Specificity of social and psychological activity. Formation of social work as a science and specific social and psychological activity. List of used literature
This issue is widely discussed in the literature. So, in the works of BD Parygin, the personality model, which should take a place in the system of social psychology, presupposes a combination of two approaches: sociological and general psychological. Although this idea itself is not objectionable, the description of each of the synthesized approaches seems to be controversial: the sociological approach is characterized by the fact that in it the person is viewed primarily as an object social relations, and general psychological - by the fact that here the emphasis is made only "on the general mechanisms of the mental activity of the individual." The task of social psychology is “to reveal the entire structural complexity of the personality, which is both an object and a subject of social relations ...” [Parygin, 1971. P. 109]. It is unlikely that both a sociologist and a psychologist will agree with this division of tasks: in most concepts of both sociology and general psychology, they accept the thesis that a person is both an object and a subject of the historical process, and this idea cannot be embodied only in a socio-psychological approach to personality.
In particular, objection is raised by the general psychological model of personality, which “is usually limited to the integration of only biosomatic and psychophysiological parameters of the personality structure” [Ibid. P. 115]. As already noted, the tradition of the cultural and historical conditioning of the human psyche is directed directly against this statement: not only the personality, but also individual mental processes are considered as determined by social factors. Moreover, it cannot be argued that when modeling a personality, only biosomatic and psychophysiological parameters are taken into account. Accordingly, one can hardly agree with the interpretation of the socio-psychological approach to the personality as a simple superposition of “biosomatic and social programs on each other” [Ibid.].
It is possible to approach the definition of the specifics of the socio-psychological approach descriptively, i.e. based on research practice, it is easy to list the problems to be solved, and this path will be fully justified. So, in particular, among the tasks are called: determination of the mental make-up of the personality; social motivation of the behavior and activity of the individual in various socio-historical and socio-psychological conditions; class, national, professional personality traits; patterns of formation and manifestation of social activity, ways and means of increasing this activity; problems of internal contradictions of the personality and ways to overcome it; self-education of the individual, etc. [Shorokhova, 1975. P. 66]. Each of these tasks in itself seems to be very important, but it is not possible to grasp a certain principle in the proposed list, just as it is not possible to answer the question: what is the specificity of the study of personality in social psychology?
The appeal to the fact that in social psychology the personality should be investigated in communication with other personalities, although such an argument is sometimes put forward as well. It should be rejected because, in principle, and in general psychology, there is a large layer of research on personality in communication. In modern general psychology, the idea is quite persistently carried out that communication has the right to exist as a problem precisely within the framework of general psychology.
It is possible to formulate an answer to this question, relying on the accepted definition of the subject of social psychology, as well as on the understanding of personality proposed by A. N. Leontiev. Social psychology does not specifically investigate the question of the social conditioning of the individual, not because this question is not important to her, but because it is solved by the entire psychological science and, first of all, by general psychology. Social psychology, using the definition of personality given by general psychology, finds out how, i.e. first of all, in which specific groups, a person, on the one hand, assimilates social influences (through which of the systems of its activity), and on the other― how, in which specific groups it realizes its social essence (through which specific types of joint activities).
The difference between this approach and sociological lies not in the fact that for social psychology it is not important how socio-typical traits are presented in the personality, but in the fact that it reveals how these socio-typical traits were formed, why in some conditions they manifested themselves in full, and in others, some other have arisen in spite of the individual's belonging to a particular social group. For this to a greater extent, than in sociological analysis, here the emphasis is on microenvironment personality formation, although this does not mean rejection of research and the macroenvironment of its formation. To a greater extent than in the sociological approach, here such regulators of the behavior and activities of the individual are taken into account, such as the entire system of interpersonal relations and their emotional regulation.
From general psychological This approach differs not in the fact that the whole complex of issues of social determination of the personality is studied here, but in general psychology it is not. The difference lies in the fact that social psychology considers the behavior and activities of a "socially determined personality" in specific real social groups, individual contribution each person in the activities of the group, causes, on which the value of this contribution to the overall activity depends. More precisely, two series of such reasons are being studied: rooted in the nature and level of development of those groups in which the person acts, and rooted in the personality itself, for example, in the conditions of its socialization.
We can say that for social psychology, the main reference point in the study of personality is the relationship of the individual with the group (not just personality in the group, namely, the result that is obtained from the relationship of the individual with a specific group). On the basis of such differences between the socio-psychological approach from the sociological and general psychological approach, it is possible to isolate the problem of personality in social psychology.
The most important thing is to identify those patterns that govern the behavior and activities of an individual included in a particular social group. But such a problematic is inconceivable as a separate, "independent" block of research undertaken outside the group's research. Therefore, in order to accomplish this task, it is necessary in essence to return to all those problems that were solved for the group, i.e. “Repeat” the problems discussed above, but look at them from the other side - not from the side of the group, but from the side of the individual. Then it will be, for example, the problem of leadership, but with the connotation associated with the personal characteristics of leadership as a group phenomenon; or the problem of attraction, now considered from the point of view of the characteristics of certain features of the emotional sphere of the personality, which manifest themselves in a special way when perceiving another person. In short, a specifically socio-psychological consideration of the problems of the personality of races - the other side of considering group problems.
But at the same time, there are still a number of special problems that are to a lesser extent touched upon in the analysis of groups and which are also included in concept"Social psychology of personality". To find out that across through which groups the influence of society on a person is carried out, it is important to study a specific life path personality, those cells of the micro- and macroenvironment through which it passes [Psychology of the developing personality, 1987]. In the traditional language of social psychology, this is a problem socialization. Despite the possibility of isolating sociological and general psychological aspects in this problem, this is a specific problem of the social psychology of the individual.
On the other hand, it is important to analyze what is the result, obtained not in the course of passive assimilation of social influences, but during active development her entire system of social ties. How a person acts in conditions of active communication with others in those real situations and groups where his life takes place, this problem in the traditional language of social psychology can be designated as a problem social attitude. This direction of analysis also quite logically fits into the general scheme of ideas of social psychology about the relationship between the individual and the group. Although both sociological and general psychological facets are often seen in this problem, as a problem it falls within the competence of social psychology.
The result of the study of personality problems in social psychology should be considered the integration of the personality in the group: the identification of those personality qualities that are formed and manifested in the group, the feeling of group belonging arising on the basis of the reflection of these qualities. In the language of traditional social psychology, this problem is called a problem. social identity personality. As in the first two cases, despite the presence of sociological and general psychological aspects in the problematics, in its entirety it is a problem social psychology.
One can agree with the idea that “the social psychology of personality appears nevertheless as a rather unstructured area of socio-psychological research, and therefore difficult for any systematic presentation of it” [Belinskaya, Tikhomandritskaya, 2001, p. 24], but nevertheless the less suggested three aspects of problems may outline its subject matter.
Literature
Ananiev B.G. Problems of modern human science. M., 1976. A.G. Asmolov Personality as a subject of psychological research. M., 1988.
Belinskaya Ε. P., Tikhomandritskaya O. A. Social psychology of personality. M., 2001.
Kon I.S. Sociology of personality. M., 1967.
Leontiev A.N. Activity. Consciousness. Personality. M., 1975.
Parygin B.D. Foundations of socio-psychological theory. M., 1971.
Platonov K.K. Socio-psychological aspect of the personality problem in the history of Soviet psychology // Social psychology of personality. M., 1979.
