Conversation is a research method in psychology. Types, advantages and disadvantages of the method

A common diagnostic survey method in psychology is a conversation that allows you to obtain information about the motives of behavior, identify the necessary character traits, and features of the subjective world of the individual. As an independent method, conversation is intensively used in advisory, diagnostic and psychocorrectional psychology.

Conversation in psychology is a means of collecting data, as well as a tool of persuasion, information, and education. It is used in medical, legal, political, and developmental branches of psychology.

Conditions for the conversation

The qualified use of conversation in psychology is the use of fundamental knowledge, communication skills, and the competence of a practical psychologist as a specialist. Questions must be correctly asked and formulated, and have a logical relationship with each other. But the main condition of the method is the respondent’s trust in the researcher.

A conversation in psychology should take place according to a pre-constructed plan, be based on mutual trust, have the appearance of a dialogue and not an interrogation, and exclude suggestion or hint offered as a question. A conversation in psychology is a question-and-answer method of communication between a researcher and a subject in free form on a specific topic.

An important condition for conducting the conversation method in psychology is maintaining confidentiality, ethical standards, and showing respect for the interlocutor. Supporting actions are provided by questionnaires to verify the accuracy of the data and recording the conversation on a voice recorder.

The conversation method is associated with external and internal observation, which involves obtaining non-verbal information and comparing it with verbal information: assessing the subject’s attitude towards the researcher, the subject of the conversation, the situation, the sincerity and responsibility of the individual.

Requirements for conducting a conversation

Despite the popularity of the apparent simplicity of the method, the conversation should be conducted carefully and in accordance with clear regulations. Otherwise, simple communication risks developing into interrogation. To prevent this from happening, specialists adhere to certain requirements:

• the content of the conversation must be prepared in advance
• Before any communication between the psychologist and the respondent, a trusting relationship must be established
• questions must be clear to the client
• the conversation should include not only direct questions, but also leading ones
• Direct and unexpected questions should be included in the conversation to monitor the client's reaction and compare it with expected results
• Any conversation must be recorded. Preferably, not in a notepad, but on a voice recorder. So that the details of the conversation are not lost, forgotten or distorted.

Types of conversation

Types of conversation in psychology are divided into the following:

• individual;
• group - several subjects take part in the conversation;
• structured or formalized;
• standardized - increases the ease of processing information, but reduces the degree of cognition: incomplete information is possible;
• non-standardized - it goes at ease, prepared questions are posed according to the circumstances of the conversation, which increases the complexity of data processing;
• organizational: according to the method of implementation - at the place of work, residence, in the psychologist’s office.

On the initiative, the following types of conversation are distinguished:

• controlled - occurs on the initiative of a psychologist who supports the topic of conversation. The disproportionality of the initiative can create closedness of the respondent, simplification of answers to monosyllabic ones;
• uncontrollable - arises on the initiative of the defendant and can take the form of confession, and the psychologist collects the necessary information for the intended purposes, using the ability to listen.

Conversation structure

The stages of the conversation are not strictly limited; each of them can gradually move into the next one or be planned:

1. Introductory part. Plays a role in creating an atmosphere of conversation and creating an appropriate mood in the interlocutor. It is necessary to indicate the importance of the respondent’s participation in the conversation, arouse his interest, and communicate the goals of the results. In addition, you need to indicate the time of testing, whether the survey will be the only one with this person, and mention the guarantee of confidentiality.
2. Second phase. Identification of questions that elicit maximum free expression from the interlocutor on a given topic.
3. Third stage. Its task is to conduct a detailed study of the issues under discussion by moving from general to specific issues. The most difficult and active stage is the culmination of the conversation, during which the psychologist must listen, observe, ask questions, maintaining the conversation in the right direction.
4. The final stage. Attempts are made to ease tension and express gratitude for participation.

