The communicative side of communication: concept, examples from life

Greetings, friends!

In psychology, 3 sides of communication are considered:

Perceptual. This is people's emotional perception of each other. Charisma, attractiveness, solidity, facial expressions and other human characteristics matter here.
Communicative. It is the exchange of knowledge, opinions and directions through verbal and non-verbal communication methods.
Interactive. This is the joint activity of people, as well as the actions by which they influence each other.

Today we will talk about the communicative side of communication. We will find out what it is, look at the structure of communication and look at some examples.

What is the communicative side of communication?

The communicative side of communication is the totality of all aspects of interaction aimed at exchanging useful information (knowledge, instructions, ideas, beliefs, opinions, views, etc.). In this case, there are 2 communication channels:

Verbal. These are all types of verbal communication (both oral and written). Verbal communication provides the highest speed of information transfer, and therefore forms the basis of interpersonal interaction.
Non-verbal. This is the transmission of information through gestures, facial expressions and signs, but without the use of words. Nonverbal communication allows small pieces of information to be exchanged quickly.

Thus, the communicative side of communication is not always associated with spoken words. For example, the phrases “Hello!” or “Nice to meet you!” do not convey information, therefore they belong to the perceptual side. At the same time, the usual nod in response to a question is part of the communicative side of communication.

Functions of the communicative side of communication:

Information exchange. This is the transfer and receipt of knowledge of varying degrees of value (scientific discussion, spreading gossip).
Influence on attitudes and beliefs. The “correct” presentation of information allows you to purposefully influence a person’s subjective opinion on any issue.
Giving orders, making demands. An army order, a requirement from superiors, a doctor’s recommendation, a friendly proposal - all this also applies to the communicative side of communication.

Structure of communication in psychology

When communicating, the social relationship of people to each other is realized. During the exchange of information, each person is rooted as a full member of society. The concept of “communication” is a complex form of interaction, therefore, in order to understand its essence, it is necessary to study its components:

communication;
interaction;
social perception.

The diagram shows that each part is responsible for one of the sides of communication.

Scheme

Examples of the communicative side of communication

To better understand what the communicative side of communication is and how to separate it from the perceptual and interactive side, let's look at a few examples from everyday life:

Date. When you have a romantic interest, all three aspects are at their maximum. Both the guy and the girl try to impress each other with their appearance, smell and manners - this is the perceptual side of their communication. They tell each other about themselves, their tastes and interests - this is the communicative component. In addition, they engage in various joint activities: walking in the park, eating ice cream, roller skating - this is the interactive side.
Communication in the store. When you approach the counter, the first thing you do is smile at the seller and say hello to him - this is the perceptual side. Then you say what you want to buy, and the seller counts the amount and tells it to you - this is the communicative side. Next, the seller gives you the purchases, and you pay for them - this is the interactive component of communication.
Ads. Suppose we are shown a cup of hot, steaming coffee and a delicious cheesecake topped with syrup. The visuals stimulate the appetite – this is the perceptual aspect (builds trust in the establishment). At the same time, they explain to us how and where we can try all these goodies - this is the communicative component of the advertising message.

In the last example there is no interactive component, since the communication is one-way and does not involve interaction. But the communicative component is fully present and fulfills all its functions: it tells the viewer about the cafe, arouses desire and encourages them to come to the establishment in the near future.

Interactive side

If there are usually no difficulties in understanding the meaning of the communicative side, then the interactive side raises many questions. Interaction is understood as the activity of the participants in communication, their interaction.

3 sides of communication

Interaction can be viewed from several perspectives. First of all, this is how contact is made - in person or using different means of communication - telephone, PC, and, accordingly, instant messengers, email.

Additional tools are used not only in personal communication, but also in business and education. Remember that today schools and universities organize the educational process remotely.

On the other hand, the interactive side refers to what roles the participants in communication take on.

The most famous scheme includes three roles:

Adult. This person knows how to take responsibility for communication and is able to make decisions. He does not use any games in interaction, does not imagine himself in the role of a victim, and does not seek to lecture his partners. Clearly understands what he needs and what he can do to achieve the goal.

