Business communication in psychology. What is it, ethics, types, rules, forms, principles, functions

What is business ethics, the psychology of business communication? Business ethics and business etiquette Features and principles of business etiquette Communication in business communication Business speech etiquette Conclusion

Business ethics , psychology of business communication are complex and inseparable concepts. Their basis is the principles of behavior of a business person when communicating with opponents, taking into account their psychological, moral, as well as national and cultural differences, in compliance with the rules accepted in business circles. Moreover, such concepts cover not only the norms of communication in the external business environment, but also at the internal corporate level.

Modern business ethics and psychology were formed historically and under the influence of:

• The state, its legislative system, mechanisms for regulating the life of society;
• Economic laws, elements of a market economy;
• Social democratization, foundations of civil society;
• The moral norms and principles of behavior of various groups of society, in particular business people, formed in a civilized society.

The study of the psychology of business communication and ethics is in demand among managers today. The reason for the demand is the implementation of the main function of a manager - resolving communication problems both within the company and outside it, achieving corporate goals with the constant development of the business. At the same time, there are specifics for different types and forms of business communication, but each one is primarily based precisely on the psychological and moral aspects that are usually taken into account in the business world.

Ethics of business communication

Business communication differs from personal, social and other types of communication, although it has some similar characteristics with them. Its ethics are determined by how correctly the characteristics of an individual’s behavior and his national psychological factors are determined.

That is, ethics within one country may differ significantly from the norms and standards adopted in another state. It also includes generalized characteristics of communication that are universally accepted.

If you know the national characteristics of the division of psychological types, characterized by nationality, customs, morals and cultural and historical heritage, you can more accurately select a model of the most ethical business communication.

Also taken into account:

• field of activity;
• professional orientation;
• status of subjects.

Effective communication is only possible if both entities respect and understand each other's national characteristics.

The concept of “ethics of business communication” is considered by many sciences, but it is psychology that provides clearer definitions and allows us to ensure the most effective organization of work. If we consider and study the ethics of business communication from a psychological point of view, then it is possible to achieve productive communication with people, regardless of their status and characteristics of upbringing.

Ethics in business communication should be equally possessed by civil servants and middle managers. Every person engaged in professional activities must have skills that will allow him to clearly formulate his thoughts, present the necessary arguments and prove his point of view in the most delicate, but at the same time, effective method.

Therefore, an important (or even the main) condition for maintaining ethics is the ability to listen to your opponent or interlocutor and maintain a friendly atmosphere during the communication process.

Business communication in psychology is not only compliance with certain rules, but also the ability to adhere to ethical standards. It is this approach that characterizes a professional who is not only an expert in his field, but also knows how to competently conduct a dialogue with employees, superiors, and partners.

Introduction

The ability to communicate with people is a key formula for success.

The art of communication, knowledge of psychological characteristics and the use of psychological techniques are necessary for professionals whose work requires constant contact “from person to person,” i.e. politicians, businessmen, managers and many others. Thus, every person needs the ability to build relationships with people, find an approach to them and make them feel comfortable. This skill is the basis for success in life and business.

Studying the rules of business communication provides the future specialist with comprehensive material for understanding the processes taking place in the business world and opens up opportunities for self-improvement, taking into account knowledge of psychological aspects. Knowing and practicing business etiquette will help you cope better in the business world. In addition, studying the psychology of business communication is of great importance for better understanding not only other people, but also yourself, your goals and interests in the business world.

Communication with people is both a science and an art. Both natural talent and training are important here. Therefore, anyone who wants to succeed in communicating with other people must learn this.

Psychology of business communication

Business communication involves communication, as a result of which information is exchanged, and both parties come to mutual satisfaction of their interests. If we compare this model of behavior, for example, with educational communication, it is obvious that the main goal of the second type of communication is to obtain knowledge unilaterally.

Psychology identifies 3 ethical principles on which business communication is based:

• Top down. This principle implies a model of communication on the part of a manager in relation to a subordinate. In some ways, this model is similar to educational communication. In this case, the manager must also always remember his status, keep an appropriate distance, but also not forget about the norms of human communication, which can be included in one of the points of business communication ethics.
• Horizontal. This principle characterizes the communication of 2 employees who are equal in status. In this case, you must always remember to have an equal position with your interlocutor and not allow communication on your part according to the “top-down” or “bottom-up” model. Colleagues do not necessarily have to adhere to the same point of view, but from an ethical and psychological point of view they should not impose their ideas.

• Down up. This is the principle of communication on the part of a subordinate in relation to the manager or superiors as a whole. In this case, the subordinate should not use methods of fawning or affectation, which are completely contrary to the concept of business communication.

Chapter 2: problems of ethics and psychology of communication in the history of philosophical and psychological thought

Chapter 2: problems of ethics and psychology of communication in the history of philosophical and psychological thought

Communication between people, as the most important aspect of their joint life and activity, was always comprehended by them in one way or another, first at the level of their everyday, everyday consciousness, and then at a deeper, theoretical level.
Outstanding thinkers from different countries and historical eras have expressed profound judgments about the essence and content of human communication in certain spheres of public life, its objective and subjective aspects. In this regard, they spoke about the psychological and moral aspects of human communication and the corresponding properties of people as subjects of interpersonal communication, including their psychological and moral properties. Questions this chapter answers:

1. How did thinkers of ancient and modern times develop the problems of ethics and psychologists of business communication?

2. What is the essence of the psychological direction in sociology and theories of the psychology of peoples and mass psychology?

3. How does the theory of instincts of social behavior contribute to the understanding of man as a subject of interpersonal communication?

Thinkers of ancient and modern times about people as subjects of communication

The moral and psychological properties of people, characterizing them as subjects of communication, are noted already in the sayings of the ancient Chinese thinker Confucius and the ancient Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and others, as well as in the statements of thinkers of subsequent historical eras, including modern times, such as the Dutch philosopher Spinoza and English philosophers Hobbes and Locke, as well as French enlighteners Voltaire, Rousseau, Holbach, Helvetius and others.

