are people who have a hard time getting used to others, are very different from those around them. There are those who simply do not crave companionship or find time to bond with others. For such people in a stressful situation, psychotherapists' offices are recommended. That's what fellowship is for man: it heals.
Even if you don't have a friend to whom you can trust, talk about your problems and get support, communication is necessary for the psyche. When a person does not trust others, he keeps everything to himself, problems accumulate. This is how muscle clamps appear in the body, which can provoke any disease, except, perhaps, syphilis. As one satirist wrote: "All diseases are from the nerves, only syphilis is from pleasure."
If you talk about the problem, it can be resolved in whole or in part. In any case, there is a discharge. The benefits of communication for people are invaluable. As such relaxation, psychologists advise keeping a personal diary. But it is much more effective to find support in the person of the interlocutor.
Knowledge and experience
Why does a person need communication? The short answer is for information exchange. This gives knowledge and experience. In addition to our own experience, we adopt the experience of other people. Moreover, contrary to popular belief, it is possible to learn from children, not only from the older generation. Through contacts with other people, we gain new knowledge about everything. It promotes personal development. Our environment strongly influences us, shapes us as a person. Therefore, parents are often worried about their children, who choose their friends from the category of bullies. What can they teach a child?
But this opinion is controversial. Any person has a certain set of qualities. And even psychos have a lot to learn. It all depends on the person: we ourselves decide what to "take" from others. After all, educated people with a good reputation can learn bad things. For example, arrogance. And bullies can teach you how to stand up for yourself. They can explain that you cannot leave a friend in trouble, show you what it is. All people, without exception, are equal in this regard. And in each there is a virtue and a negative side. That is why a person needs communication: by contacting different people, we ourselves choose which traits to adopt. But in any case, we gain knowledge and life experience.
Looking at things
Why is communication necessary? People do not always know exactly what to do in a given situation. Often we wishful thinking and acting on the wrong motives. Communication helps to look at the problem from a different angle. A person begins to better understand the situation when he talks about it with someone. The experience of other people allows us to correct our actions and not make mistakes. This is what gives communication to a person. If, of course, the person is smart enough to listen to others.
Help and support
Communication allows us to provide not only moral assistance to loved ones. Tell really close people about your misfortune, they will help solve the issue. So, through communication, a person acquires helpers. An old Russian proverb says: "Don't have a hundred rubles, but have a hundred friends." People help their friends and in return they expect the same help. This is called reciprocity. It is characteristic of friendly relations, because we do not choose relatives and they do not always turn out to be similar to us in their outlook on life. Of course, the unspoken law also prescribes relatives to always help each other, but not everyone does this. And friends are people who don't owe each other anything. As a rule, you can count on them.
Ability to empathize: empathy
Empathy is a term for the ability to empathize. Empaths are people who take someone else's misfortune to heart as their own. In essence, this is a heavy burden, but here we do not choose. Empathy is not a developed habit, but an innate trait, like temperament and character.
Empaths are great conversationalists and good friends. They always help, because they also experience the same pain that befell their loved ones. This virtue is not always good, especially for the empaths themselves. They experience many times more than other people.
How to distinguish an empath.
- May cry when watching a movie.
- Dragging homeless animals into the apartment.
- He is a good listener.
- It helps not only with advice.
- Responsive.
- Often worried about trifles.
Such people are deeply receptive. They are great friends. And this is another reason for communication: they sympathize with you, you will feel relief when someone experiences identical feelings upon hearing about your problem. Empathy is inherent in every person, but to a different degree. As a rule, friends show empathy towards each other.
Reflection in communication
A very important property of communication - through it we are engaged, including self-knowledge. The interlocutor can pay attention to how you think, how you perceive certain situations. This allows you to know yourself better, to understand how you think. This is called reflection. Reflection is one-sided without communication. And it’s harder to be objective.
Communication from a psychological perspective
Psychologists have long established that introverted people who have no friends and little contact become asocial. This threatens with the emergence of psychological problems. Some are fixated on themselves and their states. This is how hypochondria appears. This problem is very common today. Other people do not share their experiences, they keep everything to themselves. They feel the burden of loneliness and become rude, callous.