Parent. A person in this role is inclined to demand submission and obedience, to teach, to convince from the position of a wise parent. He rarely objectively evaluates his role, as well as the role of other people. His motto is “must”, without any explanations or arguments.
Child. The communication partner, playing the role of a child, submits to desires and demands that others satisfy his needs. He does not want to adequately assess his capabilities.

A similar pattern of interaction can be observed in communication with family, friends, and at work.

But the interactive side can also be considered from the point of view of the direction of communication. Interaction will be productive when the parties are inclined to coordinate joint actions. Together they are determined to achieve common goals and respect each other’s interests.

Communication can be based on competition. Of course, business organizations and competitions immediately come to mind. However, members of the same family – parents and children, brothers and sisters – can also compete. Example - a child plays chess well, the dad’s goal is to prove that he plays better and can win.

If cooperation always plays a positive role, then the position of competition is twofold.

The third type of relationship in communication is based on conflict. One or both parties consciously strive for quarrel, drama, mismatch of interaction.

Communication structure

Any communication requires the presence of 4 mandatory elements:

message (transmitted information);
message sender (communicator);
link;
recipient of the message (recipient).

In the case of interpersonal communication, there is also a fifth element - feedback. Feedback is the recipient's reaction to a message, which the communicator takes into account. In the examples discussed above, feedback is present between the guy and the girl (they jointly decide how to spend the evening), as well as between the seller and the buyer. But in the example with advertising there is no feedback.

Why is effective communication so important?

Effective communication can build trust, help people understand you better, gain someone's respect, and develop relationships with others. It is necessary to establish reliable contact, as well as to strengthen relationships as needed.

Through effective communication, unnecessary problems in relationships can be avoided. It can be useful in terms of decision making, drawing conclusions and solving problems through interaction in conflict situations. It can also come in handy if you need to communicate something unpleasant. Good relationships with people reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. You will also always have reliable social support.

Working in a team or group of like-minded people also requires effective communication skills. Achieving consensus is only possible through communication between people. You must have the confidence to influence people and make them believe you.

Good communication with family and friends can help you share your problems and feelings with them. Effective communication is essential to developing friendships and connections. You don't need to depend on other people to say things for you if you can do it yourself.

Here are some of the most effective communication skills:

Listening skills
Ability to speak briefly
Ability to show interest
The ability not to be reprehensible
Ability to accurately use nonverbal communication
Observation
Ability to cope with stress
Ability to speak clearly and clearly

Stages of the communication process

Psychologists distinguish 5 stages in this process:

Performance. The sender clearly imagines the thought that he wants to convey to the recipient.
Embodiment. He embodies this thought in the form of a set of words, gestures or symbols.
Broadcast. Information is transmitted to the recipient via the selected communication channel.
Interpretation. The recipient decodes the information, turning it into his own thoughts (not always what the sender expected)
Feedback. The recipient reacts to the message, and the sender reads this reaction.

Looking at this list, it is easy to guess that at each stage of the communication process there may be interference, due to which the meaning of the information will be distorted.

Dividing the communication structure into levels

Functions of communication in psychology and their brief description

The structural components of communication are divided into levels, each of which allows one to analyze the characteristics of the influence of one person on another, as well as the nature of their communication.

Levels according to A.B. Dobrovich

A.B. Dobrovich divided the structure of human interaction into 7 levels:

Primitive. He is characterized by easy and simple communication.
Conventional. The level at which partners are able to build communication on the rules that they themselves have established.
Manipulative. To obtain benefits, one of the partners may use tricks and tricks.
Standardized. During communication at this level, partners strive to hide their true motives, goals, desires and feelings.
Game. Communication is built on sympathy for the partner, the desire to make a pleasant impression on him.
Business. Communication involves solving any important issues that require mental activity.
Spiritual. This level is characterized by the presence of mutual interest of partners not only in each other, but also in joint activities. In the course of a common cause, each participant receives moral satisfaction.

It was proposed to allocate 2 times fewer levels by B.F. Lomov:

Macro level. A person’s relationships with other individuals are built according to social norms, customs and traditions.
Mesa level. Communication covers only a few substantive topics. Communication at this level can be either reusable or one-time.
Micro level. Interaction is built only on the basis of short contact: a handshake, a pantomic or facial act, a question and answer.

The micro level in the structure of communication is the foundation underlying all other communications.

