Collective psychology: basic concepts, climate features, advice from psychologists

It is impossible to imagine a person’s life and work activity without communication with other people. Those connections that take place almost every day are represented by various communities or groups. The smallest of them are the initial cells of society and constitute the fundamental basis of all other elements that make it up. In a small group you can see the manifestation of the realities of life, relationships and activities of most people. Various socio-psychological processes also take place in it. For each of its members they are part of the spiritual atmosphere in which they have to live and work.

The psychology of a group or collective forms in people some common needs, ideals, interests, etc. They are, first of all, those regulators of behavior that determine the activity of a person of a social nature. Small groups (teams) are constantly in continuous dynamics. The changes occurring in them are expressed by such socio-psychological processes as development and education, decision-making and leadership, conflicts, unity, etc.

Definition of the concept

What is team psychology? This concept is understood as a complex set of socio-psychological processes and phenomena occurring within a group. The atmosphere in the team and its psychology are directly influenced by:

• tasks facing a group of people;
• those real conditions in which the activities of team members take place;
• level of communication and relationships between people solving common problems.

In psychology, a team is a group whose creation is possible only when common goals and needs are identified. That is, those interests that will constantly strengthen and intensify as it becomes established and develops. Without this, it is inappropriate to talk about the team. Then we can only talk about a certain number of individuals.

A team in psychology is a social environment that includes completely different, dissimilar people. Each member of such a group has his own character and upbringing, abilities, worldview, etc. All of these are components of the team.

The peculiarities of a team in psychology are that all these people are connected to each other. Moreover, they are in this environment only because they have a common goal. To carry out certain actions designed to start the workflow, they have to communicate with each other. Collective psychology studies the characteristics of such communication.

From childhood we are adapted to the social environment. It is represented by the kindergarten group, the school social circle, and the student community. All these forms are future models of the labor collective.

Social roles in the team

Each team has production and interpersonal roles. Production includes:

• a coordinator who has developed organizational skills, selects and directs the activities of people to achieve the goal;
• an idea generator, or theorist, who creates multiple alternatives for solving situations, but is not used in practice;
• a controller who does not have a developed creativity, but is distinguished by his erudition and broad outlook; criticizes and helps improve ideas;
• the grinder connects the idea of ​​solving one problem with other goals and objectives;
• an enthusiast encourages others to implement an idea;
• the benefit seeker ensures that each participant is interested in implementing the idea;
• the performer himself implements the idea, but at the suggestion of an enthusiast;
• an assistant who himself agrees to play supporting roles.

In a small team, one person has to play several roles, which often provokes conflicts. That is, the optimal team size is 8-12 people.

Based on the nature of interpersonal relationships, the roles of leading and led participants are distinguished. They are preferred and non-preferred, respectively.

Makarenko's theory

How to define the concept of a team in psychology? To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with Makarenko’s theory. It quite accurately describes the essence and development of a group of people. This theory is especially relevant when considering the psychology of children's groups. But it is also applicable for the educational, as well as for the working community of people.

Not every group can be called a team. To establish it, you will need to successfully complete a number of stages.

1. Initial consolidation or formation. Similar work is carried out by the group organizer. However, at first this activity is of a formal nature. An example is the newly recruited workforce. The tasks of the organizer (director, manager) in this case include the formation of unity and cohesion of people in the motives, goals and values ​​of their common activities.
2. Promotion of group assets and strengthening of their role. To create a team, it is necessary to formalize its structure. Her role is assigned to an asset who carries out all the instructions of the leader, while putting forward her own demands to the group members. At this stage, a self-regulating and self-organizing system is being formed.
3. Flourishing. At this stage, each member of the team makes correct demands on everyone else, as well as on himself. This stage of the formation of an organized group of people allows us to talk about it as a means of development and self-realization, as well as the moral formation of the personality of each of its participants. We can talk about the flourishing of a team when all its members express a unity of opinions, having common experience, stability of judgments and views. Such an organized group of people will have a direct influence on each individual.
4. Transition to self-education. Each of the members of the team at this stage of its formation begins to make demands on himself, and their fulfillment becomes for people their internal need, which must be satisfied.