Conversation method in personality research Added by Psychology OnLine.Net 04/11/2008 (Edit 03/30/2020) Main types of conversations in personality research

As you know, conversation is one of the most productive methods in personality psychology, making it possible to peer into a person’s inner world and largely understand its complex, often contradictory content. The special place of conversation in the arsenal of personality research methods is also due to the fact that, although this method does not require the use of complex additional apparatus and equipment, at the same time, like no other, it places high demands on the experimental psychologist, his skill, professional maturity. The possibilities of conversation as a dialogue - an instrument for meeting person with person - are associated, in particular, with the breadth of choice of the type of conversation in the spectrum from “fully controlled” to “almost free”. The main criteria for classifying a conversation as a certain type are the features of a pre-prepared plan (program and strategy) and the nature of standardization of the conversation, i.e. its tactics. By program and strategy, as a rule, we mean a set of semantic topics compiled by a psychologist in accordance with the goals and objectives of the conversation and the sequence of movement between them. The higher the degree of standardization of the conversation, the more strict, defined and unchangeable the set and form of the psychologist’s questions in it, that is, the more rigid and limited his tactics are. Standardization of the conversation also means that the initiative in it moves to the side of the psychologist asking the questions. Thus, a fully controlled conversation presupposes a rigid program, strategy and tactics, and the opposite pole is an almost free conversation - the absence of a pre-formulated program and the presence of an initiative position in the conversation with the one with whom it is being held. Between them are the following main types of conversations:

• standardized conversation - a persistent program, strategy and tactics;
• partially standardized - a stable program and strategy, tactics much freer;
• free - the program and strategy are not determined in advance or only in basic terms, tactics are completely free.