Thus, Confucius (551-479 BC) drew attention to such moral qualities of a person that make him pleasant and useful in communication, such as a sense of duty towards other people, respect for them, especially those older in age, fulfillment of those established in society norms and rules of behavior, which allows maintaining order and harmony in society.

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates (469-399 BC) substantiated the doctrine of moral standards and the moral consciousness of people as the main factor in their communication with each other. He demanded a logical basis for the provisions of ethics, and considered their understanding as the main condition for the moral improvement of each person.

Plato

Socrates' student Plato (427-347 BC) believed that communication between people should be built on the basis of such virtues as justice, prudence, piety, and observance of moral standards. He paid attention to the ways of conducting a conversation, reflected many of the subtleties of the dialogues of different interlocutors, and showed the dependence of the direction of people’s thinking on the nature and content of their communication. Speaking about the fact that the soul thinks and talks to itself, Plato, in essence, raises the question of the inner speech of people. This is one of the important issues of modern psychology, including the psychology of business communication. Plato's views on the conscious and unconscious motives of people's behavior are worthy of attention, the analysis of which is very relevant at the present time. Aristotle (384-322 BC) pointed out many psychological properties of the individual. He characterized human abilities as functions of the soul, talked about the psychological traits of a person’s character, his mental associations, and the expedient nature of his behavior and activities.

The New Age philosopher, the Dutchman Benedict Spinoza (1632-1677), in his “Ethics,” emphasizes the role of human individuality, which characterizes, first of all, the inner world of a person, manifested in one or another of his psychological states—affects. These are, for example, love, joy, compassion, anger, jealousy, hatred, motivation to do something, etc.

Aristotle

At the same time, Spinoza pointed out the causal conditioning of human behavior by objective necessity, which, however, does not relieve a person of responsibility for what he does. All this is also very relevant today.

English philosophers Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) and John Locke (1632-1704) tried to show that public morality and personal morality are interconnected and determined by the circumstances of people's lives and their interests. People’s interests determine the nature and content of communication between them, they wrote.

These ideas received detailed substantiation in the works of French enlighteners of the 18th century. Paul Henri Holbach (1723-1789) and Claude Adrien Helvetius (1715-1771). Voltaire (1694-1778) pointed out that people’s morality is conditioned by their life experiences, noting that the criterion for the morality of actions is their usefulness to society.

The statements of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) about the role of a person’s feelings and natural instincts in his behavior are very relevant today. The same can be said about the teaching of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) about duty as the basis of morality and about the moral law.

Many ideas of thinkers of past eras are directly related to the problem of interpersonal communication between people, including their business communication. Thus, one of the fundamental provisions of the theory of interpersonal communication indicates that various kinds of mental states of people are largely determined by the content of their moral consciousness and, as it were, contain it within themselves. Therefore, studying the discipline of psychology and ethics of business communication involves understanding from the perspective of today the theoretical heritage from the field of psychology and ethics, which can contribute to a deeper understanding of related problems and their more meaningful analysis.

The productive development of this course can be facilitated, first of all, by taking into account a number of ideas and theories from the field of social psychology, expressed and substantiated by thinkers of past eras, as well as scientific understanding of the content of the main directions of modern general and social psychology.

Psychological direction in sociology

Of undoubted interest are some ideas and theories that were substantiated by representatives of the so-called psychological trend in sociology, who saw the original causes of social phenomena in the motivating forces of human activity. These motivating forces themselves were interpreted as manifestations of the human psyche.

One of the founders of this trend, the French thinker Gabriel Tarde (1843-1904), called sociology as the science of the functioning of society “simple social psychology.” Almost all of his sociological works, including “Laws of Imitation”, “Social Logic”, “Social Laws”, “Etudes on Social Psychology”, “Public Opinion and the Crowd”, etc., are devoted to problems of social psychology.

G. Tarde proceeded from the fact that the basis of social activity is the psychological mood of individuals and social groups. In the process of their interaction, one person or social group imitates others. In this Tarde sees the “original element of sociality,” the main way of existence and development of the individual, social groups and society. Imitation is a basic function of the human psyche.

Tarde considers imitation as the assimilation and repetition by people of what is new that appears in one or another sphere of social life. This new thing can be small and large inventions and discoveries that improve the life of people, their production, cognitive and other activities, enriching relationships between people. “Invention and imitation are the basic elementary social processes,” concludes Tarde. And further: “What is invented, what is imitated, is nothing more than an idea or desire, judgment or intention.”

Imitation is presented as a direct manifestation of interpersonal communication. The result is “collective thinking without a collective brain.”

Tarde writes about conscious and unconscious imitation, which manifests itself, for example, in “imitative suggestion” and in “the instinctive imitation of a social person.” He constantly emphasizes that “imitation is a social phenomenon.” There is hardly any need to discard these arguments of G. Tarde. Rather, we should recognize the presence of elements of imitation as an important factor in the psychological side of communication and interaction between people. Tarde's works provide rich material for a deep understanding of the role of this phenomenon in interpersonal communication.

Equally significant for understanding the psychological side of interpersonal communication are the works of American representatives of the psychological trend in sociology L. Ward and F. G. Giddings.

Lester Ward (1841-1913) in his works “A Brief Review of the Positive Philosophy of Aposte Comte”, “Dynamic Sociology”, “Psychic Factors of Civilization”, “Essays on Sociology” tried to reveal the psychological reasons for people’s activities and behavior. He proceeded from the fact that “social forces are psychological forces and lie in the mental nature of individual members of society.” In his opinion, the initial reason for the activity of any subject is his desires. He characterized the desires of people as “an all-pervading and animating principle for the whole world... the pulse of nature, the main reason for all activity.”