Smelzer N. Sociology / Per. from English M., 1994.
Shorokhova E.V. Socio-psychological understanding of personality // Methodological problems of social psychology. M., 1975.
V. A. Yadov Personality and mass communication. Tartu, 1969.
Chapter 16
Socialization
Socialization concept. The term "socialization", despite its widespread prevalence, does not have an unambiguous interpretation among various representatives of psychological science [Cohn, 1988, p. 133]. In the system of Russian psychology, two more terms are used, which are sometimes suggested to be considered as synonyms of the word "socialization": "personality development" and "education". Without giving an exact definition of the concept of socialization, let us say that the intuitively guessed content of this concept is that it is the process of “an individual's entry into the social environment,” “assimilation of social influences by him,” “his introduction to the system of social ties,” etc. ... The process of socialization is a set of all social processes, thanks to which the individual learns a certain system of norms and values that allow him to function as a member of society [Bronfenbrenner, 1976].
One of the objections is usually built on the basis of such an understanding and is as follows. If the personality is not outside the system of social ties, if it is initially socially determined, then what is the point of talking about its entry into the system of social ties? Doubt is also raised by the possibility of an exact separation of the concept of socialization with other concepts widely used in Russian psychological and pedagogical literature. ("personal development" and "upbringing"). This objection is highly significant and deserves to be discussed. specially.
The idea of personality development is one of the key ideas of Russian psychology [Psychology of Development, 2001]. Moreover, the recognition of the personality as a subject of social activity gives particular importance to the idea of personality development: the child, developing, becomes such a subject, i.e. the process of its development is inconceivable outside of its social development, and therefore outside of its assimilation of the system of social ties, relations, outside of its inclusion in them. In terms of the scope of the concept of "personality development" and "socialization" in this case, it seems, coincide, and the emphasis on personality activity seems much more clearly represented precisely in the idea of development, and not socialization: here it is somehow subdued, since in the center of attention - social environment and emphasizes the direction of its impact on the personality.
At the same time, if we understand the process of personality development in its active interaction with the social environment, then each of the elements of this interaction has the right to be considered without fear that the predominant attention to one of the sides of the interaction must necessarily result in its absolutization, underestimation of the other component. A truly scientific consideration of the issue of socialization in no way removes the problem of personality development, but, on the contrary, presupposes that the personality is understood as an active social subject becoming active.
Several more difficult the question of the relationship between the concepts of "socialization" and "education" [Rean, Kolominskiy, 1999. P. 33]. As you know, the term "education" is used in our literature in two meanings - in the narrow and broad sense of the word. In the narrow sense of the word, the term "education" means the process of purposeful influence on a person by the subject of the educational process with the aim of transferring, instilling in him a certain system of ideas, concepts, norms, etc. The emphasis here is on the purposefulness, the orderliness of the process of influence. As a subject of influence, a special institution is understood, a person set for the implementation of the named goal. In the broad sense of the word, education is understood as the impact on a person of the entire system of social relations in order to assimilate social experience, etc. The subject of the educational process in this case can be the whole of society, and, as is often said in everyday speech, "whole life". If we use the term "education" in the narrow sense of the word, then socialization differs in its meaning from the process described by the term "education". If this concept is used in the broad sense of the word, then the difference is eliminated.
Having made this clarification, you can define the essence of socialization as follows: socialization is a two-way process, which includes, on the one hand, the individual's assimilation of social experience by entering the social environment, the system of social ties; on the other hand (often insufficiently emphasized in research), the process of active reproduction by an individual of a system of social ties due to his vigorous activity, active inclusion in the social environment. It is to these two sides of the socialization process that many authors pay attention, who accept the idea of socialization in the mainstream of social psychology, and develop this problem as a full-fledged problem of socio-psychological knowledge.
The question is posed in such a way that a person is not easy assimilates social experience, but also transforms his own values, attitudes, orientations. This moment of transformation of social experience captures not just its passive Adoption, but it presupposes the activity of the individual in the application of such a transformed experience, i.e. in the famous recoil, when its result is not just an addition to the already existing social experience, but its reproduction, i.e. moving it to a new level. This explains the continuity in the development of not only man, but also society.
The first side of the socialization process - the assimilation of social experience - is a characteristic of how the environment affects a person; its second side characterizes the moment human impact on the environment through activities. The activity of the position of the individual is assumed here because any impact on the system of social ties and relations requires the adoption of a certain decision and, therefore, includes the processes of transformation, mobilization of the subject, and the construction of a certain strategy of activity. Thus, the process of socialization in this understanding does not in any way oppose the process of personality development, but simply allows us to designate different angles of view on the problem. If for developmental psychology the most interesting view of this problem is "from the side of the personality", then for social psychology - "from the side of interaction between the personality and the environment."
If we proceed from the thesis accepted in general psychology that they are not born a person, they become a person, then it is clear that socialization in its content is a process of personality formation, which begins from the first minutes of a person's life. There are three spheres in which, first of all, this personality formation is carried out: activity, communication, self-awareness. Each of these areas should be addressed separately. A common characteristic of all these three spheres is the process of expansion, multiplication of the individual's social ties with the outside world.
11 Another principle of identifying the content of socialization is possible, for example, considering it as inculturation(broadcast of culturally assigned values), internalization(assimilation of patterns of behavior), adaptations(ensuring normative functioning), constructing reality(building a strategy of "coping behavior") [Belinskaya, Tikhomandritskaya, 2001. P. 33-42].
Concerning activities, then, throughout the entire process of socialization, the individual deals with the expansion of the “catalog” of activities [Leontiev, 1975, p. 188], that is, mastering more and more new types of activity. At the same time, three more extremely important processes are taking place. First, it is orientation in the system of connections present in each type of activity and between its various types. It is carried out through personal meanings, i.e. means the identification of especially significant aspects of activity for each personality, and not just understanding them, but also their development. One could call the product of such an orientation a personal choice of activity. As a consequence of this, a second process arises - centering around the main, chosen one, focusing attention on him and subordinating all other activities to him. Finally, the third process is the development of a person in the course of the implementation of activities new roles and understanding their significance. If we briefly express the essence of these transformations, then we can say that we are faced with a process of expanding the capabilities of the individual exactly as subject of activity.
This general theoretical outline allows us to approach the experimental study of the problem. Experimental studies are, as a rule, borderline in nature between social and developmental psychology; they study for different age groups the question of what is the mechanism of personality orientation in the system of activities, what motivates the choice, which serves as the basis for centering activity. Especially important in such studies is the consideration of the processes goal setting. Unfortunately, this problematic has not yet found a special development in its socio-psychological aspects, although the orientation of the personality not only in the system of direct connections given to it, but also in the system of personal meanings, apparently, cannot be described outside the context of those social “units ", In which human activity is organized, ie. social groups.
Second sphere - communication - is considered in the context of socialization also from the side of its expansion and deepening, which goes without saying, since communication is inextricably linked with activity. Extension communication can be understood as the multiplication of a person's contacts with other people, the specifics of these contacts at each age boundary. As for grooves communication is, first of all, the transition from monological communication to dialogical communication, de-centralization, i.e. the ability to focus on a partner, a more accurate perception of him. The task of experimental research is to show, firstly, how and under what circumstances the multiplication of communication links is carried out and, secondly, what a person gets from this process. Studies of this plan bear the features of interdisciplinary research, since they are equally significant for both developmental and social psychology. From this point of view, some stages of ontogenesis have been investigated in particular detail: preschool and adolescence. As for some other stages of a person's life, the insignificant amount of research in this area is explained by the controversial nature of another problem of socialization - the problem of its stages.