Fully and partially standardized conversation allows comparison between different people; These types of interviews are more time-intensive, may draw on the psychologist's less clinical experience, and limit unintended exposure to the subject. However, their big drawback is that they do not seem to be a completely natural procedure, having a more or less pronounced connotation of an examination questioning, and therefore constraining spontaneity and triggering defense mechanisms. As a rule, this type of conversation is resorted to if the psychologist has already established cooperation with the interlocutor, the problem under study is simple and is rather partial in nature. A free-type conversation is always focused on a specific interlocutor. It allows you to obtain a lot of data not only directly, but also indirectly, maintain contact with your interlocutor, has a strong psychotherapeutic content, and ensures high spontaneity in the manifestation of significant signs. This type of conversation is characterized by particularly high demands on the professional maturity and level of the psychologist, his experience and ability to creatively use the conversation. In general, the procedure for conducting a conversation presupposes the possibility of including various modifications in it - tactical techniques that make it possible to especially enrich its content. So, in conversations with children, dolls, various toys, paper and pencil, and dramatic scenes work well. Similar techniques are possible in conversations with adults; it is only necessary that they organically enter into the conversation system. Presentation of specific material (for example, a scale) or discussion of the content of the drawing just completed by the subject becomes not only a “hook” for the further course of the conversation, expanding its programs, but also allows us to obtain additional indirect data about the subject. Structure of a conversation
Despite the obvious variety of types of conversation, they all have a number of constant structural blocks, consistent movement along which provides complete integrity to the conversation.
The introductory part of the conversation plays a very important role in the composition. It is here that it is necessary to interest the interlocutor, attract him to cooperation, that is, “set him up” for joint work. The important thing is who initiated the conversation. If it occurs on the initiative of a psychologist, then its introductory part should interest the interlocutor in the topic of the upcoming conversation, awaken the desire to participate in it, and make clear the significance of his personal participation in the conversation. Most often, this is achieved by appealing to the past experience of the interlocutor, showing friendly interest in his views, assessments, and opinions. The subject is also informed about the approximate duration of the conversation, its anonymity, and, if possible, its purpose and further use of the results. If the initiator of the upcoming conversation is not the psychologist himself, but his interlocutor, who addresses him about his problems, then the introductory part of the conversation should clearly demonstrate mainly the following: that the psychologist treats the positions of the interlocutor tactfully and carefully, he does not condemn anything, but also not justifies, accepting him as he is. In the introductory part of the conversation, the first check of its stylization occurs. After all, the set of expressions and phrases used by the psychologist and the address to the interlocutor depend on the latter’s age, gender, social status, living environment, and level of knowledge. In other words, the vocabulary, style, and conceptual form of statements should evoke and maintain a positive reaction and desire in the interlocutor to give complete and true information. The duration and content of the introductory part of the conversation fundamentally depend on the circumstances of whether it will be the only one with a given interlocutor or whether it can develop; what are the goals of the study, etc. At the initial stage of the conversation, a special role in establishing and maintaining contact is played by the psychologist’s non-verbal behavior, which indicates the understanding and support of the interlocutor. It is impossible to give a ready-made algorithm for the introductory part of a conversation, a repertoire of phrases and statements. It is important to have a clear idea of ​​its goals and objectives in this conversation. Their consistent implementation and the establishment of strong contact with the interlocutor allow one to move on to the next, second stage. It is characterized by the presence of general open-ended questions on the topic of the conversation, eliciting as many free statements as possible from the interlocutor, expressing his thoughts and experiences. This tactic allows the psychologist to accumulate certain factual event information. Successful completion of this task allows you to move on to the stage of a detailed direct discussion of the main topic of the conversation. (This logic of conversation development is also implemented within the development of each particular semantic topic: one should move from general open questions to more specific, concrete ones). Thus, the third stage of the conversation becomes a detailed study of the content of the problems being discussed. This is the culmination of the conversation, one of its most difficult stages, since everything here depends only on the psychologist, on his ability to ask questions, listen to the answers, and observe the behavior of the interlocutor. The content of the stage of such a study is completely determined by the specific goals and objectives of this conversation. The final phase is the end of the conversation. The transition to it is possible after successful and sufficiently complete completion of the previous stage of the study. Typically, some form of attempt is made here to ease the tension that arises during the conversation and appreciation for cooperation is expressed. If the conversation involves its subsequent continuation, then its completion should preserve the interlocutor’s readiness for further joint work. Of course, the described stages of the conversation do not have strict boundaries. The transitions between them are gradual and smooth. However, “jumping” through individual phases of a conversation can lead to a sharp decrease in the reliability of the data received and disrupt the process of communication and dialogue between interlocutors. Verbal communication during a conversation
Verbal communication during a conversation in a general sense presupposes the ability to correctly address your interlocutor, ask questions and listen to his answers. One of the main communication techniques that allows the interlocutor to more clearly express his thoughts, feelings, problems, and the psychologist to understand him, is the so-called “You approach” - studying a person in order to better understand him. Let us ask ourselves: what would interest us in this case? How would we react if we were our interlocutor? These are already the first steps in the direction of the “You-approach”. In verbal terms, it is realized in the transition from statements in the first person to formulations directly addressed to the interlocutor. For example, instead of “I would like...” - “Do you want...”; “It seems to me...” - “Your problem seems to be...”, or: “It’s probably more interesting for you to talk about...” The same applies to stating and conveying facts. For example, instead of: “Even though you don’t know” - “How do you know...”; “You probably haven’t heard...” - “You’ve probably already heard about this...”. Any person is more willing to talk about his own problems and desires, and not a single interlocutor is an exception to this rule. You can encourage your interlocutor to express his thoughts by “minimizing answers,” that is, by consciously using neutral, essentially meaningless phrases in your speech that allow you to meaningfully continue the conversation. Such answers are not just remarks that are made when there is nothing to answer; they help to express approval, understanding, interest, invitation, to speak freely and naturally. Studies have shown that the simplest neutral remark, or an affirmative tilt of the head, encourages the interlocutor and makes him want to continue communication. It is only important that the answers arise naturally and are always truly neutral. The most common minimum responses are: “Yes?”; “Continue, continue, this is interesting”; "Understand"; “Can you be more specific?” These remarks are neutral, they are sometimes called “opening”, that is, those that contribute to the development of the conversation, especially at the very beginning. They relieve the speaker’s tension arising from the fear of being misunderstood, of being refused, because... the listener's silence may be misinterpreted as disinterest or disagreement. On the other hand, some short remarks, on the contrary, can become a hindrance in communication, because can be understood as coercion to it. These are statements of the following type: “Why is this?”; “Give me at least reasons for this”; "Why not?"; “Well, it can’t be that bad...” They are more likely to end the conversation than to continue it. Questions are of fundamental importance in conducting a conversation. With their help you can:

• conduct the processes of information transfer by the interlocutor in a certain direction corresponding to the program of the conversation;
• take the initiative in conversation;
• activate the interlocutor in order to move from monologue speech to dialogue;
• give the interlocutor the opportunity to express himself, prove his knowledge, demonstrate his opinions, assessments, views and positions.

