Types of interaction
In psychology, such a concept as interaction is revealed as the actions of people directed towards each other. Such actions can be considered as a set of certain actions aimed at achieving one’s goals, solving practical problems and realizing value guidelines.
Basic types of human interaction
Various types of interaction are distinguished depending on the situation that caused it. This is what gave rise to their various classifications.
The most common classification is based on performance orientation.
Types of interaction in the communication process
- Cooperation is an interaction in which its participants reach a mutual agreement on how to act to achieve common goals and try not to violate it as long as their areas of interest coincide.
- Competition is an interaction that is characterized by the achievement of one’s personal or social goals and interests in conditions of confrontation of interests between people.
Types of interpersonal interaction often determine the nature of relationships between people. The division into types can be based on the intentions and actions of people, which indicate how each participant in the interaction understands the meaning of what is happening. In this case, 3 more types are distinguished.
Types and types of interaction
- Additional. This is an interaction in which partners calmly and objectively treat each other’s positions.
- Intersecting. An interaction during which participants, on the one hand, demonstrate a reluctance to understand the position and opinion of other interaction partners. At the same time, on the other hand, they actively demonstrate their own intentions in this regard.
- Hidden interaction. This type includes two levels at once: external, expressed verbally, and hidden, manifested in a person’s thoughts. It assumes either very good knowledge of the participant in the interaction, or your sensitivity to non-verbal means of communication. These include tone of voice, intonation, facial expressions and gestures, in general, everything that can give a hidden meaning to a conversation.
Styles and types of interaction and their features
- Cooperation. It is aimed at the complete satisfaction of interaction partners with their needs and aspirations. Here one of the motives given above is realized: cooperation or competition.
- Opposition. This style involves focusing on one’s own goals, without taking into account any interests of the other party involved. The principle of individualism appears.
- Compromise. It is realized in partial achievement of the goals and interests of both parties.
- Compliance. It involves sacrificing one’s own interests to achieve the goals of a partner or giving up minor needs to achieve some more significant goal.
- Avoidance. This style represents withdrawal or avoidance of contact. In this case, it is possible to lose your own goals to exclude winnings.
Sometimes activity and communication are considered as two components of the social existence of society. In other cases, communication is designated as a certain aspect of activity: it is included in any activity and is part of it. The activity itself appears to us as a condition and basis for communication. Moreover, in psychology, the concepts of “interaction” “communication” are at the same level as “personality” “activity” and are fundamental.
Types of interaction in psychology play a huge role not only in interpersonal communication, but also in the process of human development and, as a consequence, society as a whole. Without communication, human society would not be able to fully function, and we would never have reached such heights of socio-economic development as we do now.
Communication as interpersonal interaction
The basis of interpersonal interaction is the contact of individuals (two or more), implying a set of consistent and logically based reactions to each other’s actions.
Interpersonal interaction can take various forms , but it always leads to changes in behavior, the nature of relationships, the emotional state of opponents, etc.
Interpersonal communication is the communication of people, each of whom has their own unique specific qualities, which are revealed during communication.
Levels of Communication
There are 6 main levels of communication, which were identified and described by A. B. Dobrovich.
- The conventional level is reduced to simply following the unwritten rules of behavior in society.
- Primitive. Participants do not seek to establish long-term communication, but only want to use the opportunities that they can provide each other.
- Manipulative. When one partner in communication tries to use another, less experienced in social and everyday issues, and then reject his company.
- And when communicating, the subjects of communication have a mutual interest in learning the roles of the other. This is communication between friends who sometimes spend time together and “work out” their social roles in order to improve them.
- Business. In this interaction, people are not thinking about better performance or appearance; they are communicating with the goal of doing a better job together.
- Spiritual level. Having reached the highest level of communication, people can recognize each other's mood by looking, without words. The goal is to know the deep essence of the other and your own, reflected in the actions of the other.
The level of communication a person chooses depends on his overall level of personal development and his views on the value of other people.
Peculiarities
Each concept in science has characteristic features that need to be studied so that the object of study can be analyzed in more detail.
What features of interpersonal interaction are described by specialists in the field of social psychology?
Another important feature for establishing relationships is having sufficient communication experience. Experience in communication is a set of ideas about successful tactics for establishing and maintaining the necessary distance in communication. Those who work in the “person-to-person” system must have such experience.