Substantiating the “philosophy of desires,” Ward identifies primary desires associated with satisfying people’s needs for food, warmth, procreation, etc. On their basis, more complex desires of people are formed, including their desires for creative activity, civil freedom, as well as moral, aesthetic and religious ones. People's desires give rise to their will, which Ward calls "the dynamic engine of society." Desires and will act, according to Ward, as the main natural and social forces that ensure the development of society, and thus as the main mental factors of civilization.

As Ward writes, the desires and will of people are not always realized by them. They often manifest themselves spontaneously, involuntarily, as blindly acting irrational forces. Drawn by these forces, people act in a given direction and often only then comprehend their actions.

Ward's analysis of such mental phenomena as the desire and will of people, which are closely related to their needs and interests and act as important motivating forces for their activities and social communication, has not lost its significance at the present time.

Ward also tried to solve such problems of the psychology of human activity and behavior as “social consciousness” and “social will”, “intuitive perception” and “intuitive reason”, “economy of nature and economy of spirit”, etc. All this is important for the analysis of the psychological elements of human activity and communication.

Another American sociologist, Franklin Henry Giddings (1855-1931), also substantiated the decisive importance of mental factors in the interaction of people and in the development of society. This is the subject of his works “Foundations of Sociology”, “Elements of the Structure of Society”, etc. He begins one of these works with the statement that “all truly social phenomena are mental in nature.” He characterizes society as a partnership, a certain association of people who are held together by psychological ties, the consciousness of the clan.

The mental and moral elements of society, combining in various combinations, form the so-called general feeling, general desire, moral feeling, public opinion and the general will of society.

All this Giddings calls social mind, formed as a result of the interaction of individual minds. It is, according to Giddings, "the product of what Tarde calls a social logic, linking the products of individual logic into more complex wholes."

Of theoretical and practical interest is Giddings’s solution to the problem of interaction between personal and group consciousness formed within the framework of associations, including the influence of group consciousness - collective emotions, will, etc. - on the consciousness of the individual. All of this, writes Giddings, occurs at conscious and subconscious levels. In this regard, he points to the instinct of association.

Also noteworthy is his analysis of the mental relationships of people based on their mutual understanding, sympathy, interests, desires and will.

The problems of Giddings's work are relevant to this day. Many of the points he made can help us understand today’s problems in the psychology of social communication and human interaction.

The mental factors of people's activity and communication were analyzed by the Italian thinker Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923). He divided social actions of people into logical and non-logical. The former are, to one degree or another, conscious and logically justified by people, the latter are unconscious, instinctive, spontaneous. According to Pareto, unconscious actions are more natural and organically inherent in people. All their actions are determined by their mental states, which to a large extent determine the nature of their communication with each other. Pareto sees the “source of social life” in the mental impulses, inclinations and predispositions of people.

Just like Tarde and Ward, he solved the problem of the laws of social development, rooted in the psychological content of people's actions. “Human actions,” says Pareto, “have a natural character, and therefore we can make them the subject of scientific research.” The natural nature of people’s activities determines the natural nature of the development of all spheres of social life. Based on this, Pareto concludes: pure economics must find laws of phenomena that could apply both to a society dominated by private property and to a society with collective property... it should enable us to foresee economic results under any form of social structure .

Representatives of the psychological trend in sociology substantiated many fundamental provisions concerning the mental side of people's activities, their interpersonal relationships and the development of society.

Psychology of peoples

German thinkers H. Steinthal, M. Lazarus and W. Wundt also made their contribution to the solution of these problems. They are rightfully considered the founders of such a direction in social psychology as the psychology of peoples.

Heymann Steinthal (1823-1899) and Moritz Lazarus (1824-1903) published a number of their works in the journal “Psychology of Peoples and Linguistics”, which they founded. In these works, in particular in the articles “Introductory discussions on the psychology of peoples”, “Thoughts on folk psychology”, they pointed to the existence of the spirit of the people as a kind of spiritual whole. In the article “Thoughts on Folk Psychology”, translated into Russian by P.A. Hiltebrandt and published in a separate publication, they write that each nation has “its own special way of thinking and feeling, its own spiritual physiognomy, called “nationality.” In this regard, the “task of folk psychology” is to “know the spirit of the people, as individual psychology has known the spirit of the individual,” as well as “to discover the laws of the human spirit.” Any person, they noted, is influenced by the society in which he lives, and in connection with this the influence of “the experience of past centuries and millennia,” and “is completely dependent on them in his thoughts, feelings and will.” At the same time, it is important to understand “how the simplest initial forces of human consciousness are combined with the complex forces and images of the national spirit.” They drew attention to the fact that “along with language, myth and religion, elements of the folk spirit are also found in cult, folk art, writing and the arts.” Especially Fr. Manifesting in the spiritual world of individuals, the spirit of the people decisively shapes their emotional mood, way of thinking and will - this is the conclusion that follows from the concept of the psychology of peoples developed by Steinthal and Lazarus.

The very problem of the influence of the historically formed spirituality of the people on the spiritual world of its constituent people, as well as the problem of interaction between the spiritual life of the individual and society in general, is very relevant at the present time. After all, any person in his activities and communication with other people acts as a bearer of the spirituality of his people, expresses his mental makeup and national self-awareness in his emotional and intellectual mood. The need for a deep understanding of this problem determines the relevance of the works of these thinkers.

W. Wundt

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) proposed his rationale for the psychology of peoples. He critically approached the concept of Lazarus and Steinthal, who, in his opinion, opposed the psychology of peoples as a supra-individual spiritual substance to individual psychology. According to Wundt, “the soul of a people always consists of individual souls” and represents the “total content of mental experiences” of people belonging to a particular nation and connected with each other by constant “interaction and relationship.” At the same time, the emerging “common spirit” of the people is “something immeasurably greater than the sum of individuals” through whose consciousness it manifests itself.