Finally, the third area of socialization is development self-awareness personality. In its most general form, we can say that the process of socialization means the formation of an image of his “I” in a person: the separation of the “I” from activity, the interpretation of the “I”, the correspondence of this interpretation with the interpretations given to the personality by other people [Kon, 1978, p. 9]. In experimental studies, including longitudinal studies, it has been established that the image of "I" does not arise in a person immediately, but develops throughout his life under the influence of numerous social influences. From the point of view of social psychology, it is especially interesting here to find out how the inclusion of a person in various social groups determines this process. Does the fact that the number of groups can vary greatly, which means that the number of social "influences", also varies? Or such a variable as the number of groups does not matter at all, and the main factor is the quality of the groups (in terms of the content of their activities, the level of their development)? How does the level of development of his self-awareness affect the behavior of a person and his activities (including in groups) - these are the questions that should be answered in the study of the process of socialization.
Unfortunately, it is in this area of analysis that there are especially many conflicting positions. This is due to the presence of those numerous and varied understandings of personality, which have already been mentioned. First of all, the very definition of "I-image" depends on the concept of personality, which is accepted by the author. There are several different approaches to the structure of "I". The most common scheme includes three components in the "I": cognitive (self-knowledge), emotional (self-assessment), behavioral (attitude towards oneself). Self-awareness is a complex psychological process that includes: self-determination(search for a position in life), self-realization(activity in various fields), self-affirmation(achievement, satisfaction), self-esteem. There are other approaches to the structure of human self-awareness [Stolin, 1984]. The most important fact that is emphasized in the study of self-awareness is that it cannot be presented as a simple list of characteristics, but as a person's understanding of himself as a certain integrity, in defining one's own identity. Only within this integrity can we speak of the presence of some of its structural elements.
Another property of self-awareness is that its development in the course of socialization is a controlled process, determined by the constant acquisition of social experience in the context of expanding the range of activities and communication. Although self-awareness is one of the deepest, intimate characteristics of the human personality, its development is unthinkable outside of activity: only in it a certain "correction" of the idea of oneself is constantly carried out in comparison with the idea that develops in the eyes of others. “Self-consciousness, not based on real activity, excluding it as“ external ”, inevitably reaches a dead end, becomes an“ empty ”concept” [Kon, 1967, p. 78].
That is why the process of socialization can only be understood as a unity of changes in all three designated areas. Taken as a whole, they create an "expanding reality" for the individual, in which he acts, learns and communicates, thereby mastering not only the nearest microenvironment, but also the entire system of social relations. Along with this development, the individual brings into it his experience, his own creative approach; therefore, there is no other form of mastering reality, except for its active transformation. This general principled position means the need to identify that specific "alloy" that arises at each stage of socialization between the two sides of this process: the assimilation of social experience and its reproduction. This problem can be solved only by defining the stages of the socialization process, as well as the institutions within which this process is carried out.
Chapter 1 Social Work System
- 1.1 Features of social work as a type of activity
- 1.2 Formation of the social work system in the Russian Federation
- Chapter 2 Relationship between Psychology and Social Work
- 2.1 Psychological aspects of social work
- 2.2 The use of psychological methods in social work when interacting with a client
- 2.2.1 Psychological Techniques in Working with a Social Service Client
- 2.2.2 Psychological theories applied in working with clients
- 2.3 Application of psychological technologies in the practice of social work
- Conclusion
- List of used literature
- ADD HYPOTHES
- Introduction
- The socio-psychological orientation (personality - society) has evolved throughout the history of professional social work in the XX century. and led to the emergence of the psychosocial approach. This approach is usually associated with the names M. Richmond (Mary Richmond) and F. Hollis (Florence Hollis), and in the 1950-1960s. the psychoanalytic ideas of Freud had a great influence on its formation, then - the works of J. Bowlby.
- In studies devoted to the psychosocial approach, the need to understand the personality of the client in his relationship with the world that surrounds him is substantiated. In other words, one should not separate concepts such as the inner world and the outer reality in order to understand the integrity of the "person in the situation", i.e. psychosociality.
- The relevance of the topic is due to the fact that social work and psychology are related sciences. Knowledge of psychology helps the social work specialist in his daily activities. No wonder the discipline "Psychology" is included in the state educational standard of a specialist in social work.
- In this regard, we have identified the purpose of our work:
- 1. Consider (explore) the relationship between psychology and social work in theory.
- The goal defines the following objectives:
- - to define the system of social work;
- - to study (research) the psychological aspects of social work;
- - consider the psychological methods and techniques used by a social worker in working with a client;
- The subject of our study: the relationship between social work and psychology.
- Object: the implementation of psychological techniques in social work
- Research methods used in the work: document analysis; comparison and comparison method; analysis of the current situation based on theoretical and practical data.
- The theoretical basis of this work is the works of domestic and foreign scientists in the field of social work, such as: V.M. Basova, M.A. Gulina, I.G. Zainysheva, A.I. Kravchenko, E.V. Kulebyakin and many others.
- The structure of the work is determined by the purpose and objectives of scientific research. It consists of an introduction, two chapters, including a certain number of paragraphs, a conclusion, a list of references.
- The practical significance of the course work is due to the fact that the knowledge gained is of interest to workers and specialists in the field of social work, as well as practitioners in this area.
The Constitution of the Russian Federation not only proclaims the right of citizens to social protection, but also clearly defines the ways of its implementation - first of all, this is state insurance of workers, the creation of other funds that are sources of funding for social protection of the population, as well as the adoption of federal laws guaranteeing the implementation of these rights.
As a matter of priority, the social protection of the population in the Russian Federation is in need of:
Elderly citizens, especially lonely and lonely residents; invalids of the Great Patriotic War and families of the dead servicemen; disabled people, including those from childhood and disabled children; citizens affected by the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and radioactive releases in other places; unemployed; forced refugees and displaced persons; children with deviant behavior; families with disabled children, orphans, alcoholics and drug addicts; low-income families; large families; single mothers; young, student families; citizens infected with HIV and AIDS patients; persons with disabilities; persons without a fixed abode.
Social protection management bodies and their subordinate enterprises, institutions, organizations, territorial bodies of social protection of the population form a unified state system of social protection of the population, providing state support for families, the elderly, veterans and disabled people, persons dismissed from military service, and their family members, development of the system of social services, implementation of state policy in the field of pension provision and labor relations.
Thus, social protection in any state is a complex system of socio-economic relations designed to provide all-round assistance to disabled or disabled people, as well as to families whose incomes of able-bodied members do not provide the socially necessary standard of living for the family.
Summing up the chapter, we note that the modern concept of social protection proceeds from the fact that it should not be reduced to free assistance and the encouragement of its passive expectation. Its essence should be to revive and encourage the feeling of a master in a person, to form motives for highly productive work and involve him in such work; to create in society relatively equal "starting opportunities" for all its members. That is why the most important subject of social protection is the person himself, realizing his potential and strength, protecting his vital needs and interests. In society, conditions must be created - economic, organizational, legal, financial, etc. - for the formation of self-awareness, a system of knowledge and value ideas about the role and place of a person in protecting his rights and protecting vital interests, ways of his own self-realization and self-affirmation, interaction with others subjects and social protection.