Types of their characteristics and examples
In social psychology, it is customary to distinguish three styles of interpersonal communication:
Imperative
What is it and where is it unacceptable?
This communication is aimed at subordinating the interaction partner. With the help of imperative communication, you can control and force someone to take any action.
At the same time, the participants in the interaction are aware that the ultimate goal of communication is coercion . The individual exerting influence does not try to disguise the true meaning of communication.
To achieve a goal, orders, requirements, instructions or instructions can be used.
Most often, the imperative type of communication is used within the framework of the “superior-subordinate” .
This approach is inappropriate in intimate and personal communications.
Also, imperative communication is effective and relevant in emergencies and emergencies , when it is necessary to quickly organize group activities and distribute responsibilities, bypassing the situational unstable state of mind of interaction partners.
Manipulative
Like the previous type of communication, manipulation involves influencing an opponent in order to achieve specific goals/benefits.
But in this case, the partner exerting influence hides his intentions or presents the situation in such a light that true intentions are replaced in the eyes of the opponent by others, more noble or appropriate.
Dialogical
A type of communication focused on the interaction partner . During the dialogue, the participants in the interaction take into account both their psychological mood and the psychological mood of the interlocutor.
In this case, the perception of the partner occurs in its pure form, without evaluation.
In a dialogue, a person considers the interlocutor as an equal , recognizing his right to his own point of view and decisions.
Dialogical communication does not imply references to authoritative sources (opinions, point of view of other people, etc.).
Imperative communication and manipulation can be regarded as monologue-oriented communication because in the process of interaction, the influencing opponent is focused only on himself ; he views the interlocutor only as a means to achieve a goal, without being interested in the position of the interaction partner.
Culture
The culture of interpersonal communication is based on a system of knowledge, norms, values and patterns of behavior established in society . The individual assimilates all these elements in the process of socialization, and then uses them in business and emotional communications.
The culture of interpersonal communication implies the ability to correctly perceive an opponent, the ability to interpret his words and behavior, and build a behavioral strategy based on the characteristics of the interlocutor.
An important concept in the issue of communicative culture is the “appropriateness” of the means and behavioral patterns used . For example, if you can make demands with subordinates and use an imperative tone, then when communicating with friends it is appropriate to use formalities and instructions.
Communication as a form of interpersonal interactions comes to the fore in conditions of dependence on social contacts (working with people, direct dependence on stronger, more influential or resourceful members of society).
In such situations, communication culture affects well-being, financial and professional prospects .
Communication goals
The goal is the strategic result that each participant in the interaction strives for. In essence, interpersonal relationships are the desire of both parties for a pre-thought-out outcome. Goals can be completely different
The most popular purpose of communication for young girls is simply to share experiences. For young students, this is an exchange of thoughts and a community of interests.
Interpersonal relationships and interactions will only be built when both find this communication mutually beneficial and consistent with their moral values and goals.
What does social psychology study?
Problems of interpersonal social interaction are assessed by specialists in the context of the following issues:
- Studying the cognitive (cognitive) processes of each participant in the interaction.
- Study of the constituent characteristics of the environment: spatial, social, physical characteristics. And the aspect of a social group is also taken into account - a student environment, a city council meeting or other association of individuals.
- The study of both the system of an individual and the influence of the environment on it.
Many scientists participated in the development of this social science - L.V. Smolina, Yasvina, Panova, etc.
Physiological basis of social interaction
In the 90s of the 20th century, a group of neurobiologists under the auspices of the Italian Giacomo Rizzolatti discovered a group of mirror neurons in monkeys. A group of special nerve cells are activated in the brain when the monkey sees someone else picking up food, such as a nut.
As it turned out later, humans also have them, and they react not only to body movements in space, but also to emotions. Interpersonal interaction is largely the work of these neurons. This is the biological basis of our social nature; justification for the empathy inherent in us from the very beginning.
Thanks to these neurons, a person learns to speak and act through imitation. And also learns to perceive emotions and build long-term interpersonal interactions; You need to somehow explain the behavior of another to yourself, especially if this person is of a different culture. It turns out that in order to build a relationship with another, we need to see ourselves in the other and let him know that we understand him.