Wundt considers the main problems of the psychology of peoples to be the study of their language, myths and customs. He writes that these three areas of spiritual life are distinguished by the universally significant nature of the spiritual processes expressed in them and more fully represent the “common spirit” and mental makeup of certain peoples. Wundt believed that “language, myths and customs do not represent any fragments of the creative folk spirit, but this very spirit of the people.” At the same time, he pointed out that the common national spirit manifests itself primarily in national self-awareness, for “the nation is the most important of those concentric circles in which a common spiritual life can develop.”

Wundt constantly drew attention to the interaction of the “folk spirit” and the consciousness of individual people. He emphasized in every possible way that certain individuals, expressing people's consciousness, including national self-consciousness, themselves influence it to varying degrees, showing their creativity in various areas of public life.

Wundt’s views on the essence and manifestations of the “national spirit” and its role in the life of society, set out in numerous works, the result of which was his ten-volume “Psychology of Nations,” contribute to the understanding of many today’s problems, including those related to the essence and role of national identity in people’s activities , their behavior and communication with each other.

No less important today are his views on the essence and significance of morality in solving problems of relationships between the individual and society and interpersonal relationships. Wundt organically connects the solution of moral problems with the solution of problems of individual and social psychology, including the psychology of nations. He views ethics as the science of human behavior. At the same time, he proceeds from the fact that the emergence of a particular social norm, including a moral one, is preceded by a psychological perception of a particular social fact, its assessment from the point of view of its usefulness for a person, for the life of society. Since this process is socially conditioned, it, according to Wundt, acts as a socio-psychological one, generating common experiences, perceptions and ideas of people interacting with each other. Their socio-psychological attitudes towards certain phenomena of their social life can be constituted in the form of certain social norms, including moral ones.

The assessment of social facts, according to Wundt, is based on the human will, which is given an important place in his ethical concept. He proceeded from the fact that the direction of people's will is determined by the subjective and objective circumstances of their lives. By subjective circumstances he understood the inner world of people, their experiences and ideas about certain phenomena, and by objective - those circumstances that “come from phenomena given in society and history.”

In his work “Principles of Morals,” Wundt characterizes the moral will as a “substantial force” that preserves itself as a kind of integrity and manifests itself as desire, desire, and the orientation of consciousness to achieve the desired result. Will acts as an integrating property of consciousness and expresses its active essence. It is individual, but it can “belong to the general will,” since there is a common direction of the will of many people. In this sense, the general will has reality no less than the will of individual people. According to Wundt, the moral will of people should be directed towards “social welfare and progress.”

One should appreciate the works of this thinker, which contribute to a deep understanding of many modern problems relating to the mental makeup of large social groups and national communities, the interaction of public and individual consciousness, psychology and ethics of interpersonal communication.

Psychology of the masses

This is to a certain extent facilitated by the work of theorists who have studied the so-called psychology of masses. G. Tarde touched on this problem in a number of his works, including those mentioned above. In them, he characterized the psychological mechanisms of imitation in the mass consciousness, which occurs at the conscious and subconscious levels.

A significant contribution to the analysis of “mass psychology” was made by the French sociologist G. Lebon and the Italian lawyer S. Sigele.

Expressing his views in a small book, “The Criminal Crowd,” S. Siegele (1868–1913) drew attention to the need to develop collective psychology as the psychology of various (large and small) masses of people. At the same time, he explained that collective psychology should deal primarily with such collections of individuals, such as, for example, jury trials, meetings, congresses, theaters, etc., which do not obey either the laws of individual psychology or sociological laws.

Collective psychology, according to Siegel, is also the psychology of the crowd, the “soul” of which is formed by people’s imitation of each other. Siegele points out the role of contagion in the formation of collective psychology, including the psychology of the crowd, and the role of receptivity and suggestion in this. He speaks of an “indisputable psychological law” according to which “the intensity of mental movement increases in direct proportion to the number of persons sharing this movement at the same time, in the same place.” This is the “reason for that fury” to which enthusiasm or censure reaches in various kinds of gatherings of people.

A detailed substantiation of mass psychology is contained in a number of works by Gustav Le Bon (1841-1931). In his fundamental work “Psychology of Peoples and Masses,” he thoroughly characterizes the consciousness of the “crowd” and its numerous psychological properties. He writes that the “era of the crowd” begins “in transitional periods of social development and at the same time unstable, when elements of one civilization collapse and elements of another are gradually established.”

According to Le Bon, the psychological characteristics of a crowd are fundamentally different from the psychological characteristics of the people who compose it. “The conscious personality disappears,” people’s feelings and thoughts “take the same direction,” “a collective soul is formed, which is temporary, but represents very definite features.” Le Bon further characterizes these traits, points out the impulsiveness and irritability of the crowd, the inability to think, lack of reasoning and criticism, susceptibility to suggestion, intolerance, authoritarianism and conservatism of the crowd, etc.

Le Bon tries to comprehend the reasons for the emergence of new mental and moral qualities in a person in a crowd, reveals the nature of the ideas and imaginations of the crowd. In his opinion, the ideas of the crowd can be divided into two categories: fleeting ideas that arise under the influence of a moment, and other ideas to which environment, heredity and public opinion give greater stability. The imaginations of the crowd are more often based on superficial impressions. He gives his classification and description of the crowd of “various categories”, distinguishes a heterogeneous crowd and a homogeneous crowd (sects, castes, classes, etc.), a criminal crowd, juries and criminal courts, an electoral crowd, parliamentary meetings.

Psychology of Interpersonal Communication

Studies of the psychology of masses, including the above-mentioned gatherings of people, provide a lot for understanding the psychology of interpersonal communication in the appropriate setting. Living in society, a person encounters the activities of these mass gatherings, experiences their influence, and becomes a participant in them. All this has a psychological impact on him, including as a subject of activity and communication with other people.