Methods and stages of formation

In psychology, a team is always a group of people controlled by an organizer. As described above, Makarenko argued that any group goes through stages of formation. His methods are still used in different types of groups.

Communication

In order to establish internal connections in teams of any size, the manager has the responsibility to unite people. This is an important stage that will help avoid a tense situation and reduce the risk of conflicts. A close-knit team is more inclined to self-government, distribution of roles, and selection of a leader.

How to improve communication within a team:

• Joint events for unity, so that people maintain connections outside of work.
• Formation of a common goal.
• Encouraging group work.

Management

Psychological methods of team management include the following points:

• Belief implies argumentation and logical explanation. It is used to remove psychological barriers, eliminate conflicts, and set goals.

• Imitation. Makarenko also said that you need to show your personal successful example to the team members. People will follow such a leader; they will believe in achieving their goals. The behavior pattern of a leader or organizer becomes a source for imitation.
• Involvement. A psychological method that was also used by Makarenko. Each participant is involved in finding solutions, and leaders are jointly selected through voting or discussion. Each participant feels that their opinion is valuable.
• Inducement. A positive way of psychological influence. It was actively used in Soviet times. This may include such forms of encouragement as adding a participant to the Honor Board and presenting certificates. This increases the moral significance of the team member.
• Compulsion. A psychological negative technique that is used in critical situations when the inaction of a participant can lead to damage to the entire team. The participant is forced to perform certain work.
• Requirements. This method can only be used by an authoritative leader who is respected in the team. Otherwise, this method will not work.
• Praise. One of the methods of positive psychological influence. It encourages the participant to do an even better job, a very motivating method. The negative opposite way is condemnation.

The team, which is in its infancy, takes advice well. This is a psychological method when a more experienced participant, leader or manager recommends to an inexperienced comrade what to do in a situation. If advice comes in response to a request, it commands respect from an inexperienced participant. Unsolicited advice can hurt.

Traditions

When considering the psychology of a team, it is impossible to ignore this integral and important element of it. Any group of people develops their own traditions, which invariably grow stronger over time. This concept refers to certain forms of life activity of any group that reflect the interests, norms and desires of each of its participants.

Traditions are the source of new general rules, as well as empathy and mutual understanding between people. Moreover, they are large and small. The first of these two types of traditions are public events and events. When preparing and conducting them, people develop a sense of respect and common pride. Small traditions are, as a rule, daily. They allow you to develop discipline, observe norms, behavioral habits, and also teach all group members to maintain order.

Goals

This is also one of the components of team psychology. It represents a statement of general objectives. According to Makarenko's theory, people should always have a specific goal. At the same time, the author distinguishes between close and medium, as well as long-term perspective. The first of these types of goals can be set for the team at each of the development stages described above. The main thing is that each of the participants in the organized group is interested in achieving it and anticipates the result of the implementation of the plan.

The average perspective involves the creation of a general project for a particular business. A long-term goal, as a rule, is set at one of the last stages of a team’s development. Such a perspective has a socially significant nature and requires large costs for implementation and organization, combining social and personal needs. An example of such a goal is the successful completion of schooling, as well as the determination of a professional path for children.

In general, such a system should be built in such a way that each member of the team constantly strives for one or another goal with a sense of anticipation, expectation, and the desire to complete the task. Such a process will accelerate the personal development of all group members.

Connection with other words

Words starting with collective-:

• collectivization
• collectivism
• collective
• collective
• collectively organized
• collectively organized
• collectively organized
• collectivity
• collective

Words ending with -collective:

• sub-team

Hypo-hyperonymic relationships

aggregate group collective group

What is a team like (adjectives)?

Selection of adjectives for words based on the Russian language.

musical labor friendly creative whole author's female scientific pedagogical small new male worker large small theatrical human united any children's dance other soldered good healthy native combat harmonious no huge numerous military teachers artistic jazz many wonderful beautiful amateur strong production officer teaching professional poetic journalistic choral large glorious many thousands business dramatic editorial folk army sports hard-working bandit school tribal organized real excellent Soviet

What can the team do? What can be done with a team (verbs)?