Communication between people can be harmonious and complete only if there is a close relationship between non-verbal and verbal signals and the behavioral actions of the participants. The more individuals are focused on quality contact, the more strongly these factors need to be demonstrated.

Means of information transmission

Information can be transmitted in two ways: verbally (verbally) and non-verbally. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Verbal communication

Verbal refers to all forms of information transfer that involve words in one way or another. This may be oral speech, plain printed text, embossed dotted text in Braille, an audio message transmitted using Morse code, or a visual message using semaphore alphabet.

Regardless of the channel of information transmission, a message that can be translated into speech (a set of words) is verbal.

There are 3 types of verbal communication:

formalized – communication that obeys certain rules (conferences, meetings);
partially formalized - communication that is not subject to strict rules, but implies compliance with norms (small talk, meeting new people);
informal – everyday communication that does not imply specific rules (conversations with friends, relatives).

Non-verbal communication

Nonverbal communication is the transfer of information using gestures, intonation, signs and other symbols. Its importance is understood by every person who uses a telephone and knows how difficult it can be to understand the interlocutor without seeing his gestures and facial expressions. Psychologists who study interpersonal communications believe that nonverbal communication accounts for up to 55% of transmitted information.

Types of obtaining information

The information voiced by the communicator can be of two types:

motivating and stimulating;
stating, affirming.

Incentive information can be presented in the form of orders and instructions; it is intended to motivate action.

Such information may vary:

activation, that is, an urge to act in a certain direction;
a ban on certain actions;
coordination of certain actions of another person.

Ascertaining activity does not force a person to change his behavior; information can be presented in an indifferent form or in the presence of a certain conviction, imposing one’s own opinion.

Introduction

The textbook that you are now holding in your hands is addressed to all those whose activities (in the future or present) are related to communication, to all who, by the nature of their occupation, must communicate effectively and competently with people, who strive to improve interpersonal relationships.

The content of the textbook meets the requirements of the State Standard of Vocational Education.

The main goal of the academic discipline that you have to study is the formation of a professional with certain psychological and moral qualities necessary in everyday activities.

The German philologist, philosopher, and linguist Wilhelm Humboldt (1767-1835) noted that there is nothing more interesting for a person than people. We communicate with people every day (at home, at work, in transport, in stores), interact with them and try to draw conclusions about the behavior of others. So, for example, we know how to “read” by external manifestations - facial expressions, voice, and try to determine the emotional state of another person. From early childhood, children behave and talk very differently with their grandmother, father, and mother. They begin to understand early on at what point they can come up with a request (demand), and when they need to remain silent or postpone the request until better times. As you can see, everyday experience tells us different behavioral tactics, and in this sense we can safely call ourselves psychologists.

The ability to distinguish the mood of other people, the characteristics of their character and behavior in communication belongs to the field of everyday psychology. Official science is based on everyday psychology and appeared only in the last quarter of the 19th century (in 1879, the German psychologist W. Wundt founded the first laboratory of experimental psychology in Leipzig).

The word "psychology" comes from the Greek words: psyhe

(soul) and
loqia
(science, understanding) - and means “science of the soul.” Ancient and young, full of secrets and mysteries, it attracts the attention of thinking people.

Currently psychology

is the science of the laws of development and functioning of the psyche as a special form of life activity. Psychology is a branched system of sciences; it has relatively independent sub-branches: developmental psychology, educational, medical, military, social, management psychology and others.

The textbook examines social psychology, which studies patterns of communication, interpersonal cognition, and group behavior, and also reveals the importance of ethics and business culture in establishing contacts. Knowledge of psychology, ethics of communication and culture of behavior is always in demand and practically necessary.

By the beginning of the 21st century, many remarkable discoveries had been made in various fields of science: physics, chemistry, genetics, medicine, but man still remains the most complex and unknown mystery, which means that the saying “another soul is darkness” will remain relevant for a long time. After all, even a person’s self-interest has two sides. On the one hand, he is interested in himself. Remember how in a group photo we look for our face: “How did it turn out?” On the other hand, we don’t always want (we don’t always strive, we are afraid) to get an idea of ourselves, to see the negative sides, to learn the “bitter” truth. We readily notice the shortcomings of another, explain the bad behavior of our partner by his shortcomings and at the same time are reluctant to discuss our own shortcomings, and we explain (justify) unworthy behavior (of course, not characteristic of us) by external circumstances: “that’s how the stars aligned,” “life forced us” … Research conducted by psychologists and sociologists shows that we are more concerned with how to change other people. We look for the reasons for our personal failures and ill-being in other people, in current situations and circumstances, but not in ourselves.