Chapter 2 Relationship between Psychology and Social Work
2.1 Psychological aspects of social work
The emergence of social work as a science and specific social activity was due to the exacerbation of social collisions in the 19th century. in connection with the rapid development of capitalism in Western countries - industrialization and urbanization and as a result of a sharp increase in unemployment, crime, alcoholism, etc.
Already initially, in the process of the formation and institutionalization of social work, it was clear that its organic component is the psychological activity of social workers and psychologists, psychosocial work with the individual and the group.
Within the framework of social work, social individual psychotherapy arose, therefore, in the first period, social work was even reduced to socio-psychological work.
The direct methodological basis of the psychological practice of social work is, undoubtedly, the fundamental general psychological teachings about the personality, its structure; typology and development, the theory of temperament and character, the needs and motivation of behavior, the concept of group psychology and communication, conflict and deviation. However, these psychological concepts and theories were formed and developed by their authors most often (although not always quite consciously), in turn, under the influence of certain philosophical and sociological teachings about the nature and essence of man. It should be noted that many of the philosophical, anthropological and sociological ideas themselves are directly related to the behavior of the individual and may well be used in the practice of social work. Among the philosophical and sociological doctrines and ideas, concepts of the essence and nature of man, the relationship between the social and the biological in man and his development, the meaning of his life, social action, the interaction of the individual and society, and others are of the most methodological significance for the practice of social work. Kulebyakin, E.V. Psychology of social work / E.V. Kulebyakin. - Vladivostok: Far Eastern University Publishing House, 2004. - P. 7-8.
Many approaches to social work are based on certain psychological views. Psychoanalysis formed the basis for the diagnostic theory of social work, which later determined the method of individual psychosocial work. In recent decades, the provisions of humanistic psychology have acquired particular importance for the strategy of social work (the main ones are about the self-actualization of A. Maslow and the personal growth of K. Rogers). Firstly, basically the essence, content and methods of social work are determined by the principle of humanism and, secondly, these provisions make it possible to understand a person as an integral personality in interaction with his environment.
Both social work and psychology are of an applied nature, and the following areas are of particular importance for the practice of social work: Chernetskaya, A.A. Technologies of social work: a textbook for universities / A.A. Chernetskaya. - M .: Phoenix, 2006 .-- S. 115
1. Psychodiagnostics is a branch of mental knowledge associated with the formulation of a psychological diagnosis (relevant for social forecasting, counseling and psychotherapeutic assistance, etc.).
2. Psychological counseling - helping mentally normal people to achieve any goals, more effective organization of behavior.
Modern psychology presents great opportunities for social work to use various ways of interacting with a client: psychodrama, music therapy, role play, etc. Romm. M.V. The theory of social work: textbook / M.V. Romm, T.A. Romm. - Novosibirsk: [b.i.], 1999. - P. 15.
If, as a practice, social work arose earlier than the scientific period in psychology - approximately in the 70s. XIX century, the theoretical understanding of its results and the development of skills went under great influence and in parallel with the development of the theory of psychoanalysis (until the end of the 1940s, psychodynamic and ego-psychological approaches were dominant in individual social work, i.e. in work with one client, not with a group; "social casework") and later the theory of social psychology, the theory of learning, the theory of stress and other psychological concepts. Gulina, M.A. Psychology of social work: textbook for universities / M.A. Gulina. - SPb .: Peter, 2004 .-- P. 125.
Thus, social work is inconceivable without knowledge of the basics of psychology. Among other social sciences, the connection between social work and psychology is the most significant. The theoretical foundations of psychology form the basis of social work with a client.
2.2 The use of psychological methods in social work when interacting with a client
2.2.1 Psychological Techniques in Working with a Social Service Client
The study of the client of social work begins at the end of the 19th century. Class approaches to the personality of the needy are gradually giving way to natural-scientific approaches. Research in the field of psychiatry, psychotherapy and personality psychology has had a serious impact on the development of methods, as well as on the scientific reflection of social work. Methods of psychoanalysis and humanistic psychotherapy are applied to the theory and practice of social work. Schools and directions of social work in explaining individual actions of a person, his behavior, emotional reactions, etc. are based on the concepts and ideas of Z. Freud, K. Jung, K. Rogers, A. Maslow, E. Erickson and other psychologists and psychiatrists. Various approaches to personality psychology, developed by these and subsequent researchers, are reflected in the approaches to the phenomenon of the client of social work, determine one or another strategy of relationships with him, and make it possible to form various interpretive tools for the problems and situations of clients. Psychodynamic, humanistic and systemic psychological concepts have had a particular influence on the approach to the client in the theory and practice of social work. Firsov, M.V. The theory of social work: textbook. manual for stud. higher. study. institutions / M.V. Firsov, E.G. Studenova. - M .: VLADOS, 2001 .-- S. 265-267.
A social worker needs a certain level of psychological literacy to effectively fulfill his professional duties related to the organization and functioning of social services.
If we proceed from the position that among the professional functions of social workers, the most important should be considered the provision of psychological support, the performance of intermediary functions through interaction with specific specialists (psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, teachers, sociologists, lawyers, etc.), then psychological training should include study of both general trends in mental manifestations and special ones (depending on age, gender, profession, social status, etc.).
The need for a sufficiently high psychological competence is due to the fact that a social worker, first, must constantly cooperate with professional psychologists, psychotherapists and find mutual understanding with them; secondly, to distinguish between those cases when a psychological or even psychiatric problem is hidden under the "mask" of a social problem and to refer the client to the appropriate specialist; thirdly, to be able to provide primary social support to people in need of it; fourthly, constantly communicating with people burdened with psychological problems, he must master the principles of psychologically correct communication with them.
In the practice of social work, one of the central places belongs to individual work with a client. Often a social worker is faced with erroneous actions of people, their confusion, helplessness, painful perception of others, not only in extreme, stressful, but also in ordinary situations.
Often people who cannot solve their problems due to their physical condition (elderly, lonely, sick, disabled people) need the help of a social worker. As a rule, they also have peculiar tendencies in the sphere of the psyche: aggression, depression, autism, etc.
In addition, people who do not know how or do not know how to choose a path to solve their problems, to find the strength to realize their intentions, resort to social assistance. The object of the social worker's activity is also persons who are in an altered (but within the limits of the norm) state of mind, where most often the leading role belongs to the psychological component. Kholostova, E.I. Technologies of social work: textbook / E.I. Kholostova, Moscow: INFRA-M, 2001, pp. 185-189.
The options for psychological assistance to a person are varied. But they are only effective when they are applied in a combination of theory, methodology and technology of using psychological knowledge. It is important for a specialist in the field of social work to be able to choose and use in practice methods that correspond to the individuality of a particular person and take into account his social needs and interests.
According to world practice, there are two points of view regarding the use of psychological methods in helping a person. Some believe that only specialists with a special medical education can engage in psychological practice. For example, the American Psychoanalytic Association admits only certified doctors as members. Others believe that the requirements for practicing psychologists should not be so strict. For example, in the UK, every third psychoanalyst does not have a medical education. In most Western countries, the role of the social worker in providing psychological assistance to the population is constantly growing. And in the United States, too, the number of social workers working in the field of mental health exceeds the total number of psychiatrists and psychoanalysts working in this field. The development of a network of psychological services, as experience shows, is also of great economic importance. According to Western experts, one ruble invested in the development of a system of psychological assistance to the population makes it possible to avoid investing ten rubles in the development of a medical psychiatric service.