Selection of verbs for words based on the Russian language.

pass consist get close decide to work disintegrate remain represent want strive to begin ask to release appear fit in be carried out do get pass join undertake write down join turn away have gather continue to form up act silent engage choose accept breathe change use play support have time to come prepare to empower tear off hold on go surround join work participate excite remain silent act consider decide influence perform instruct obtain gain risk manifest appear

Associations to the word collective

whole guide alphabet quality goal list genre execution given management world particular work style individual help Moldova state border rest person small Moscow school result place side hundred interest club million composition name fear search time elimination move press right decision shoulder process level history condition arrival month salary Greece collection worker current editorial office kiev car booze occasion permanent team end eye law mail

Hypernyms for collective

1. group set

Hyponyms for collective

1. company crew staff company commune choir troupe artel orchestra brigade family duet triumvirate party decemvirate
2. meeting editorial staff swamp duumvirate six
3. school jazz quartet quintet sextet septet
4. ballet
5. team

Scope of use of the word collective

General vocabulary Advertising Business vocabulary Economics Legal term

Signs of a developed team

When can we talk about the final formation of the group? According to the theory of collective psychology created by Makarenko, this will be indicated by the following signs:

1. The presence of a major tone. All team members must show positivity and optimism, as well as a readiness for active action.
2. The presence of pride in the team. Each of its members should have a sense of the value of the group of which he is an integral part. At the same time, a sense of self-esteem invariably arises.
3. Feeling of security. Each member of the team must have it.
4. Friendly unity.
5. Restraint in words and emotions.

"Palace Coups"

Once again the name speaks for itself. During this period, everyone has already gotten used to it and understands what can be expected from other participants, so the time comes when the active struggle for the place of leader intensifies. If there is already a leader in the team, then it is important for him to maintain his position, or if he feels weak, it is better to immediately give way to a stronger candidate. This is a rather difficult period in the life of any team, since separate groups can form here that will impose their opinions on others. There is a big risk that the team will simply fall apart.

Psychological climate

This term was first used by N. S. Mansurov, who studied psychology at work in the team of a manufacturing enterprise. This concept included the nature of emotions that arose in the relationships between employees, and was based on the coincidence of characters, inclinations, interests and sympathies.

In psychology, the psychological climate in a team is considered as a system consisting of three spheres:

1. Social climate. In this case, we mean the group members’ awareness of tasks and goals while respecting their responsibilities and rights.
2. Moral climate. This area represents the values ​​that are accepted in the group, as well as their consistency, acceptance and unity.
3. The actual psychological climate. It represents informal relationships between people in a team.

The psychology of climate in a team as a phenomenon has its own characteristics. It is created by the people themselves, who are able to influence it, changing and improving this category.

Conditions for forming a cohesive team

A cohesive team can be built under the following conditions:

• all members have common views, values, worldview;
• the team is homogeneous in age;
• an atmosphere of general psychological safety and acceptance has been created in the team;
• the leader is an effective employee and is able to take cohesion measures;
• all employees are involved in active, emotionally rich activities that matter to everyone.

The team also unites in the process of fighting with rivals (another team) for the best achievements.

Motivation

The manager must know how to organize the work of the team in such a way that each employee is active and interested in achieving a common result. Each employee will be motivated and involved in joint activities if they are aware of their involvement. The desire and passion for working together as a team depends on motivation. The level of interest can be determined by the employee’s activity indicator.

Focus

Purposefulness presupposes a community of interests and the desire for common results. It depends on how closely the personal goals of each employee are related to the team goals, whether they complement each other or, conversely, contradict each other. The level of focus is determined by the degree of interest of each team member in achieving common goals. At the same time, each employee must be results-oriented in his activities.

Structurality

A structured team is a team in which each member clearly knows his duties, functions and responsibilities. When solving complex problems, employees can be easily divided into groups. Issues of insurance and duplication are also easily resolved.

Integrity

The extent to which employees are interdependent on each other affects their commonality and compatibility. To determine the integrity of the team, find out the relationship between individual and group activities.

Organization

A team united by a common goal is assembled and organized. He easily organizes his activities in accordance with the plan. Such a team is easy to manage, since each member is punctual, efficient and self-organized.