It is known that there is quite strict semantic and formal coordination between question and answer. The question is structured depending on the potential answer. There are several classifications of the types of questions used in conversation. The first of these is based on the breadth of the upcoming response. It identifies three main groups of questions: A. Closed questions are questions to which an answer of “yes” or “no” is expected. They address the entire volume of meaning contained in them. Examples: “Do you like to wander on an autumn evening under the warm and quiet rain?”; “Is that all you wanted to say?”; "It's difficult?"; “Would you rather do it yourself?” Closed questions lead to the creation of a tense atmosphere in a conversation, since they sharply narrow the interlocutor’s “room for maneuver” and can easily disrupt the speaker’s train of thought. They switch the focus of communication from the speaker to the listener, often forcing the speaker to take a defensive position. Consequently, the use of this type of questions is not carried out accidentally, but only with a strictly defined purpose - to expand or narrow the speaker’s initial message, to aim directly at making a decision. B. Open questions are questions that cannot be answered “yes” or “no”; they require some kind of explanation. These are the so-called “who”, “what”, “how”, “how many”, “why” questions. For example: “What is your opinion on this issue?”; “Why do you consider this view insufficient?”; “What are you going to do in the summer?” Questions of this type allow communication to move into a type of dialogue-monologue with an emphasis on the monologue of the interlocutor, i.e., to a higher level of conversation. Thanks to their use, the interlocutor is in a more active state; he has the opportunity, without preparation, at his own discretion, to construct the content of the answers. Open questions can also be turning points in their function, that is, for the transition from one already fully disclosed semantic topic to another. B. Clarifying questions are an appeal to the speaker for clarification. They force the interlocutor to think, carefully consider and comment on what has already been said. For example: “Is this the problem as you understand it?”; "What do you have in mind?". However, on the path to in-depth clarification of the content of the interlocutor’s answer, it seems more convenient not to formulate questions, but to paraphrase, when the speaker is conveyed his own message, but in the words of the listener. The purpose of paraphrasing is to formulate the speaker's own message to check its accuracy. Paraphrasing can begin with the following words: “As I understood you”; “As I understand it, you are saying...”; “In other words, do you think...”; “In your opinion...” When paraphrasing, only the main, essential points of the message are selected, otherwise the answer, instead of clarifying the understanding, may cause confusion. It is important for the listener to be able to express someone else’s thoughts in his own words. There is another classification of questions depending on the meaning of the answers associated with them: A. “Yes-no” questions, that is, closed questions. B. Alternative questions. The question itself contains the possible choice that the interlocutor has to make. The answer to it will cover only part (more or less) of the meaning contained in the question. B. Election issues. The question asks a certain range of “subjects”, without naming them specifically, from which a choice can be made. This choice is contained in the answer to the election question. For example: “What is he sick with?” - “Flu.” D. X questions that do not prompt an answer. For example: “What did he say?”; “What are you going to do in the summer?” A question of this type can be answered by any answers that are not clearly related to the semantic guidelines contained in the question. The coordination between the question and the x-answer is confirmed by the fact that the question with the x-answer cannot be constructed in the same way as it is constructed with “yes-no* answers, alternative and selective answers. This classification is not absolute and rigid. The proposed four types of questions should be considered as basic guidelines towards which specific answers may gravitate to a greater extent. Another classification of questions in a conversation is based on a completely different qualitative feature, namely, the functional role of a given question in the overall program of the conversation. It distinguishes the following types of questions: A. Implicit questions are those variables in which we want to characterize the subject. These are, in essence, questions that the person conducting the conversation asks himself. The content of the “latent”, “general” question gives rise to a whole range of specific questions, the answers to which allow us to penetrate into those problems that are not clearly formulated during the conversation. B. Direct questions are a means of implementing an underlying question. Direct questions can be formulated in a personal form: “Do you know...”; "What do you think about..?"; “What is your opinion about...?” They can also be formulated in an impersonal or semi-impersonal form: “Some people believe that...”, “What about your point of view?” B. Filtering questions - perform the function of control questions. A positive or negative answer received to them must be repeated to questions related to them in meaning. The