The understanding of a person as a subject of interpersonal communication is facilitated by the theory of instincts of social behavior, substantiated in the works of the English psychologist William McDougall (1871-1938). He proceeded from the fact that “psychology should not be reduced to the study of conscious processes.” It should be “a positive science of the human spirit in all its forms and modes of manifestation.” He considered their innate instincts to be the original cause and driving force of people's social behavior. Reflecting on their nature and role, he refers to the work of W. Wundt, who applied the term “instinct” to “well-established acquired skills” and to “innate specific inclinations,” as well as to the work of W. James, who assigned instincts a “leading role in determining human behavior and mental processes." McDougall defined instinct as a hereditary or innate psychophysical predisposition that endows the one who possesses it with the ability to perceive known objects, pay attention to them, experience special sensory arousal when perceiving such objects and perform corresponding special acts, or at least experience impulse towards them.

Pointing to the cognitive, affective and volitional sides of instinct, he explains it this way:

Each instinctive act contains within itself the consciousness of the existence of some object, an emotional attitude towards the latter and a desire for it or avoidance of this object.

It is stated that “instincts are the first drivers of human activity” and that “instinctive impulses determine the purpose of all activity.” The relationship between some “basic instincts” and “primary human emotions” is characterized in detail, including: the instinct of flight from danger and the emotion of fear; instinct of curiosity and emotion of surprise; the instinct of pugnacity and the emotion of anger; instinct of self-abasement and emotions of humility; parental instinct and emotions of tenderness, etc. Entire chapters are devoted to the analysis of individual instincts, such as the instinct of reproduction and parental instinct, the instinct of belligerence, the herd instinct, the instinct of acquisitiveness, construction, etc.

McDougall's detailed analysis of the role of instincts (which he later called inclinations) in the social behavior of people contributed to the fact that other psychologists paid serious attention to this. Many of them began to study the irrational manifestations of the human psyche, primarily instincts, their essence and role in people’s activities, their behavior and interpersonal communication. We are talking mainly about the psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud and his followers.

Review questions

1. What moral principles of communication between people did thinkers of ancient and modern times point to?

2. Compare the basic socio-psychological ideas of G. Tarde, L. Ward, F.G. Giddings and V. Pareto.

3. How did H. Steinthal, M. Lazarus and W. Wundt understand the psychology of peoples? Compare their views.

4. How did S. Siegele and G. Lebon understand “mass psychology”?

5. Characterize the teachings of W. McDougall about the instincts of social behavior.

Business communication culture

Business communication in psychology is the ability of employees of different status to demonstrate communication skills that characterize their level of professionalism. It is also how well an individual can follow job instructions and job responsibilities. The culture of business communication includes not only personal communication, but also telephone conversations and correspondence over the Internet.

Particular attention to the culture and etiquette of business communication should be paid in the process of communication between an entire group of people. During the conversation, people exchange not only information, but also the correct facial expressions and gestures.

In addition, in the process of communication, each partner creates for himself one or another virtual image based on the information received. Therefore, the task of all communication participants is to create those images that will fully correspond to the topic of the conversation.

We are also talking about the image of the subjects themselves. During the conversation, each participant forms or changes his opinion about other people who take part in the business conversation. The task of each of them is to prevent this opinion from changing for the worse.

The culture of business communication is inextricably linked with etiquette, that is, it implies adherence to certain rules and norms. For example, we are talking about punctuality, correct conversation, neat appearance and many other things.

Particular attention is paid to all these standards and rules during entrepreneurial activity, since it almost always involves negotiations and business conversations. There are areas of activity in which the speed of career growth directly depends on how much a person has business communication skills.

Business speech etiquette

Business speech etiquette , its norms and rules are a component of business ethics. This is a set of rules of speech communication that are interconnected and mandatory for use in certain corporate situations. The application of such rules facilitates cooperation, the implementation of business processes and even determines their success.

Business people apply the rules of business ethics when communicating with each other:

• Conduct a conversation legibly, clearly, understandably, and correctly;
• Maintain an average speaking rate. A slow pace can lull you to sleep, while a fast pace can lead to a misunderstanding of the essence of the conversation;
• Monotony is avoided so as not to cause boredom to the opponent;
• Observe hierarchy, if present;
• They clearly understand the goal, the decision that needs to be achieved as a result of the conversation;
• They know how to listen and hear their interlocutor in order to find a way for a mutually beneficial solution to the issue;
• They appeal with facts, accurate data. Unverified information is not used.

The speech etiquette of business people is based on almost the same principles as business etiquette: adherence to hierarchy, positive communication, respect for other people's opinions. In addition to the above, business speech etiquette requires adherence to the principle of accounting, the appropriateness of the situation, as well as the principle of predictability, which allows you to avoid unpredictable and awkward developments in corporate communication. Oratory is closely related to business speech etiquette. A business person who possesses such art is more successful in achieving his communication goals. Even if you do not have the skills to be a successful speaker, you can always learn this by attending our public speaking training.

Features of business communication

Business communication is usually called the diverse processes of forming contacts between individuals who are connected by professional activities. The main feature of such communication is regulation, that is, unconditional submission to the norms of culture and ethics of communication.

Another feature of business communication is the extent to which a person adheres to the culture of speech. During communication, he must pay attention to style and grammar. If his speech contains a huge number of errors and incorrectly constructed sentences, then this changes his socio-cultural status for the worse.

Business communication should be organized depending on the needs of all participants in communication activities. Mutual interests and requests must be taken into account. This greatly improves communication productivity.

Language of business communication

The language of business communication should be formal and businesslike. It is characterized by a functional type of syllable and is used when it is necessary to maintain communicative interaction in business, commercial or other professional activities. That is, communication must occur at a certain level of social meaning using characteristic linguistic units.

Speech communication in business communication has specific characteristics. Communication of this type is also carried out at the level of the entire organization (meeting, negotiations) or when two employees communicate (conversation).