Social assistance to the population is provided in the same areas of practical psychology: Kravchenko, A.I. Social work: a textbook for universities / A.I. Kravchenko. - M .: Prospect; Welby, 2008 .-- S. 120
Providing the client with objective information about his disorders based on psychodiagnostics. The client develops his own attitude towards receiving information and decides on its use;
Psychological correction, with the help of which an individual program for a certain type of activity (reading, writing, counting, etc.) is developed for the client in accordance with the general requirements;
Psychological counseling, the purpose of which is to help an individual find as many options for behavior, thoughts, feelings, actions as possible for active interaction with people and social groups within society;
Psychoprophylactic work aimed at early warning of possible disorders in the development of the individual, creating conditions for full mental development at each age stage.
An important area is psychotherapy - an organized impact on the client's psyche in order to restore or transform it. As a rule, it is carried out by social workers with the assistance of doctors. Therapeutic technology has a large number of psychotechnical, instrumental, training methods of influence. Zainysheva, I.G. Technology of social work: textbook. manual for stud. higher. study. institutions / I.G. Zainysheva, Moscow: VLADOS, 2002, pp. 85-89.
Thus, when working with a client, a social worker often has to use various psychological techniques. This is due to the fact that the social worker first of all has to work with the personality of the client. This is especially evident in individual work.
2.2.2 Psychological theories applied in working with clients
Psychodynamic practice is based on the psychoanalysis of Z. Freud. The relationship that develops between the client and the therapist is the same as that between the patient and the doctor. This is why, in psychoanalytic approaches, the client asking for help is defined as the patient. Initially, this method rigidly determined the patient's attitudes and the necessary procedures, thereby building, as in medical practice, the directive principles of the relationship. Later, Z. Freud comes to the conclusion that the relationship between the analyst and the patient is part of the therapeutic contact and they can interfere or help solve the patient's problems.
Behavioral practice of working with a client is different from other types of therapy, it is based on behavior, and the feelings and thoughts of the client, despite the emotional background, are secondary. Behavioral therapy aims to educate clients on positive behaviors.
R. Dustin and R. George highlight such basic principles of behavioral therapy.
1. The focus of the therapist is on client behavior.
2. Conceptualizing therapeutic behavioral goals.
3. Development of a treatment procedure based on the client's behavioral problems.
4. An objective assessment of the therapeutic goals achieved in the course of treatment.
Behavioral therapy allows not only to reflect, but also to measure the changes occurring with the client, to ensure the client's progress towards the set goals. In this regard, behavioral therapy enables clients: Safonova, L.V. Content and methods of psychosocial work / L.V. Safonov. - M .: Academy, 2006 .-- P. 71
Change behavior;
Become involved in the decision-making process;
To prevent possible problems, to form the necessary behavior.
Personality-oriented therapy is aimed at self-actualization of the client, his awareness of his attitude to himself, to the world around him, to his behavior. She develops the creative potential of the individual, her ability for self-improvement.
It is based on the understanding that people are able to resolve any conflicts, but they are limited in knowledge about themselves. Conflicts arise as a result of the discrepancy between one's own organismic evaluative process and the evaluative value position of the environment.
Clients are able to overcome obstacles to the perception of both external and internal experience, to form an idea of themselves as a fully functioning personality, a self-actualizing individual, if the therapist has the necessary personal qualities. Creating an atmosphere of relationship with the client is one of the main conditions of the therapeutic process. If these conditions are met, then clients can achieve self-actualization, resolve the conflict, acquire positive values, and increase the trend of positive personal growth. Firsov, M.V. Psychology of social work: Content and methods of psychosocial practice: textbook. manual for stud. higher. study, institutions / M.V. Firsov, B.Yu. Shapiro. - M .: Academy, 2002 .-- P. 80.
Thus, in this section we have considered three types of psychological theories that can be partially applied in the practice of social work: psychodynamic, behavioral and personality-oriented approaches.
2. 3 Applystudy of psychological technologies
in social work practice
Social work is aimed at helping a person in his family, social environment, in correcting his interpersonal relationships and intrapersonal status. Therefore, psychological technologies and methods are rightfully actively used both in the training of a specialist and in his professional activity. A variety of psychological technologies that are being actively developed are used by a practicing specialist depending on his main approach to a person and society. Kholostova, E.I. Technologies of social work: textbook / E.I. Kholostova, Moscow: INFRA-M, 2001, p. 187.
For the practice of social work, the following areas are especially important:
1) psychodiagnostics,
2) psychological counseling,
3) the use of techniques, methods and techniques of psychological interaction with the client.
Psychodiagnostics is a branch of mental knowledge associated with the formulation of a psychological diagnosis. Modern psychodiagnostics understands the term "psychological diagnosis" not only as establishing any deviation from normal psychological functioning or development, but also as determining the mental state of a particular object (individual, family, group), a particular mental function or process in a particular person. For example, diagnostics of the level of mental development of a preschooler, psychodiagnostics of intelligence, voluntary attention, short-term and long-term memory, character accentuations, type of temperament, etc. can be carried out. The content and methods of psychosocial activity in the system of social work: lecture [Electronic resource] // Bibliofond. Library of scientific and student information / - Access mode: http://www.bibliofond.ru/view.aspx?id=9577
It is recommended to collect information about the client using one of the techniques - the five-step model described by E. Ivey. It is useful to observe the expression (facial expressions, pantomime, posture, movements), by which one can understand true feelings, the state of a person, and not evaluate them only by his words. It was found that it is the non-verbal manifestations in communications that most accurately signal the true, and not ostentatious feelings of the partner. The observation results should be analyzed according to a special scheme. In addition, special psychodiagnostic techniques are widespread in psychodiagnostics: tests, questionnaires, projective procedures. Noting the need for professionalism in their use and interpretation of the results, experts pay attention to the following advantages of these techniques: Shemet, I.S. Integrative psychotechnology in social work: scientific publication / I.S. Shemet. - Kostroma: KSU, 2004 .-- P. 112
1) they allow you to collect diagnostic information in a relatively short time;
2) provide information not in general about a person, but about certain of his features (intelligence, anxiety, sense of humor, etc.);
3) information comes in a form suitable for qualitative and quantitative comparison of an individual with other people;
4) the information obtained with the help of psychodiagnostic techniques is useful in terms of choosing the means of intervention, as well as predicting the development, communication, and effectiveness of a particular activity of an individual.
A social worker, using in his practice simple psychodiagnostic procedures to obtain a more complete and objective characterization of the client, if necessary, directs him to a professional psychologist, formulating the latter psychodiagnostic tasks. You should especially be warned against unskilled use of psychodiagnostic testing.
The test is a very subtle and sometimes insidious instrument. It is not enough to have a test in your hands, you need to know well its potential capabilities, the rules of interpretation, the clarity of the testing procedure, the rules for correlating the results obtained with the help of different tests. Nikitin, V.A. Social work: problems of theory and training of specialists: textbook / V.A. Nikitin. - M .: Moscow Psychological and Social Institute, 2002. - P. 136.