basis of another classification of issues is the nature of their connection with the subject being studied and discussed. In this case, they distinguish: Direct - directly relate to the subject under study, for example: “Are you afraid to contact a stranger?” Indirect - more indirectly relate to the subject under study, leaving the subject with a fairly wide choice of answers, for example: “What do you do when you are afraid to approach a stranger?” Projective - relate to the area in which the subject under study is included: “Is everyone afraid to approach strangers?” You can add an auxiliary question to them: “Well, how are you?” Regardless of the specific type of questions and their classification, there are a number of general rules regarding types of statements that are unacceptable in a conversation. Leading questions should be avoided, which by their very wording suggest the answer: “Of course, you like to read books?”; questions, the first part of which contains any evaluative position or point of view of the experimenter: “I know that confident people like you communicate easily. Is not it?"; questions of an arbitrary, untested, alternative nature: “Is it easy for you to meet other people or is it difficult for you to do this?” (the subject may adhere to a third point of view, which is not asked at all by this question and therefore may remain unspoken); and, finally, questions that are too broadly formulated regarding the subject of discussion: “How do you relate to other people?” If the experimenter’s questions begin to touch on an area to which the subject is painful, then this subjective pain can be softened with general phrases that downplay the unfavorable impression: “Everyone sometimes has to experience troubles and disappointments”; “Parents do not always understand their children correctly,” etc. Sometimes such phrases make it easier for the subject to communicate (directly or indirectly) about events, situations, and assessments that are important to him. One should, however, as we have already said, not to overuse comments and express them as rarely as possible, more carefully and always thoughtfully. The effectiveness of the conversation process largely depends on the ability to listen to the interlocutor. Listening and perceiving means, in other words, the ability not to be distracted, maintain constant attention, stable visual contact. Since the speed of thinking is approximately four times the speed of speech, you should use time to analyze and draw conclusions from what you hear directly. Thus, conducting a conversation requires the successful implementation by a psychologist of professional skills of listening, observing, and speaking. Nonverbal communication during a conversation
Nonverbal communication includes forms of self-expression that do not rely on words and other speech symbols. Its value lies, in particular, in the fact that it is spontaneous and manifests itself unconsciously. Nonverbal communication contains enough elements that make it possible to verify the authenticity of what is said in words. Understanding of nonverbal language is mainly acquired through learning. And, although people differ greatly in this regard, it has been found that sensitivity in nonverbal communication increases with age and experience. Facial expression - facial expressions - is the main indicator of feelings. The easiest to recognize are positive emotions: happiness, love, surprise; more difficult are negative ones: sadness, anger, disgust. The most informative in this case is the position of the eyebrows, the “openness” or squinting of the eyes, and the position of the lips. Human lips are especially expressive. Thus, tightly compressed lips reflect deep thoughtfulness, while curved lips reflect doubt or sarcasm. A smile, as a rule, expresses friendliness and the need for approval. At the same time, as an element of facial expressions and behavior, it depends on regional and cultural differences. Since a smile can reflect different motives, you should be careful in its interpretation. For example, excessive smiling often expresses a need for approval or deference towards superiors; a smile accompanied by raised eyebrows expresses submissiveness, while a smile with lowered eyebrows conveys superiority. The face expressively reflects feelings, so the speaker usually tries to control his facial expression.” In an unpleasant situation, a forced smile betrays feelings of anxiety and apology. Eye contact is an extremely important element of communication. When we look at the speaker, it not only indicates interest, but also helps us focus on what is being said. During a conversation, the speaker and listener alternate between looking at and then away from each other, feeling that constant looking can interfere with the other person's concentration. From time to time the eyes of the interlocutors meet, but for a short time. Easily maintains eye contact when discussing a pleasant topic; interlocutors avoid it by discussing confusing or unpleasant issues. A persistent or gaze in such cases is perceived as a sign of hostility and creates an unfavorable impression of the beholder. Eye contact helps regulate conversation. If the speaker alternately looks into the eyes and then looks away, then he has not finished speaking yet. At the end of his statement, the speaker, as a rule, directly looks into the eyes of the interlocutor, as if inviting him to enter into a conversation. Intonation and timbre of voice. He who knows how