Human relations: essence, development and problems

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Human relations is an extremely broad concept. Before thinking about what patterns of development or problems they are characterized by, you need to determine what exactly they are talking about.

This expression itself is commonplace. In psychology, it is customary to use another term - “interpersonal relationships”. And despite the extreme breadth of this concept, it has very clear, albeit generalizing characteristics.

What is this? Definition and examples

Interpersonal or human relationships are nothing more than a collection, a combination of different variations of interactions between people. The mutual actions themselves can be anything and unite a different number of people.

This means that the concept includes both types of building relationships between a couple of people, as well as confrontation between the individual and the team, the merging of individuals into social groups and much more. For example, if a person enters a large elevator where he is alreadya lot of people, and they ask him which floor to get to, or they ask him to let him go to the exit - this is nothing more than one of the patterns of interaction, that is, interpersonal relationships.

If a young man comes on a date with a bouquet of flowers, this is also an example of a way to build human relationships. A morning meeting in the office or a kind of “exercise” performed by the whole team under the watchful supervision of a manager is also an example of interaction between people.

What are interpersonal relationships based on?

Human relations are based on the communication of people and the mutual exchange of information, connections between individuals. Accordingly, direct means of communication are of paramount importance for their development and maintenance.

What is included in this concept? Of course, first of all, speech. It is the verbal way of transmitting information that is the basis of all relations that develop between people. In this case, information should not be understood as a “dry” chronicle of any events or a presentation of knowledge accumulated by previous generations. In the context of interpersonal relationships, this concept includes the exchange of thoughts, conclusions about something. In other words, every conversation is nothing more than an exchange of information. Even if two elderly neighbors discuss the behavior of young people, they still exchange information with each other.

The nature of human relationships is based on more than just speech. Second componentThe foundation of this concept are all means of non-verbal communication. It is they who allow you to establish primary relationships between people. These funds traditionally include:

• gesture;
• facial expressions;
• appearance;
• gait and posture.

That is, everything that contributes to the formation of a certain opinion about a person, disposes to him or, on the contrary, repels him, can be attributed to non-verbal means of communication.

What is the essence of interpersonal relationships? Why are they important?

The essence of human relations lies in the fact that thanks to them both the personal development of a single individual and the advancement of the whole civilization as a whole are possible. In other words, the progress and evolutionary development of society are nothing more than a direct consequence of interpersonal interactions. If people did not enter into relationships with each other, then there would be no modern world.

What is the importance of human relations, in addition to their role in the construction and development of civilization? Interpersonal interactions are the foundation of the entire social organization of human communities - from the smallest, such as the family, to global ones.

What does this mean in practice for an ordinary person who does not think about his role in the social structure of the metropolis or the development of civilization? What exactly is formed from interaction with other people every day of his life, starting from birth. Only having been born, a person begins to interact with his parents - to give themsignals and capture the response.

Later, people start talking, chatting, reading books, watching movies, discussing them and sharing their impressions - this is nothing but the world of human relations. Every morning, waking up and going to work, a person inevitably comes into contact with others, interacts with them. Even if we are talking about a freelancer who lives alone and basically does not leave the apartment anywhere, he still participates in interaction with other people. Watching the news, talking on social networks are also varieties of interpersonal relationships.

How are human relationships classified?

Since this concept is very broad, it simply cannot exist without classification. And, of course, she is. It is customary to share interpersonal relationships that are established between people:

• on target;
• by nature.

These large groups are in turn subdivided into smaller ones.

Classification of relationships "by purpose": examples

Classification of human interactions by purpose includes relationships:

• primary;
• secondary.

Primary relationships are understood as a combination of interactions and the presence of connections between people that arise naturally, due to necessity and outside the conscious desire for them by individuals. For example, handing over money for fare on a crowded bus is nothing more than a primary type of relationship and interaction of people united by a common goal.

SecondaryRelationships are the conscious actions of an individual towards another person. Of course, we can talk not only about the act of one person in relation to another, but also about groups of people. For example, a person calls an ambulance to a patient. This is an example of a secondary relationship between people who are united by one goal. In the context of the emergency example, the goal is recovery. Arriving doctors are already a group of people. They help the sick. That is, they also enter into secondary relationships, while pursuing the same final goal as the patient.

Classification of relationships "by nature": examples

By their nature, relationships between people are divided into two types. The first is formal interaction. The second type is, of course, informal relationships.

What is a formal relationship? This is a kind of official, businesslike way of building interactions. This type of interpersonal relationship is characterized by the following:

• presence of norms, rules, requirements to be observed;
• lack of choice of social circle, partners;
• extremely low level of emotionality;
• certain appearance and behavior.

An example of this type of relationship building can be any business cooperation, political negotiations and even discussion of everyday work issues. That is, if the boss calls the employee into the office and explains to him the current goals and objectives, this is a formal or official communication. But if a person talks to hisboss during a lunch about the weather - this is already an informal interaction. Accordingly, one of the moments that determine the formal type of relationship is the topic of communication.

Informal relationships are diametrically opposed to formal interactions. They are characterized by freedom in choosing partners, topics, appearance and everything else. Accordingly, casual chatting with a friend over coffee is nothing more than an example of an informal type of interaction.

One nuance is rather curious. If a person in the boss's office drinks tea with the boss and discusses family problems, this is no longer formal communication, although it happens at work and during working hours. In the same way, a conversation with the boss, concerning only working moments, but taking place in the evening in a restaurant, cannot be attributed to informal communication.

Can relationships be managed?

Management of human relations is one of the disciplines that future managers master. That is, it is nothing but personnel management.

The main functional concepts that make up the key to successful management of people's relationships are the "three pillars of management":

• motivation;
• communication;
• motivation.

Many beginners often confuse concepts such as "motivation" and "inducement". The meaning of these functions is not the same.

Motivation is nothing more than the ability of a leader to arouse interest in the necessary action in an employee. The motivation isthis is finding ways and means of influence, thanks to which the employee brings the work he has started to the final as quickly and efficiently as possible. Communication in this case is a combination of various methods and mechanisms for transmitting information to employees and receiving it from them.

Accordingly, it is not only possible, but necessary, to manage relations between people in the professional sphere. Thanks to the combination of the "three pillars of management", not only an effective result is achieved, but also coherence in the team, a clear understanding of their role by employees, and awareness of goals and objectives.

If people try to manage relationships outside of a formal type of interaction, this is already called manipulation and rarely leads to anything good.

What is meant by the development and problem of interpersonal relationships?

The development of human relations is one of the scientific directions in psychosociology. As a rule, it deals with issues that are directly related to the art of managing personnel, labor collectives or students.

It is based on the theory of "human relations", developed at Harvard University by Elton Mayo at the beginning of the last century. This scientist headed the "School of Business". It was something like a modern course for managers. The school was opened at Harvard University, but, of course, its graduation was not accompanied by the issuance of a diploma from this institution.

The problem of human relations, according to this theory,It lies in the fact that the fundamental influence on labor productivity and the return of an employee to the work process is not at all material, but social and psychological factors. However, if we exclude the material component, then social and psychological motivators will not have any effect at all. However, with the exclusion of psychosocial components, the material incentive will be enough to complete the task, but the work will be done very poorly. It was in this paradox that the author of the theory saw the problem that science should deal with in the study of interpersonal relationships and their management.