The process of communication, in fact, lasts our whole life, because, as social beings, without communication, we could not organize at least some kind of activity. This phenomenon attracted attention, both philosophers of the ancient world, and modern psychologists. Until now, there is no single classification of the structure of the process of interpersonal and intergroup communication, but we will cover the most common species.
Communication was divided into a structure to enable analysis for each element, and to streamline them.
In the structure, functions and modes of communication, three different processes are distinguished:
- information exchange - communication;
- exchange of activities - interaction;
- perception of the partner - social perception.
In psychology, the specifics of these processes are viewed as a way of interaction between the individual and society, while sociology considers the use of communication in social activities.
In addition, sometimes researchers make three in the psychological structure of communication functions:
- information and communication;
- regulatory and communicative;
- affective-communicative.
Of course, in the process of communication, all these functions are closely interrelated and separate them exclusively for analysis and the system of experimental research.
Levels of analysis of the structure of communication
Soviet psychologist Boris Lomov, in the last century, identified three basic levels of analysis of the structure of speech communication, which is still used in psychology:
- macrolevel. The study of this level implies an analysis of the psychological development of the personality, over certain time intervals. The relationship between a person and other individuals and social groups is studied.
- mesa level. At this level, the structure of communication is viewed as logically completed interaction situations, which can change, and in which the individual finds himself in certain time intervals. The emphasis in the analysis of the mesa level is made on the dynamics, stages, verbal and non-verbal means of communication, as well as on the content components of situations in which the communication process takes place ("for what purpose", "why", etc.);
- The microlevel implies the analysis of elementary units of communication, is considered as a certain interaction of behavioral acts ("question-answer", as well as the attitude of subjects of communication to the information received).
The founder of social psychology B. Parygin considered the structure of communication as a relationship between two main aspects: meaningful (directly communication) and formal (interaction with content and form).
Another Soviet psychologist A. Bodalev distinguished three main components among the types and structures of communication:
- gnostic. This refers to the cognitive side of communication;
- affective - emotional component;
- practical - an active component.
Communication, as a process of transferring information and interference of subjects of communication, can also be characterized relative its autonomous components:
- target;
- content;
- means of communication;
- participants in the process of communication;
- type of communication between subjects of communication;
- communicative potential of participants in the communication process;
- gender features of communication;
- style and tactics of communication;
- the end result of the communication process.
For such a separation of the structure of communication, it is necessary to pay attention to the role of the environment in which communication is realized:
In conclusion, it should be noted that the process of communication is complete with a harmonious combination of two closely interrelated factors: external (behavioral), manifested in communicative actions of communicators, as well as in the choice of behavior and internal (value features of the subject of communication), which is expressed through verbal and non-verbal signals.