Each person is unique, inimitable. Knowing yourself, managing yourself, feeling the joy of communication, adapting to new conditions, living in harmony with others, and also learning to hear, listen and understand a person - these are the main tasks

discipline being studied. These tasks can be easily solved with proper business relationships.

Business relationship

belong to the type of social relations and are considered as relationships between partners and colleagues that arise in the process of joint activities and in a team. In business relationships, employees should focus on the partner, the consumer, which, in turn, increases interest in professional activities. Business relationships are closely related to communication.

Communication

is a complex process of establishing and developing contacts between people.
The main thing in communication is not memorizing the rules, but mastering the culture of relationships and the culture of speech in order to briefly and accurately, expressively and intelligibly convey your thoughts to your interlocutor. It reveals values such as sensitivity, responsiveness, kindness, empathy and understanding. All these values are inextricably linked with the culture
of behavior, i.e. with such actions and forms of communication of people that are based on morality, aesthetic taste, as well as compliance with certain norms and rules.

Self-test questions

1. Folk sayings, proverbs, fairy tales and myths, parables serve as the sources of psychological theories and branches of psychology.

Give examples of apt proverbs and sayings that reflect knowledge of everyday psychology.

2. Does your behavior change depending on who you communicate with?

3. Do you know how to accept a remark with dignity and respond to it appropriately?

Don’t rush to answer, think about your behavior and try to critically (as if from the outside) evaluate it. The textbook will help you understand the intricacies of interpersonal communication, in which you need not only to know your strengths and weaknesses, but also to learn how to translate weaknesses into strengths.

Conditions

Speech communication will be successful if the following conditions are met:

speech should be as consistent as possible with the purpose of communication , not contain elements that are not related to the topic under discussion, be concise and adequate.
The speech must be grammatically correct and accurately reflect the message that needs to be conveyed to the interlocutor.
The presentation of thoughts should be logical and consistent . A well-structured narrative structure contributes to its successful perception by the listener.

Psycho-social and environmental factors in effective communication

Effective communication is the ability to appropriately address another person's social and cultural background. If the social and cultural background of the interlocutors is different, their messages will not be interpreted properly, since the social reality of both will be at different levels.

Context or environment also influences the effectiveness of communication as people should not laugh when someone is crying. The position should always complement the situation. Effective communication is when social, cultural or environmental factors are used to influence people and convey clear messages to them.

Effective and ineffective communication

- You think so? – asked the March hare.
“Yes, I think so,” answered Alice. - That is, it seems to me that I’ll guess if I can. But it's the same thing.
“Of course, it’s not the same thing,” shouted the Hatter. – Is it the same thing to say: “I see everything I eat” or “I eat everything I see?”
"Alice in Wonderland", Lewis Carroll

In this dialogue you can see an example of effective and ineffective communication. If a message is interpreted differently than expected, it can be considered ineffective. Saying what someone means and meaning what someone says are two completely different things. Such messages create confusion and misunderstanding.

Thus, learning effective communication skills is an extremely important step in the life of every person.

Examples

Effective communication in conflict. Returning from the army to his parents' house, the son spent the day surrounded by relatives, after which in the evening he got ready to visit close friends. Looking around at the mirror, he heard his father’s demanding voice: “You must be home at 10 pm.” Without stopping what he was doing, the son calmly said: “Forget it, dad. This is already in the past." Conciseness, confidence and calmness in this case were the best way out of a brewing conflict situation, since these are the qualities that are inherent in a mature, independent man.
Effective communication with children . A very indicative scene from the movie “Gentlemen of Fortune”, when the teacher addresses children who do not want to have breakfast: “Children, breakfast is canceled for today, because we are flying on a rocket to Mars, so take the space spoons in your hands and thoroughly refresh yourself, because we will return to Earth only for lunch.”

Adjusting to the children's wishes and subsequent rejection of persuasion, which children are prejudiced against, allowed them to switch their attention and look at the situation from a different perspective.