to listen understands more than the words of the speaker mean. You can also evaluate the tone of voice, speed of speech, notice deviations in the construction of phrases (for example, agrammatism, incompleteness of sentences), and the frequency of pauses. These vocal expressions, along with word choice and facial expressions, are very important in understanding the message. The feelings of the interlocutor are directly reflected in the tone of voice. For example, anger and sadness are easily recognized; nervousness and jealousy are somewhat more difficult to recognize. The strength and pitch of the voice also convey additional information about the speaker's message. So, for example, joy, distrust, enthusiasm are conveyed in a high voice, anger and fear are also expressed in a high voice, but in a wider range of tonality, strength and pitch of sounds; sadness, grief, fatigue are usually conveyed in a soft and muffled voice with a decrease in intonation towards the end of each phrase. The rate of speech increases when the speaker is excited, worried, or communicating personal difficulties. He who seeks to convince his interlocutor also speaks quickly. Slow speech more often indicates depression, grief, arrogance or fatigue. By making minor mistakes in speech - repetition of words, uncertain or incorrect choice of words, breaking off a sentence mid-sentence - people involuntarily express their feelings or intentions. Typically, speech deficiencies are more pronounced when the interlocutor is unsure of himself, in a state of excitement, or when trying to deceive. Sometimes there are sounds - interjections, sighs, nervous coughing, snorting, etc. — can mean more than words. Poses and gestures. A person’s attitude and feelings can largely be determined by his motor skills, that is, by the way he stands or sits, by his gestures and movements. The posture of the speaker, leaning towards the seated one, is more conducive to the development of communication, since it indicates attention. In conversation, it is more difficult with those who lean back or lounge in a chair. You should observe in what position the interlocutor feels most comfortable, how he stands, sits, moves a chair, or how he moves when he thinks that they are looking at him. The meaning of many hand gestures or foot movements is somewhat obvious. For example, crossed arms (or legs) usually indicate a skeptical, defensive attitude, while uncrossed limbs express a more open, trusting attitude. They sit with their chins resting on their palms, usually deep in thought. Standing with your arms akimbo is a sign of disobedience, or, conversely, readiness to get to work. Hands placed behind the head express superiority. During a conversation, the heads of the interlocutors are in constant motion; Although nodding your head does not always mean agreement, it effectively helps the conversation, as if encouraging the interlocutor to continue speaking. Nodding the head has an approving effect on the interlocutor, but a quick tilt or turn of the head to the side, or gesticulation often indicate that the listener wants to speak. In general, both speakers and listeners find it easier to converse with those who have animated facial expressions and expressive motor skills. Active gestures often reflect positive emotions and are perceived as a sign of interest and friendliness. Excessive gesturing, however, can be an expression of anxiety or insecurity. Another important factor is interpersonal space—how close or far away the interlocutors are in relation to each other. Typically, the more interlocutors are interested in each other, the closer they are. However, the social distance for informal social and business relationships ranges from 1.2 to 3.7 m, with the upper limit more consistent with formal relationships. The distance between interlocutors can also be affected by a table if during a conversation it is not used for its intended purpose, that is, they do not write on it, do not draw, etc. In such a case, a table can be associated with high position and power, which can immediately give the conversation the appearance of role-playing communication. For this reason, in some cases it is more convenient to conduct conversations while sitting next to the interlocutor on chairs standing at an angle to each other. Nonverbal communication allows you to more accurately understand what is being said. In the case where nonverbal “messages” contradict the spoken words, you should pay special attention to this circumstance. You should respond to contradictory gestures and words of your interlocutor in a deliberate manner, leaving yourself time to evaluate what is happening and make a decision. For example, the speaker agrees with you, but at the same time shows signs of doubt: he makes frequent pauses, asks questions, his face expresses surprise, etc. In this case, a statement of this type is possible: It seems that you are skeptical about this? And what could this be connected with? Such a statement expresses attention to what the interlocutor says and does, without causing him anxiety or a defensive reaction. So, the effectiveness of a conversation depends not only on attention to the speaker’s words, but also, no less, on understanding non-verbal signals - the speaker’s gestures and facial expressions. Analysis of the content of verbal and nonverbal communication allows you to correctly interpret the content of the conversation and, therefore, increases the level of reliability of its results.