It is communication that makes people people. This is the most important mechanism, it is laid down in man by nature. And people shouldn't forget about it. Yes, you can do it without communication. But this will, over time, make its mark on the psyche. Whereas in fellowship a person is healed.
The role of communication
Let us summarize the above and list the main positions of communication in human life.
- The acquisition of knowledge.
- Help and support.
- The ability to assess the situation comprehensively, based on the opinion of the opponent.
- Empathy.
- Protection.
- Personal identification.
- Psychological relaxation.
A person receives all this through communication.
Terms of communication
There is a charter for the interactions of individuals. It is common for colleagues to say hello with a nod, exchange smiles, and gestures of approval. These are types of non-verbal communication. Look, body position, facial expression. Lovers can communicate without opening their mouths. Close people have long learned to understand each other without words.
There are other conditions as well. It is customary for friends and relatives to call each other by phone. The condition for communicating with strangers is respect. We refer to the elders as "you." To the senior in position - by name and patronymic. This condition is called subordination. It is customary for young people to exchange special handshakes, jump on each other's backs. Even a slap on the head can serve as a form of communication. And the form depends on the conditions: how close people are, how it is customary for them to interact. It is influenced by education, culture, and socialization.
Stages of communication
Standard set:
- eye contact (people see each other);
- greeting (people communicate with gestures or words that they have noticed each other);
- exchange of pleasantries - let's call them conventions
At this point, the conversation can end with a phrase signaling the desire to end the interaction. "Okay, I have to go," "See you, hello to my wife." If people have common topics, they are discussed, after which the conversation moves to the final stage.
- End the conversation.
Communication structure
Three categories of communication are conventionally distinguished:
- communicative;
- interactive;
- perceptual.
Communication is a way of conveying information through words. This is a dialogue. Interactive communication is joint action. Perceptual - mutual perception. All three components are a single whole and do not exist separately.
The interaction of individuals has a number of functions.
- Transfer of information.
- Self-knowledge in intrapersonal communication.
- Getting benefits, benefits.
- Secular communication that has no informational benefit: people talk about generally accepted topics.
- Self-confirmation capability.
- Influence on the opponent, manipulation.
Types of communication
There is a subdivision into the types of communication.
- Primitive - objects get no benefit, just exchange pleasantries.
- Formal - a form of greeting imposed by society from meaningless phrases.
- Role - subordination, people accept their assigned roles and perform rituals of communication.
- Spiritual - deep understanding of each other. This usually happens with friends or lovers.
- Secular - limitation to general phrases.
- Manipulative - communication with the aim of obtaining benefits, impact on a person or situation.
What helps people communicate
Communication is based on verbal and non-verbal cues. People always catch the unsaid on a subconscious level. For example, if a person is annoyed, but does not show it in any way, the opponent can recognize it by gestures: crossed arms, looking to the side, flared nostrils. But this happens on a subconscious level, a person does not analyze the behavior and gestures of the interlocutor - this is done by his brain, sending signals to the subconscious. People call this a sixth sense, when an employee suddenly realizes that now it is not worth asking for a vacation, although the boss did not give a reason to think so. The brain has already scanned his behavior and sent a signal.
It's not just words that help people communicate. Communication takes place at the level of views, gestures, body position. An experienced psychologist will immediately figure out which of the couples in the cafe is in a quarrel and which is happy. People who are attracted to each other hold playful glances, their shoulders are fully turned towards each other.
Conclusion
Communication is the most important human need. He needs this on a psychological, conscious and subconscious level. This is the structure of our psyche: without communication, a person loses touch with the world, loses himself, runs wild. It is for this reason that psychologists call soulful conversation the best remedy for stress and depression. Communicate, contact loved ones, make new acquaintances - everyone needs this for psychological health.
Why do people communicate? It would seem that such an ordinary thing as communication serves completely different purposes. Let's just say that people communicate in order to achieve something in life, communication is just the key to success. Here are some of the reasons people communicate.
- We communicate in order to meet our needs. Some people can talk for hours simply because they need to express themselves, voice their thoughts about a particular situation. And at the same time, these same people after a few hours may not remember what they were talking about.