Subject to quality management decisions, joint work on the ground is carried out according to the established plan. Each employee is responsible for his own area of ​​work, taking on a delegated degree of responsibility.

Consistency

A close-knit, friendly team works faster and more efficiently. Coherence means that all actions are harmonious and team members interact with each other. The degree of conflict is low, since management decisions eliminate contradictions and disunity.

Efficiency

Only if every employee is interested in the business, and the entire team works harmoniously, can high results be achieved. In a friendly team, each employee knows that the efficiency of the entire enterprise depends on the effectiveness of his activities, therefore he will perform his duties efficiently, taking responsibility for his area. In a team of like-minded people, everyone not only goes to work, but works for results.

Personality and team

Certain relationships can develop between each individual and group, the development of which most often occurs according to one of three scenarios:

1. The individual is subordinate to the collective. This happens either formally or takes place in practice.
2. The team is subordinate to the individual. In this case, it is possible to change the structure of the group, as well as its social experience. Formal leaders and authorities are called into question.
3. Harmony arises between the team and the individual. This option is optimal. A person and a group in psychology are considered to have reached harmony if each of the group members actually, and not formally, shares common values ​​and beliefs, observing them constantly. Sometimes harmony is confused with coexistence. However, with the latter option, the team is considered as such only formally.

The emergence of informal groups is often observed in labor or other communities. They are based on people's sympathy, their interests and friendship. Such groups, in turn, influence the values ​​of the team. Sometimes they change his educational directions. In this case, the team can turn into either a constructive system or a destructive one.

Diagnostics of relationships in a team

The success of team development is studied using a sociogram. It is based on the identification of referent (significant) people and groups, which in turn are made up of preferences, and preferences from sympathies.

Each team member is asked to identify two pleasant people and two unpleasant ones (with whom he would like to work and with whom he would not want). All results are recorded in the form of a circle (the initials of the team members). Arrows (connections) are placed between the initials. Such a sociogram allows you to:

• identify a potential asset;
• potential leader;
• outcasts.

Building relationships

The creation of a team in social psychology is considered through the passage of five stages. Each of them serves to establish relationships between its participants:

1. Lapping. At this stage, people mask their true desires and feelings. They try to assess each person's interest in the common cause.
2. Close combat. At this stage, each member of the team begins to show his individuality and characteristics, claiming one or another role. In this case, the existing contradictions become obvious, which the participants are trying to balance in one way or another.
3. Experiments and improvement. At this stage, all team members begin to pursue common goals rather than personal ones. They assess the potential of the team, as well as opportunities to improve its work.
4. Efficiency. Having moved to this stage, each person begins to feel proud of being a member of the team. Each employee overcomes all difficulties that arise using their creative potential.
5. Maturity. At this stage, all conflicts between employees are resolved in a calm atmosphere. The goals of each team member coincide with the goals of the organization.

Personal development

The psychology of people in a team invariably leads to the development of the individual, which takes place when he goes through three stages:

1. Adaptation. The new employee masters the norms of the team, the behavioral characteristics and values ​​of its members.
2. Personalization. At this stage, the emergence of the personal and the general is inevitable. A person begins to search for ways to express himself.
3. Integration. There is an aggravation of the social and individual. The personality begins to show itself. Whether or not the team accepts all the shortcomings and advantages of the new employee.

Contradictions that arise during the integration process are not always successfully resolved. If this happens, then the person becomes maladapted, isolated and expelled from the team. In some cases, he voluntarily leaves it. In this case, the stage of integration is replaced by disintegration.

Factors

To understand how to unite a team, you need to understand what nuances lead to disunity. Moreover, at the initial level, it is necessary to remember that the formation of a team occurs in stages. Any team building is a team effort and it requires immersion. Below are definitions of the main conditions/criteria for forming a cohesive team:

• coincidence of interests;
• the team consists of people of the same age category;
• goodwill;
• general psychological safety;
• the desire to consider and accept the opinion of another person;
• vigorous activity;
• work for results;
• a positive example in the person of the leader.

Disunity may not even be caused by internal conflicts, but by the fact that the company employs people of different ages.

Factors

Team functions

In relation to the individual, an organized community:

• provides protection and support;
• satisfies needs for interaction and communication, as well as a sense of group belonging;
• allows a person to self-realize.