The type of information interaction depends on:

• positions of subjects;
• areas of activity of the enterprise;
• competence and other factors.

Such relationships are strictly regulated by norms. Acceptable information flows will vary at each institution.

Types of business communication

Orthology is used in business communication. This is the science of correct speech, language norms and their changes depending on changes in the modern world. These are peculiar schemes and phrases that are usually used in business communication. Employees conducting business correspondence must follow the rules of the Russian language and take into account the peculiarities of written speech.

Business communication involves the use of several communication styles. In psychology, these types are classified as follows.

Forms of implementation of business communication

Communication style differs depending on the form of communication.

Business conversation

This is the most common form of business communication. A business conversation is a conversation on a given topic, during which all participants in communication find a solution to the assigned tasks. The conversation can be between two people or an entire department of a company or production.

There are several subtypes of business conversation:

• interview;
• problematic;
• disciplinary.

Depending on this, the goals of the business conversation will differ. For example, it can be used to resolve work issues, analyze the work of employees, or if there is a need to influence the behavior and work activities of an employee.

Business meeting

Business negotiations mean a process whose main goal is to achieve mutual compromise. It is achieved through joint decisions, as well as the distribution of obligations. Unlike other methods of communication, business negotiations have a more formal and diplomatic nature of communication.

With their help, the regulation of relations between several organizations and their leaders is achieved. They can also be carried out within the same company, when a group of employees must come to a common decision.

In order for negotiations to proceed according to all the rules, you need to follow the plan:

1. First you need to prepare. At this stage, the subject of negotiations is studied in detail and possible problems are analyzed. It is important at this step to have all the necessary information about other participants in the communication. Preparation also includes drawing up a plan and negotiation strategy.

2. At the next stage, all participants in the negotiations are greeted. It should not contain personal appeals.
3. After this, the topic of negotiations and specific positions are announced.
4. Next, a dialogue is held, during which all participants express their positions and offer options for solving the problem under discussion.

Business meeting

In fact, we are talking about a general meeting, during which standard agenda items and other problems that need to be solved to improve the work process are discussed.

The meeting can be:

• Informative. Each participant makes his own report. Provides general information to help you better identify the problem and find a solution.
• Meeting. It brings together representatives of individual sectors who consider a plan for further action.
• Creative. Ideas and theories are put forward that can improve the work process.

At the meeting, problems are resolved that the manager cannot solve unilaterally, alone.

Rules of business communication

Business communication in psychology is a type of conversation that should be conducted according to several rules:

• Psychological contact. You need to take a comfortable position. All participants in business communication should be at an acceptable distance from each other so as not to feel discomfort. At the same time, it is important to set up a dialogue with your partner: you need to take into account his experience, position and characteristics of the thinking and speech process.
• Working atmosphere. The conversation should not be tense. If it arises, you can defuse the situation with a joke, a compliment or a personal appeal. Or you can immediately move on to the issue under discussion so that there are no awkward pauses. Information must be presented briefly and as clearly as possible so that all participants in the conversation understand the essence of the presentation.
• Focusing attention. All communication participants should be focused on the problem being discussed. During the conversation, arguments and counterarguments are expressed. It is very important that all participants in a negotiation or conversation treat each other with respect.

  
  Principles of business communication in psychology

At the end of the conversation, a solution should be found or at least several of the most optimal plans for further work should be proposed.

Compliments can be extremely sincere. If the interlocutor understands, even only on a subconscious level, that they are being joked about, the entire tone of the conversation can become negative. It is customary to say thank you for a compliment. Criticism is allowed, but only if it is non-aggressive and supported by facts.

The speaker's speech should be as clear and intelligible as possible. Each listener must understand what is being said. You should avoid monotonous storytelling, as this does not allow you to concentrate on the main problem. That is, the conversation must have a certain emotional coloring.

It is recommended to pay attention to the pace of speech. It should be average. Narrating too slowly causes a person to lose interest. The interlocutor begins to get distracted.

You shouldn't speak too quickly either. The interlocutor simply does not have time to process the information received. Communication in this case will be disrupted. The best option is to alternate short and long sentences. Then the speech will not be too heavy and will allow better communication.

It is important that the interlocutors know how to listen to each other. Advice and personal statements are not welcome. Insults must be eliminated. You must express your point of view gently, you cannot be intrusive. At the same time, we must not lose focus on the main problem.

When conducting a formal conversation, it is important to take into account the positions of the interlocutors and your own. Regardless of a person's status, he must treat those of lower or higher position with equal respect.

The speech of the person who speaks should be varied. He must have a good command of professional terms and use expressions customary in a particular field of activity.

Principles of conducting a business conversation

Psychological preparation for a business conversation and the partner’s mentality are very important, but not decisive factors. The outcome depends on your preparation, but is determined by how the conversation is set up. To avoid obvious mistakes when organizing a conversation, psychologists recommend applying the following basic principles.

• Rationality. During a conversation, you need to be restrained, even if your partner shows emotions. For what? Firstly, uncontrolled emotions always negatively affect the decision. Secondly, there is a psychological rule that says: “The one who is calm wins the discussion.” Calmness and rationality are the best response to your partner's emotional outburst.
• Understanding . Understand your partner. He is trying to explain his position and opinion to you. But due to lack of attention to his point of view, the goal cannot be achieved. And this leads to irritation and may make the interlocutor not understand your position. Remember that before you can influence your partner's position (and change it in the right direction - that's your goal!), you must understand it.
• Attention . We've learned that our attention fluctuates during conversations. And this happens even when there are no distractions. Concentration and attention change during a conversation. The human psyche is designed in such a way that from time to time it needs pauses in receiving information. At these moments, attention unconsciously wanders, and your interlocutor seems to “give up” for several minutes, disconnecting from the conversation. At such moments, it is necessary to verbally or non-verbally grab his attention in order to restore the interrupted contact. The best way to do this is to ask: “Are you listening to me?
• Reliability. You should not give false information in a conversation, even if a person does it. Otherwise, a tactical gain (which can sometimes happen) can turn into a strategic loss.
• Thesis. Setting a boundary between the person you are talking to and the topic of conversation is an important psychological principle. When communicating, we often identify what our partner says with ourselves (with his personality) or even with our attitude towards him.