At the same time, the competent use of testing expands the horizons of the psychologist and social worker. However, often the passion for solving obvious, obvious problems leads to forgetting what type of client they are dealing with. The way the psychologist and social worker perceive the client often affects their judgment. Tests are a great way to avoid bias. They make it possible to assess the situation in a balanced way.
Psychological counseling of the population is a new type of practical activity of domestic psychologists and so far, unfortunately, it is developing on a rather modest scale, although in many foreign countries of Europe, America, Asia, a network of municipal, city, district (communal), local psychological consultations has been functioning for many years. , giving a significant practical effect. Basova, V.M. Social work: study guide / V.M. Basova, N.F. Basov, S.V. Boytsova. - M .: Dashkov and K, 2008 .-- P. 98
It is customary to distinguish between psychological counseling and psychotherapy. Counseling - helping mentally healthy people to achieve any goals, more effective organization of behavior. A psychologist-consultant can help a person to look at himself as if from the outside, to realize the problems that he does not control, to change attitudes towards others and, in accordance with them, adjust his behavior, etc.
Psychotherapy is a long-term process of personality transformation, characterized by profound changes in its structure. The opinion is often expressed that psychotherapy is work with a pathological person. But in practice, the concepts of psychotherapy and psychological counseling merge. Counseling psychologists sometimes have many meetings with clients and work deeper than psychotherapists. Kholostova, E.I. Theory of social work: textbook / E.I. Kholostova. - M .: Jurist, 1999 .-- S. 234.
Thus, various psychological methods and technologies are used in social work. The most commonly used of them are: psychodiagnostics, testing, psychotherapy, psychological counseling.
Conclusion on the second chapter
In the first chapter, we looked at the relationship between psychology and social work. Based on the analysis of the texts of the literature used, we became convinced that social work is unthinkable without psychology. Moreover, from the very beginning of its formation, social work was based on psychology. The psychological approach to the practice of social work was especially popular abroad.
At the moment, various psychological methods are widely used in social work with clients.
Conclusion
In the domestic methodology and practice of social work, the idea of the synthesis of psychological and social work can be traced at all levels - in the formulation of the goals and objectives of social assistance to the population, in the qualifications and job responsibilities of social workers, in the state educational standards for training specialists in social work. Accordingly, the integrative approach is actually incorporated in the regulatory documents on the activities of social services and the duties of social workers. So, they include such types of activities as providing citizens with qualified social and psychological assistance, in particular, the implementation of counseling; helping clients in conflict and traumatic situations; expanding the range of socially and personally acceptable means for clients to independently solve emerging problems and overcome existing difficulties; helping clients to actualize their creative, intellectual, personal, spiritual and physical resources to get out of a crisis state; stimulating clients' self-esteem and their self-confidence.
Social workers dealing with people in difficult life situations, in risk groups, therefore, must be competent enough in matters of mental health, social and psychological nature of a person, its characteristics in certain groups, in particular, in problems of personality typology, temperament, character, communication, etc.
The main goal of social work is to improve the lives of clients by changing their inner world and external circumstances that affect this world, therefore the psychological foundations of social work include both general theoretical psychological concepts and methods of practical psychology.
The need for a sufficiently high psychological competence is due to the fact that a social worker, first, must constantly cooperate with professional psychologists, psychotherapists and find mutual understanding with them; secondly, to distinguish between those cases when a psychological or even psychiatric problem is hidden under the "mask" of a social problem and to refer the client to the appropriate specialist; thirdly, to be able to provide primary social support to people in need of it; fourthly, constantly communicating with people burdened with psychological problems.
All psychological states and behavioral features of clients are caused, on the one hand, by external social (or natural) reasons, in particular, socio-economic difficulties, poverty, unemployment, retirement and its low standard of living, abuse by representatives of the authorities and violence from the outside. other people and groups (including those related to crime), failures in personal and family life (divorce or family discord, etc.), ethnic and racial conflicts, the consequences of participating in hostilities, being in extreme situations (severe illness, disability, natural disasters, etc.). On the other hand, the psychological problems of clients are due to the characteristics of the personality structure itself. It is the superposition of the noted objective life situations and the subjective internal characteristics of a given person that ultimately leads to psychological dissatisfaction with his life. Hence, it is quite clear that a psychosocial worker is obliged in his work with clients to provide him not only with social and organizational assistance within the framework of his capabilities, but also be able to competently solve purely psychological problems of the client, actively using correction and rehabilitation methods and means.
Among the numerous methods and means of correction and rehabilitation of clients, psychological counseling and psychotherapy, which are a diverse set of specific techniques, techniques, and techniques used in practical work, are of paramount importance in psychological work with clients. It should be noted that both psychological counseling and psychotherapy in solving client problems are based on basic principles and therefore include a number of relevant basic approaches: diagnostic (diagnostic scale), functional (functional school), problem solving method, psychoanalytic, cognitive, behavioral (behavioral ), multimodal (along with the behavioral one also includes the analysis of the sensory processes of the personality, interpersonal relations, imagination), existential-humanistic (humanistic and existential psychology), the transactional approach (based on the transactional analysis of gestalt psychology), systemic, integrative (based on the principle: for each client has its own psychotherapy), ontopsychological, approach from the standpoint of transpersonal psychology, activity and others.
List of used literature
1. Basova, V.M. Social work: study guide / V.M. Basova, N.F. Basov, S.V. Boytsova. - M .: Dashkov and K, 2008 .-- 364 p.
2. Gulina, M.A. Psychology of social work: textbook for universities / M.A. Gulina. - SPb .: Peter, 2004 .-- 352 p.
3. Zainysheva, I.G. Social work technology: textbook. manual for stud. higher. study. institutions / I.G. Zainysheva. - M .: VLADOS, 2002 .-- 240 p.
4. Kravchenko, A.I. Social work: a textbook for universities / A.I. Kravchenko. - M .: Prospect; Welby, 2008 .-- 416 p.
5. Kulebyakin, E.V. Psychology of social work / E.V. Kulebyakin. - Vladivostok: Far Eastern University Publishing House, 2004. - 82 p.
6. Nikitin, V.A. Social work: problems of theory and training of specialists: textbook / V.A. Nikitin. - M .: Moscow Psychological and Social Institute, 2002 .-- 236 p.
7. Romm, M.V. The theory of social work: textbook / M.V. Romm, T.A. Romm. - Novosibirsk: [b.i.], 1999. - 52 p.
8. Safonova, L.V. Content and methods of psychosocial work / L.V. Safonov. - M .: Academy, 2006 .-- 224 p.
10. Firsov, M.V. Psychology of social work: Content and methods of psychosocial practice: textbook. manual for stud. higher. study, institutions / M.V. Firsov, B.Yu. Shapiro. - M .: Academy, 2002 .-- 192 p.
11. Firsov, M.V. The theory of social work: textbook. manual for stud. higher. study. institutions / M.V. Firsov, E.G. Studenova. - M .: VLADOS, 2001 .-- 432 p.
12. Kholostova, E.I. Theory of social work: textbook / E.I. Kholostova. - M .: Yurist, 1999 .-- 334 p.
13. Kholostova, E.I. Technologies of social work: textbook / E.I. Kholostova. - M .: INFRA-M, 2001 .-- 400 p.
14. Chernetskaya, A.A. Technologies of social work: a textbook for universities / A.A. Chernetskaya. - M .: Phoenix, 2006 .-- 346 p.