- We communicate in order to improve our self-esteem. For this, many people "press" on pity and manipulate others. Without noticing it, he notes some things for himself during the conversation. For example, how the people around him react to his speech or behavior. The first experience in communication remains for life and can drastically affect our destiny. If the first experience turned out to be negative, then the person's self-esteem decreases. Such a person is not inclined to communicate, tries to keep it to a minimum. He will have to work very hard before raising his self-esteem. If the first experience in communication turned out to be positive, then, accordingly, self-esteem increases. Such a person understands that he has charisma and that he can achieve a lot in life.
- We communicate for relationships with other people. Any relationship can be compared with a flower: they can bloom if they are watered on time, and wither away, if everything is left to chance. This is how close relationships are born. We just have acquaintances, and we also have loved ones. Relationships are also needed to exchange information. With the advent of the Internet, such communication can occur if you visit a video chat, shortening the huge distances between people in an instant.
- We communicate because of social obligations. Having met a friend on the street, we are obliged (even just out of the rules of decency) to ask him how he is doing. This suggests that you recognized him. If you don’t greet friends on the street, people will think of you as an arrogant boor.
- We communicate in order to feel needed, to be “like everyone else” and, of course, not to be alone. From the very childhood we have a script, a life style of communication. If someone does not like this style, then this person develops a new one. In order to communicate well, we must not forget that the first impression about us is what they will think of us over the years. And one more thing: you must always respect yourself and the opinions of your interlocutor, whatever it may be.
A person grows up in society. When meeting people, he communicates. Communication is an invaluable gift that people give us.
Man cannot live among animals. We know of more than one case when a baby left without parents is raised by animals. And if such a child gets to people
at the age of 5 to seven years, he will never be able to become a man. And he will live only 15 - 20 years.
We truly develop only among people. More often than not, people believe that communication is given to us only to achieve something. They simply do not think about the fact that the soul, the mind develops by communicating. And only among people does a person develop as a person. Closely communicating with people, we learn, we study ourselves.
It gives us the opportunity to observe ourselves. When communicating, energy exchange takes place. Only being among people do we grow spiritually.
What gives a person communication? The true face of a person can be seen only in extreme situations. And only in extreme situations can we appreciate a person and see what he is worth. And as if it were not a pity, but it is. Usually people wear a lot of masks. When a person is left alone with himself, he takes off his masks. And remaining alone with himself, he tunes in to the best positive vibrations of love and peace. But as soon as he goes outside and communicates with people, he instantly tunes in to a negative wave. Becomes not who he really is.
In order to truly understand the truth while remaining alone with oneself, a person must first cultivate an inner strength with which one can open a wonderful understanding of the world and oneself. But he gains this inner strength only through life lessons, adversity. It's a pity. But there is no other way for us.
Can you imagine how some sage, finding himself in some unpleasant situation for him, could be indignant or swear loudly. Of course not. But each of us had to meet people who, in communication with different people, change their masks. For example, one and the same person, communicating with the person on whom he depends, will do whatever he wants to please him. And vice versa, communicating with a person who depends on him will show a wolfish grin.
That at the same time he feels that he is strong, his inner spirit is strong. He will be proud and show off. That he knows how to manipulate people, their souls. But in reality, such a person becomes just pathetic. He does not understand the World, does not trust anyone. He doesn't love anyone. He has a fear of the World, and therefore by his behavior he defends himself. Communicating with people, we exchange energy. And such a person is simply not yet ready for communication - energy exchange. The goal of which is - your own spiritual growth.
You met a beggar with an outstretched hand or a casual passer-by, to whom you politely explained how to get through. The beggar made a very strong impression on you. And they're spinning in your head he has no place to live, he is hungry. Maybe you will sympathize and give him a coin. The beggar will forget you for a long time, and his image will not leave you. He still troubles you. So you need to think about what he is telling you. Maybe about that. That you don't appreciate what you have Or maybe that you think too much about money Or maybe that there are people who play on your sympathy
These are all your karmic meetings. Which fate tells you. You just need to understand them correctly. And if you have realized the cause of your condition, you will become stronger internally. You will work off your karma, increase the strength of your soul. If you don’t understand, there will be other clues. And apparently tougher!