Pleasant information conveyed by an unpleasant interlocutor loses half of its attractiveness. Our personal attitude towards a person we don’t like often makes it difficult to objectively assess the information he conveys.

To avoid this, pay attention first of all to what is being communicated to you, and not to what and how it is being communicated. In a word, separating facts from opinions (assessments) and opinions from emotions is the principle of constructive conversation.

The above principles of conducting a business conversation are quite general. Experts in the field of communication psychology filled them with content and established rules for conducting business conversations. These rules can be called “safety precautions” in business communication.

Rules for conducting a business conversation

1. Double interest. Each interlocutor has a double interest:

• from the point of view of the facts discussed during the conversation,
• in terms of their interaction with their partner. In other words: When people communicate, they think not only about what is being discussed, but also about how their future relationships will develop. Maintaining good (constructive) relationships is no less important than exchanging information. This is why we often choose not to discuss certain things with our loved ones for fear of damaging our relationships.

Psychologists recommend that every step of the conversation be conducted in a way that promotes, rather than disrupts, your relationship with your subordinates. The problem is that relationships are usually tied to the topic of conversation, the topic of conversation. That's why:

• Don't jump to conclusions about the other person's intentions based on your own fears. In short, don't confuse your own fears with his plans. Your problem isn't that your partner is at fault. It's easiest to blame him, even if it's his own fault. Your words, although fair, are usually unproductive. Your attack causes the enemy to be defensive and contradict what you are communicating;
• Listen carefully and show that you heard what was said. Listening is an active process! We'll talk more about how to make it productive later, but for now I just want to emphasize the importance of listening;
• talk about your interests, what you want. The person you're talking to may not have a clue, and you may not know what their interests are. If you want your interests to be taken into account, you must explain what they are. Be specific and clear in what you say;
• Look forward, not behind. You'll get there faster if you talk about what you want to achieve rather than what happened. Instead of arguing with a person about the past, which you still cannot change, talk about the future. Don't ask for explanations for yesterday's actions; it is much more productive to think about who should do what tomorrow.

2. Pay attention to your partner. For once, I would even say that paying attention to your partner is an important rule. If you present yourself to your partner as an interested listener, it will be much easier for both him and you. To do this:

• Compare your partner’s speech with phrases like “Yes!”, “I see what you’re getting at...”, “That’s interesting...”, “Nice to hear that.” If done casually and constructively, and accompanied by appropriate nonverbal cues, such a response will create a subconscious desire to speak freely and without restrictions. This will help express agreement, interest, understanding;
• show a desire to receive additional facts and clarify the interlocutor’s position using the phrases: “Please clarify...”, “Please repeat again...”, “As I understand you...”, “You can correct me if I’m wrong...”, “ In other words, you think that...” etc.;
• Address your partner by name (last name and patronymic) as often and as often as possible;
• Don't say hurtful words - remember the law of the emotional mirror: nervousness makes the other person nervous, anger makes the other person angry, and aggression makes the other person aggressive. To ensure your words have an impact, be sensitive and non-offensive;
• choose your words carefully, pointing out your partner’s mistakes and inaccuracies. Anyone can make a mistake, and a sharp retort like “This is completely wrong!” or “You're wrong!” kills the message, hurts the other person’s self-esteem, and thereby destroys the contact. You can tell someone that they are wrong just as eloquently, with a look, a gesture, or a tone, as with a word. But it is unacceptable to humiliate your own dignity. Saying, “You’re wrong, and I’ll prove it to you,” is the same as saying, “I’m smarter than you.” It's better to say something different, like, “I think differently. But of course I could be wrong. I hope you can correct me if I’m wrong about something.” As you can see, in the psychology of communication, the shortest path to expressing your thoughts is not always the best.

3. Look for commonalities. Every business conversation, from a psychological point of view, is a search for mutual understanding (a common point of view of a common approach to the issue under discussion). To make it easier to find common ground:

• Don't start a conversation with issues on which you disagree. It is necessary that the interlocutor from the very beginning confirms (say, “Yes!”) your question or agrees with your idea.

From a psychological point of view, if a negative answer is given, then the person is in a position that requires him to appear true to what is said. It takes time (and sometimes a lot of time) for your interlocutor to understand that his “No!” was inappropriate.

It is no coincidence that people intuitively start a conversation on a common topic, for example, by exchanging opinions about the weather. Usually their opinions are the same. Of course, it would be funny if every business conversation started with a conversation about the weather. A professional always has a set of prepared questions that can only be answered “yes”;

• Don't be so quick to say “No!” to your partner's proposal. It is better to use the “Yes, but...” technique. For example, in response to an unacceptable proposal, it is best to say: “Yes, but I want it to be respected...”. (here you tactfully state your condition).” This technique forces the interlocutor to look for ways to take into account your interests and creates the feeling that the approach he proposes is acceptable to you.

4. Avoid arguments. Everyone knows that truth is born in a dispute. However, this is also not without controversy. Of the two arguing, each is trying to win. Well, the surest way to win an argument is to avoid it. How do we do this?

• During a debate, never say categorically and directly that you think your interlocutor is wrong. It will be better if you show that you respect their opinion, whatever it is;
• if you are wrong (which, of course, is possible), admit it quickly and clearly.

5. Safe criticism. Criticizing the position, point of view or side of your counterparty is not necessarily a feature of a business conversation. Remember that this is a very dangerous weapon. This is a dangerous and double-edged sword that can harm both sides of the conversation. Therefore, criticism should only be used as a last resort and only if the following guidelines are followed.