15. Shemet, I.S. Integrative psychotechnology in social work: scientific publication / I.S. Shemet. - Kostroma: KSU, 2004 .-- 226 p.
In our daily life we are faced with such heterogeneous and important phenomena for us as communication; role, interpersonal and intergroup relationships; conflicts; gossip; fashion; panic; conformism. The above and similar phenomena are based, first of all, on the mental activity and behavior of people who interact with each other as social subjects. In other words, we are talking about the phenomena generated by the interaction of both individuals and their associations - social groups: this is a family, and a production team, and a company of friends, and a sports team, and a political party, and the whole people that make up the population of one or another country.
Any of the mentioned social subjects - a specific person or a specific social group - interacts with another social subject (s) in accordance with certain laws that have a psychological and at the same time social nature. However, this psychological is so closely intertwined with the social that an attempt to separate them in a concrete interaction of people is doomed to failure in advance.
For example, the course of a conflict between two students will undoubtedly be influenced by the peculiarities of their characters, temperaments, motives, goals, emotions, social statuses, roles and attitudes. But; nevertheless, factors of a completely different order will turn out to be decisive here, namely: the real behavior of these persons, their mutual perception, relationships, as well as the social situation in which all this is happening. Even without a deep analysis, it is clear that each of these factors is, as it were, an alloy of the social and the psychological. Therefore, the designation "socio-psychological" is best suited to these factors and the corresponding phenomena. In turn, a science that studies such phenomena and their patterns can rightfully be called social psychology.
Here it should be noted right away that social psychology studies not only socio-psychological phenomena. As an applied science, it explores the socio-psychological aspect (or side) of any real phenomena in the life and activities of people in almost all spheres. This fully applies to the spheres of economy, politics, law, religion, ethnic relations, education, family, etc.
In order to show how the socio-psychological aspect relates to aspects of other sciences and how these sciences themselves relate in the study of a specific phenomenon, let us take an ordinary exam as an example. From the point of view of sociology, this is a type of interaction between representatives of two social groups (teachers and students), aimed at realizing their public and personal interests and goals. From the point of view of general psychology, an exam is an episode of mental activity and behavior of a certain individual (subject). Moreover, if a teacher is taken as a subject, then the student will be nothing more than an object of his activity. If the position of the subject is assigned to the student, then, accordingly, the teacher becomes the object of his activity. From the standpoint of pedagogy, the exam is one of the forms of control of the assimilation of knowledge by students, and from the standpoint of informatics, it is a special case of information exchange. And only from the point of view of social psychology, the exam is considered as a specific communication of individuals within the framework of their specific social roles and interpersonal relationships.
In other words, if the exam interests us as a kind of communication (conflict or contact, role or interpersonal, etc.), during which the participants influence each other, as well as this or that development of their mutual relations, then we must turn to precisely to social psychology. In turn, this will make it possible to use theoretical knowledge, conceptual apparatus, optimal means and research methods that are adequate to the problem being solved. At the same time, in order to understand the whole essence of what is happening in the process of a particular exam, in addition to social psychology, certain knowledge in the field of sociology, general psychology, pedagogy and, of course, in the academic discipline in which this exam is passed, will be required.
Social psychology relatively recently entered the state educational standard for all pedagogical specialties. For a long time, social psychology was studied only by students of psychological faculties, and most of the domestic textbooks and teaching aids on social psychology were focused on them. In fact, s.p. as a science and a branch of knowledge is relevant for all specialists working in the field of "man-to-man".
(and you will understand this as soon as we touch on the subject of its study)
Social psychology as an independent branch of scientific knowledge began to form at the end of the 19th century, but the concept itself began to be widely used only after 1908 in connection with the appearance of the works of W. McDougall and E. Ross. These authors were the first to introduce the term "social psychology" in the title of their works. Some questions s.p. were put a very long time ago in the framework of philosophy and were in the nature of understanding the features of the relationship between man and society. However, the study of social and psychological scientific problems proper began in the 19th century, when sociologists, psychologists, philosophers, literary scholars, ethnographers, and physicians began to analyze the psychological phenomena of social groups and the characteristics of mental processes and human behavior depending on the influence of the people around them.
By this time, science was quite "ripe" in order to identify some socio-psychological laws. But it turned out that the problems posed were very difficult to study within the framework of the sciences that existed at that time. Integration was needed. And above all - the integration of sociology and psychology, because psychology examines the human psyche, and sociology - society.
Regularities are the most essential, recurring phenomena that arise every time, under certain conditions.
G. M. Andreeva defines the specifics of the social. psychology as follows: - is the study of the patterns of behavior and activities of people, due to their inclusion in social groups, as well as the psychological characteristics of these groups.
S.P. - This is a branch of psychological science that studies the laws governing the emergence and functioning of socio-psychological phenomena that are the result of the interaction of people as representatives of different communities. (Krysko V.G.)
For comparison - the definition of the American school of social. psychology:
SP is a scientific study of the experience and behavior of an individual in connection with the impact on him of a social situation.
SP is a scientific study of the relationship of individuals to each other, in groups and in society. (from the book by PN Shikhirev "Modern joint venture of the USA")?
SP is a science that studies how people learn about each other, how they influence and relate to each other (David Myers) - he gives this definition based on the fact that SP-gi, in his opinion, study attitudes and beliefs, conformism and independence, love and hate.
Introduction
The psychology and behavior of each individual depends significantly on his social environment, or environment. The social environment is a complex society, consisting of numerous, diverse, more or less stable associations of people, called groups.
There are groups that differ in size, in the nature and structure of relations existing between their members, in their individual composition, characteristics of values, norms and rules of relationships shared by participants, interpersonal relationships, goals and content of activities, i.e. these characteristics are unstable. The general rules of conduct that all members of a group must adhere to are called group codes. All these characteristics are the main parameters by which groups are distinguished, divided and studied in social psychology.
Specificity of the socio-psychological approach
People who have a common significant social attribute based on their participation in some activity are united in groups. The problem of groups in sociology and social psychology is the most important issue.
In human society, many different kinds of associations arise, and therefore the fundamental issue of sociological analysis is the question of which criterion should be used to isolate groups from them. In the social sciences, the concept of "group" can be used in different ways. In demographic analysis or statistics, for example, conditional groups are meant.
Conditional groups are arbitrary associations of people according to some common criterion required in a given analysis system.
That is, a group is considered to be several people who have some common feature, who gave certain indicators, etc.
In other sciences, the group means really existing education. In such a group, people are united by some common feature, type of joint activity, or placed in any identical conditions, circumstances in the process of life. At the same time, people consciously refer themselves to this group (to varying degrees).
Social psychology deals primarily with really existing groups. In this respect, her approach differs from the sociological one. The main problem of the sociological approach is to find an objective criterion for distinguishing between groups. These differences can be in religious, political, ethnic characteristics. From the point of view of any objective criterion accepted as the main one for each system of sociological knowledge, sociology analyzes each social group, its relations with society and the interpersonal relations of its members.
In the course of his life, a person performs various social functions, and may be a member of various social groups. Therefore, the socio-psychological approach considers a person as a point of intersection of various group influences. That is, a person is formed at the intersection of these groups. This determines the place of the individual in the system of social activity, and also affects the formation of the consciousness of the individual. The personality is included in the system of views, values, ideas, norms of the various groups in which he is a member. It is important to determine the resultant of all group influences. And for this it is necessary to establish the value of the group for a person in psychological terms, what characteristics are important for a given member of the group. Here, in social psychology, it is necessary to correlate the sociological approach and the psychological one.