Creating an atmosphere

The liberation of the interlocutor plays an important role: in an atmosphere of sincerity, it becomes possible to obtain the most accurate information. The researcher must exclude circumstances that provoke the subject’s insincerity, such as fear of looking incompetent, prohibition of mentioning third parties, frankness in intimate aspects of the issue, misunderstanding of the purpose of the conversation, fear of incorrect conclusions.

The course of the conversation is formed at the very beginning, so the researcher needs to show genuine interest in the personality of the subject, his opinions, but avoid open agreement or denial of the point of view. It is permissible to express your attitude to the topic of conversation through facial expressions, gestures, intonation, posing additional questions, and making comments of a specific type.

Advantages of conversation as a research method

• During the conversation, you can obtain the most complete information about the personality of the subject, which cannot be found out by other methods.
• A conversation is the only type of research that allows you to distinguish truth or lies in the words of your interlocutor, since it uses non-verbal signals (gestures, facial expressions, postures, tone of voice, etc.), analyzed by a specialist to determine accurate information.
• Material costs are kept to a minimum , since no additional equipment and tools are used (pens, paper for multiple questionnaires, etc.).
• The friendliness and positive attitude of the researcher help the interlocutor to relax, which increases the likelihood of obtaining more reliable information.
• The subject can be confident in the confidentiality of the conversation , since it is conducted alone with a specialist.
• Emotional release during the conversation, while other research methods do not provide such an opportunity.

Perception of the interlocutor

There are two types of perception: organizational allows you to correctly perceive the interlocutor’s speech, emotional, empathic is characterized by the ability to penetrate.

The researcher’s remarks can be considered questions, although they are not posed in this form, and the respondent’s questions can be considered answers, regardless of subjective perception.

The psychologist should keep in mind that some remarks that imply a certain attitude towards the interlocutor can affect the course of the conversation until it completely stops.

Remarks with a hint of condemnation, praise, order, threat, warning, moralizing, humiliation, avoidance of the problem, or direct advice are undesirable. Such phrases disrupt the natural flow of the respondent’s reasoning and can cause a reaction of defense and irritation. The psychologist’s task is to direct the conversation in a direction that meets the goals.

Communication barriers

When conducting the conversation method, it is worth remembering about phrases that in one second can destroy the entire communication tactics built in advance. Such phrases are usually called communication barriers. They should be added to the “stop list” so that you never use them during a conversation with a client:

• Speak more clearly, repeat again - an order or instruction
• Look, don't regret it - threat or warning
• Calm down and then I will listen to you - blackmail, attempt to bargain
• You did the wrong thing, you shouldn’t have done it - reading moral lectures
• Try doing it differently. You should do things differently - recommendations
• You acted stupidly - condemnation, accusation
• You are great, you are right - praise and flattery
• You are no better than others - humiliation
• How could you? You ruined everything - expletive
• Now it’s clear why you did it - interpretation
• Don’t worry, many people make this mistake - reassurance
• Who told you that you can do this? - interrogation
• Let's change the subject, get it out of your head - a distraction from the problem

These phrases are prohibited among psychologists for a reason. They can distract a person and confuse him. In response, this can cause irritation, anxiety, and even an attempt to defend yourself from the specialist.