• You must create a psychological context that is comfortable for your interlocutor. It's your job. It is generally easier to accept criticism if it is followed by recognition. It's good to use phrases like:

-I appreciate you raising this issue with your usual candor. However.

-Your words show that you are sincerely concerned about the outcome of the case. But still…

-There is a rational basis for what you say. But in other way.

• Point out your own mistakes before criticizing. It will be psychologically easier for your interlocutor to listen to his list of shortcomings if he begins by admitting that he himself is not ideal;
• It is wiser to admit your own shortcomings than to listen to external condemnation. This is a good way to “disarm” your opponent;
• If you want people to adhere to your point of view, let them know that the idea you are presenting belongs to them.

6. Speech. Experts say that in a business conversation, it is not so much the arguments that are convincing, but the form in which they are presented. Persuasive speech and persuasive arguments are not the same thing. Try to present the “strongest” arguments during a business meeting in a conversational tone, stuttering, stuttering, and you will see that they lose their persuasive power. Tone and pace of speech, logical pauses, etc. - very good tools for effective communication. Mastering them and raising your voice, of course, requires special training. You can start with the following:

• Change the tone of your voice, because monotony “lulls you to sleep” and distracts your attention. A sudden rise or fall makes a word or phrase stand out from the crowd;
• Changing the tempo of speech makes it more expressive;
• pause before and after an important thought;
• control the volume of your speech. Lowering the volume during an “important” moment in a conversation is the best way to get attention.

7. The word trap . Experience shows that using certain words dramatically reduces the effectiveness of a conversation. The best thing you can do is eliminate them from your vocabulary. What are these words?

• Words are parasites: like, here, well, it means, as they say, in fact, in general, in short.
• offensive words;
• the words "on occasion". You should avoid statements like these:
• I'm no expert (even if you really aren't).
• I, of course, do not say (only a professional speaker can afford to use such words, and only in strictly defined cases). If you say this, your interlocutor may wonder whether they should listen to you further.

Moreover, such statements are completely unacceptable.

-Let's talk about this for a minute...

-I was just nearby and stopped by. When you say this, you are showing that you are not interested in the conversation, let alone the person you are talking to.

In a nutshell, these are the basic rules for “safety” of business communication.

Business communication styles

Business communication in psychology is a method of communication that can have different colors. But the official presentation of information remains unchanged. There are 2 main types of work dialogues.

Verbal

It's about verbal communication. That is, direct eye contact is made between the interlocutors. The effectiveness of such communication is explained by the fact that the participants in communication are able to exert an emotional influence on each other. Gestures and other speech enhancers are taken into account.

Great importance is given to the voice in verbal communication. A person must be restrained, but pronounce words clearly and clearly. Also in the process of verbal communication, non-verbal communication techniques are used.

Non-verbal

Nonverbal communication is less effective, but is often used. It implies non-speech communication channels. This is a sign system when a person gestures or expresses emotions through facial expressions. The style of communication is inextricably linked with verbal, when a person not only speaks with certain intonations, but also supplements speech with other signs that reinforce words.

Electronic

This type of communication is usually called indirect. Communication is carried out through correspondence. This is a more restrictive form of communication that is not effective when it comes to influencing another person. In this case, it becomes impossible to use verbal and non-verbal interaction techniques.

Very often during business communication all 3 styles are used at once. For example, online negotiations can be held, during which speakers show visual material, gesture and correspond.

When communicating in business, you need to take into account a lot of nuances. There are many communication strategies in psychology. If you know the rules of conversation, you can achieve excellent results in negotiations and improve your work process.

Psychological foundations of business relationships

Information is expressed in the form of an order, a hint, a request. It is designed to stimulate action. Stimulation can be of different types. This is, first of all, activation, that is, an impulse to action in a certain direction. It can also be a ban, i.e. prohibiting certain actions or prohibiting undesirable activities. Finally, disruption is the inconsistency or disruption of a particular autonomous behavior or activity.

Although this is a neutral message that does not directly change behavior, it does influence behavior.

Numerous studies in the field of psychology have examined the conditions and methods for enhancing the effect of verbal influence. The set of specific actions aimed at achieving this goal was called "persuasive communication", which became the basis of what is known as experimental rhetoric - the art of persuasion through speech.

Among the characteristics of the speaker that contribute to the effectiveness of his speech, for example, the types of his position in communication were highlighted:

-When the speaker openly expresses himself as a supporter of a given point of view and evaluates various facts in support of this point of view;

-distant, when the speaker is neutral in tone and does not approve of any of the possible positions, but at the same time does not exclude the choice of one of the possible positions;

-transparent, when the speaker does not reveal his own position or even takes special measures to hide it.

Each is defined by its respective intentions as part of the communication, and each has its own ways of enhancing impact.

The regulatory function of communication is also implemented in the text itself. Here, the method of content analysis is used, which allows you to analyze some quantitative characteristics of the text and determine the proportions in the relationship of its parts.

Studying the characteristics of the addressee and audience is of great importance for understanding the regulatory mechanisms of communication. For example, research has shown that the belief that logical, evidence-based information has the greatest impact is not supported experimentally. It became clear that a more important factor in changing audience behavior was the interaction between the information provided and the audience's attitude.

The real mechanism of behavioral interregulation in communication can only be understood by analyzing the development of communication between participants. Only on the basis of mutual understanding can a strategy and tactics of interaction and joint organizational behavior be developed. To reveal the regulatory mechanism of communication, it is necessary to find out how the intentions, motives and attitudes of one individual “overlay” the perception of the partner. In other words, further analysis of the problem of communication requires closer attention to how the image of a communication partner is formed, on the accuracy of which the success of joint activities depends.

This formulation of the question requires a transition to the consideration of the third function of communication, called perceptual, in which the process of forming the image of another person, in particular, a communication partner, is studied.