If the sociological approach is characterized by the search for objective criteria for distinguishing between really existing social groups, then the psychological one is characterized mainly by consideration of the very fact of the presence of a multitude of persons, in the conditions of which the activity of the individual proceeds. In this case, the interest is focused not on the meaningful activity of the group, but on the form of actions of this person in the presence of other people and interaction with them. The question was posed in this way in socio-psychological research in the early stages of the development of social psychology. The group here is not considered a real social unit of society, a microenvironment for the formation of personality. However, for some purposes just such an approach is necessary, especially in the framework of general psychological analysis. The question is whether this approach is sufficient for social psychology. The definition of a group as a simple set, of which a person is an element, or as an interaction of people differing in common social norms, values and in certain relationships to each other, is only a statement of the presence of many people acting side by side or together. This definition does not characterize the group in any way, and in the analysis there is no content side of this set of persons. The words about the presence of certain relationships within the group also say little: the presence of relationships in any association is important, however, without describing the nature of these relationships, this addition is insignificant. When relationships are a characteristic of a social group included in a certain system of social activity, then it is possible to determine the significance of these relationships for the individual.
All of the above allows us to conclude that for social psychology, a simple statement of a multitude of people or even the presence of some kind of relationship within it is insufficient. The task is to unite the sociological and (we will call it that) "general psychological" approach to the group. If we recognize that social psychology, first of all, investigates the patterns of behavior and activities of people, conditioned by the fact of their inclusion in real social groups, then it must be admitted that the focus of the analysis is precisely the meaningful characteristics of such groups, the identification of the specifics of the impact on the personality of a specific social group. groups, and not just an analysis of the "mechanism" of such an impact. This formulation is logical from the point of view of the general methodological principles of the theory of activity. The significance of the group for the individual, first of all, is that the group is a certain system of activity, given by its place in the system of social division of labor, and therefore itself acts as a subject of a certain type of activity and through it is included in the entire system of social relations.
In order to provide this kind of analysis, social psychology needs to rely on the results of sociological analysis of groups, i.e. refer to those real social groups that are identified according to sociological criteria in each given type of society, and then, on this basis, carry out a description of the psychological characteristics of each group, their significance for each individual member of the group. An important component of such an analysis is, of course, the mechanism for the formation of the psychological characteristics of the group.
If we accept the proposed interpretation of the group as a subject of social activity, then, obviously, it is possible to single out some features inherent in it precisely as a subject of activity. The commonality of the content of the group's activity also gives rise to the commonality of the psychological characteristics of the group, whether we call them "group consciousness" or some other term. The psychological characteristics of a group should include such group formations as group interests, group needs, group norms, group values, group opinion, group goals. And although the modern level of development of social psychology does not have either the tradition or the necessary methodological equipment for the analysis of all these formations, it is extremely important to raise the question of the "legitimacy" of such an analysis, because it is precisely by these characteristics that each group is psychologically different from the other. For an individual belonging to a group, the awareness of belonging to it is carried out primarily through the acceptance of these characteristics, i.e. through the awareness of the fact of some mental community with other members of a given social group, which allows him to identify with the group. We can say that the "border" of the group is perceived as the border of this psychic community. When analyzing the development of groups and their role in the history of human society, it was found that the main, purely psychological characteristic of a group is the presence of the so-called “we-feeling”. This means that the universal principle of the mental formation of a community is the distinction for the individuals in the group, of a certain formation "we", as opposed to another formation - "they". “We-feeling” expresses the need to differentiate one community from another and is a kind of indicator of the awareness of a person’s belonging to a certain group, ie. social identity. The statement of a person's belonging to a group is of considerable interest for social psychology, allowing one to consider a psychological community as a kind of psychological "cut" of a real social group. The specificity of the socio-psychological analysis of the group manifests itself precisely here: the real social groups identified by the means of sociology are considered, but in them, further, those of their features are determined, which together make the group a psychological community, i.e. allow each member to identify with the group.
With this interpretation, the psychological characteristics of the group are fixed, and the group itself can be defined as "a community of interacting people in the name of a conscious goal, a community that objectively acts as a subject of action." The degree of detail with which further analysis can reveal the characteristics of such a commonality depends on the particular level of development of the problem. So, for example, some authors do not limit themselves only to the study of the named group characteristics, but also propose to see in a group, by analogy with an individual, such indicators as group memory, group will, group thinking, etc. At present, however, there is no sufficiently convincing theoretical and experimental evidence that this approach is productive.
While the last of the above characteristics are controversial in terms of whether they relate to the psychological description of the group, others, such as group norms or group values, group decisions are investigated in social psychology precisely as belonging to special group formations. The interest in these formations is not accidental: only their knowledge will help to more specifically reveal the mechanism of communication between the individual and society. Society affects the individual precisely through the group, and it is extremely important to understand how group influences mediate between the individual and society. But in order to accomplish this task, it is necessary to consider the group not just as a “set”, but as a real unit of society, included in the broad context of social activity, which is the main integrating factor and the main feature of a social group. The general participation of group members in joint group activities determines the formation of a psychological community between them, and thus, under this condition, the group really becomes a socio-psychological phenomenon, i.e. object of research in social psychology.
Much attention in the history of social psychology has been paid to the study of the characteristics of groups, their impact on the individual. There are several salient features of such research.
1. The group approach is considered as one of the options for the socio-psychological approach. There is also an individual approach in American psychology. Both of these approaches are a consequence of two sources of origin of social psychology: sociology and psychology. Supporters of both the group and the individual approach find the reasons for the social behavior of people. But for supporters of an individual approach, it is typical to search for only the nearest reasons for such behavior. The group is important for them only as a fact of the presence of many people, but outside the wider social system in which it is included. Here is a purely formal understanding of the group.
The group approach, on the other hand, penetrates mainly outside the group, where a given person draws norms and values, into the social characteristics of social relations. This approach is widespread in European social psychology. It substantiates the idea of the need for social context in any research. It criticizes such a study of groups, when all group processes are divided into different fragments, while the meaning of the content activity of the group is lost.
2. Many authors defining a group separate two main blocks of socio-psychological research. The first block is characterized by the study of processes that characterize human communication and interaction - communication, interaction, attraction, perception, etc. It is assumed that all these processes take place in a group, but such a variable as group activity is not presented in the studies. The second block of research is related to the study of the groups themselves. He studies the size of the group, its composition, structure. The group processes studied in the first block are also mentioned, but without connection with joint group activities. Consequently, the description of the processes is obtained in isolation, essential parameters of the group are excluded when studying its internal processes.
3. All attention in traditional social psychology is paid only to a certain type of group - small groups. To a greater extent, they study the emerging interpersonal relations, but it is not clear how they depend on the nature of group activity and how they are connected with social relations.
A clear statement of the requirements of a new approach to group research is needed. The main task is to more specifically consider the laws of human communication and interaction in real social cells, i.e. where they appear. To accomplish this task, in addition to the accepted certain methodological principles, it is necessary to set a conceptual apparatus. Within its framework, a group can be investigated and its main characteristics described. Such a conceptual scheme is necessary so that groups can be compared with each other, as well as to obtain comparable results in experimental studies.
social group psychological individual