However, such a reaction is also possible with the standard method of conversation. It all depends on the characteristics of the human psyche. The therapist’s task is to reduce all negative reactions to questions to a minimum.

The main thing is the specialist’s ability to listen.

Listening is a process that requires constant monitoring. It is important for a psychologist to pay attention to the interlocutor’s answers, show sympathy, and at the same time record the results of the conversation. Therefore, psychologists, in order not to miss important details during the process of active listening, use voice recorders and record the entire conversation.

For the conversation method to be successful, the psychologist must have important competencies and personality traits:

• master listening techniques
• be able to think critically
• be able to accurately read the verbal and non-verbal signals of the interlocutor
• be able to formulate questions quickly and correctly
• resistance to stress and ability to carry on a long conversation
• attentiveness to the mood and state of the interlocutor.

Only with these qualities can a psychologist successfully conduct the conversation method and combine several of its forms and techniques at a time. This means it’s faster and more effective to help your interlocutor understand his problem.

Olga F.

Types of hearing

Hearing is divided into the following types:

1. Reflexive: its essence lies in the formation of a conversation using the active speech intervention of a psychologist in the communication process. Basic techniques: clarifying, paraphrasing, reflecting feelings, summing up.
2. Non-reflective listening: the psychologist controls the conversation non-verbally: facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, choice of distance. The technique is useful in the following cases: the respondent expresses his own point of view, he needs to speak out, the interlocutor finds it difficult to solve pressing problems, or experiences uncertainty.

Conversation in psychology: advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of the conversation method is the prerequisites for the correct understanding of questions, taking into account the oral, more relaxed form of answers.

The disadvantages of conversation in psychology are:

• large time costs, which is of particular importance during mass surveys;
• the need for high professional skills to conduct an effective conversation;
• the possibility of violation of objectivity on the part of the researcher, depending on his personality, professional skills and experience.

Tips and tricks

1. It is necessary to prepare questions in advance on the problem under study, their formulation should be clear and understandable, taking into account the level of competence of the subject, and the questions should encourage a detailed answer.
2. It is worth choosing the right questions , taking into account the mood and subjective attitude of the respondent during the conversation.
3. It is recommended to start the conversation with an abstract topic , gradually moving on to the planned one.
4. Showing goodwill towards the words of the interlocutor and genuine interest (pauses, asking again, “echo”, self-perception, i.e. active listening) inspire the trust of the respondent, which allows you to obtain the most reliable data.
5. Be sure to conduct the study in a calm state . The interlocutor will feel the excited state and turn it on himself, which reduces the effectiveness of the entire conversation.
6. It is recommended to find out in advance what environment and time will be most comfortable for the subject in order to effectively conduct the study.

From all of the above, we can conclude that conversation is one of the fundamental and effective research methods in psychology; it is used to obtain the most complete information about the subject through a combination of verbal and nonverbal forms of communication.

But along with the many advantages of this method, there is one major drawback - the professionalism of the researcher . It is necessary to be able to organize a conversation, taking into account all the details: the character and mood of the subject at the time of communication, the situation, the correct questions; the skill of “reading” and comparing verbal and non-verbal signals is also required. Only if the specialist has a high level of competence can the desired result be achieved during the research process.

Sources used:

• https://mind-control.ru/obshhenie-i-vliyanie/metod-besedy-v-psikhologii/
• https://plusiminusi.ru/plyusy-i-minusy-besedy-kak-metoda-issledovaniya/

Combination of methods

Conversation is successfully used as a component of the main method, for example, survey, observation, testing, experiment. The combination of psychological methods - conversation, experiment, survey, observation - provides comprehensive information that characterizes the person being studied.

An experiment in psychology is a study under given conditions using the indirect intervention of a researcher. It is possible to simulate an artificial situation, circumstances under which the subject will manifest himself in a manner characteristic of him.

The effectiveness of the conversation reflects the general culture of the specialist and depends both on attention to words and on the ability to receive non-verbal information. The content of both types of information allows you to correctly interpret the data and improve the reliability of the results. A successfully organized conversation guarantees the accuracy of the information received.