In addition, each member of the team can take a different look at themselves and their values, as well as their social significance and role. This stimulates a person to self-improvement and self-development, revealing his creative potential.

Each team has its own system of social control. It represents a set of ways of influencing all its members in the form of prohibitions, punishments, instructions, beliefs, etc. That is why the formation and development of a team largely depends on the activities of its leader.

Cohesion Tools

If you develop in your employees a desire to help each other, then mutual understanding will appear. After all, team cohesion is a set of human qualities that are developed in a positive way. Basic tools:

1. Creation of corporate traditions.
2. Spending time together outside of work: active recreation, training, celebrations.
3. Systematic meetings at which not only work issues will be discussed.
4. Gamification and communication.
5. Creative and intellectual team building.

It is required to analyze the individual/psychological characteristics of each team member. Disunity can occur even when people share a common goal.

Cohesion Tools

Personnel Management

Proof of a manager’s good work is the internal readiness of each member of the team to work for the benefit of the organization and unquestioningly fulfill all the requirements of their superiors. This is the psychology of team management. However, what will achieve such a return from staff? How to ensure that people work to their full potential and bring maximum benefit? The psychology of team management considers achieving such a goal through the use of methods such as employee motivation, as well as their stimulation. The success of the event will depend on:

• comfort in the workplace;
• convenient equipment;
• good (non-conflict) relationships in the team;
• suitable salary;
• opportunities for personal and career growth.

To determine the need for each of the above factors, psychological methods of motivating personnel are used. The need for a particular factor is established by filling out special questionnaires, questionnaires and tests by all employees.

Recommendations for managers

A well-coordinated team is the merit of the head of the enterprise. He must approach the organization of the work process from a psychological point of view. Resolving conflict situations and giving good advice to middle management is the right way. The “correct approach” to employees has many synonyms that every boss should know:

• Validity of orders and claims.
• Selection of a system of methods and techniques.
• Correct distribution of powers.
• Attentive attitude towards subordinates.
• Participation in team activities.

Equality and adequate assessment of employee performance must come first. It is difficult for a twenty-year-old guy to find a common language with a lady of Balzac’s age, but if a young man looks at a colleague as a mentor, and he, in turn, sees a student in the young employee, cohesion will occur, regardless of the age gap.

Even if the team is a single whole, constant work is required to maintain this state. It can be disrupted by any external factor: the appearance of a new team member, a conflict situation or a difference of opinion. Success will depend on a number of factors and sometimes training alone is not enough.

Features of the teaching staff

According to Makarenko, it is impossible to create an organized group of children in the absence of a normal community of teachers. The staff of educational institutions has a certain organizational structure. It determines the psychology of the teaching staff, consisting of relationships of dependence and mutual control of each of its members. Within the boundaries of this structure, methodological associations of class teachers and subject teachers operate. Pedagogical councils and school administration also carry out certain activities.

In a team of teachers, there is a certain division of labor. And the process of their work is impossible without cooperation. These two factors, which are components of the psychology of the teaching staff, require teachers to be able to cooperate with each other. This concerns obtaining the necessary information and discussing problems. In the psychology of the work team, including the pedagogical one, it is necessary to understand the point of view of a colleague, its acceptance, addition or reasoned rejection. These and many other skills and abilities are very important for teachers. They are acquired when a teaching staff is formed or when newcomers join it. The effectiveness of teachers’ work depends primarily on the psychological climate prevailing in the educational institution. This factor determines the teacher’s well-being at school, his desire as a professional to be fully dedicated, etc.

The benefits of teamwork

1. Working in a team, you can share your accumulated knowledge and skills, and in return gain new experience.
2. A person can perform much more serious and large-scale tasks than he could do alone.
3. You can receive some advice from your colleagues and feel their support. Often this applies not only to work activity, but also to everyday life.
4. In a team, people learn responsibility. Moreover, here they can be responsible not only for their own work, but also for the work of their colleagues.
5. A person can express himself creatively, learn to make general decisions, participate in various discussions and debates, and express his point of view.
6. Each member of the team has the right to point out to others their mistakes and blame them if they do not adhere to moral standards.