Natural

It is generally accepted in social psychology division of large social groups into two types:

Large stable groups– long-term groups that have formed during the historical development of society and occupy certain places in the system of social relations of each specific type of society. Such groups include social classes, various ethnic groups, gender and age groups, etc. These groups are most important for understanding the psychological characteristics of the historical process.

Large spontaneous social groups- these are short-term associations large number persons, often with very different interests, but nevertheless gathered together for a specific reason and demonstrating some kind of joint action. The members of such a temporary association are representatives of various large organized groups. Such an entity is not a “subject of joint activity.” Among spontaneous groups, the crowd, mass, and public are most often distinguished.

Small group- a small group in composition, whose members are united by common social activities and are in direct personal communication, which is the basis for the emergence of emotional relationships, group norms and group processes.

Foreign and domestic scientists, having studied a small group for a long time, came to the conclusion that it must necessarily have such specific features and characteristics as:

presence of two or more people;

implementation of continuous contacts and communication between them;

the presence of a common goal and joint activities;

the emergence of mutual emotional and other connections;

group members recognize themselves as “we” and others as “they”;

the formation of common norms and values ​​acceptable to all group members;

functioning of quality organizational structure and governance systems;

availability of sufficient time for mutual existence of people.

Quantitative characteristics of a small group

For lower limit the size of a small group, most specialists accept three people, since in a group of two people - dyad - group socio-psychological phenomena occur in a special way.

The upper limit of a small group is determined by its qualitative characteristics and usually does not exceed 20-30 people. The optimal size of a small group depends on the nature of the joint activity being performed and is in the range of 5-12 people. According to researchers, a small group is a group that represents a certain unit of joint activity.

Psychological characteristics of small groups

1. Group composition.

2. Group structure.

3. Group processes

4. Group norms.

5. Group.

An individual, being a member of a group, also has a number of characteristics.

1. “Status” or “position”.

2. "Role".

3. System of “group expectations”.

Classification of small groups. The ambiguity of the concept of a small group has also given rise to the ambiguity of the proposed classifications.

1. Small groups are the main object of laboratory experiments in social psychology. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between groups artificial(or laboratory), specially created to solve scientific problems, and natural groups that exist independently of the will of the researcher.

2. Bylevel of development allocate highly organized And low-level(diffuse) groups. Diffuse groups, unlike highly organized ones, are a more or less random association of people who have not yet launched joint activities.

3. By lifetime groups are highlighted temporary, within which the association of individuals is limited in time, and stable, the relative constancy of existence of which is determined by their purpose and long-term goals of operation.

4. Depending on the degree of arbitrariness of an individual’s decision on joining a particular group, participating in its life activities and leaving it, groups are divided into open And closed. Closed groups are groups characterized by a low degree of permeability of membership boundaries and limited contact with environment. Open groups are groups that have a highly permeable membership boundary and are open to outside influence.

5. Dividing small groups into primary And secondary was first proposed by C. Cooley. However, this classification has been changed: it is customary to distinguish primary groups, that is, the smallest in size and further indivisible communities, and secondary groups, which formally represent single communities, but include several primary groups.

6. E. Mayo proposed dividing small groups into formal And informal. A formal group is different in that all positions are clearly defined in it and the roles of all group members, which are prescribed by group norms, are strictly distributed. Informal groups are associations of people that arise on the basis of the internal, inherent needs of individuals for communication, belonging, understanding, sympathy and love. Examples of informal small groups are friendly and friendly companies, pairs of people who love each other, informal associations of people connected by common interests and hobbies.

7. G. Hyman highlighted membership groups And referential groups. Membership groups are groups in which individuals actually belong. Reference groups are groups in which individuals are not really included, but whose norms they accept. Referentiality of a small group - the significance of group values, norms, assessments for the individual.

A small group as an independent subject of activity and special analysis can be characterized from the point of view of the content of its psychology. It, like any other community of people, is united by the unity of spiritual life and psychology, which has its own characteristics, which are not reducible to a simple sum of manifestations of the individual psychological traits of the people who make it up, and which function in form: group relationships, group aspirations, opinions, moods and traditions.

Group relationships(synonym - interpersonal relationships) - subjective connections that arise as a result of the interaction of people and are accompanied by various emotional experiences of the individuals participating in them.

Relationships determine the incentives for joint activity and behavior of people, the mechanisms for the formation and self-development of a small group.

Types of relationships in a small group: socio-political; official; off-duty.

Relationship principles: respect and subordination; cohesion; humanism.

Group aspirations, these include goals, objectives, needs, motives (interests, values) underlying the behavior and joint efforts of members of a small group. The formation and development of the system of its aspirations occurs under the influence of the conditions of social life and people's activities.

Group opinions- a set of value judgments of all group members about events occurring inside and outside it.

Group sentiments- represent complex emotional states, the general emotional mood of group members, the totality of experiences that have mastered them in a certain period, which largely determine the direction, orientation and nature of all manifestations of the psychology of the group and its individual members.

Group moods enhance feelings individuals, influence their life and activities, the development of the entire group as a whole.

Traditions- these are norms, rules and stereotypes of behavior and actions, everyday communication between people, developed on the basis of long-term experience of joint activities of its members and firmly rooted in their lives, the observance of which has become the need of each member of a small group.

The psychology of a small group at a given period of time is characterized by a certain state, mood, and peculiar atmosphere. The latter essentially determine the effectiveness and direction of the aspirations of its members, as well as the influence of the group on the individual and, in general, on the actions and behavior of people.

Since each group is a living cell of a social organism, its psychology also has features of larger-scale communities (national, class, confessional, professional, age, etc.). At the same time, the psychology of a small group is more specific, which is due to the peculiarities of the life activity of its members and the uniqueness of their own interaction and communication.

Psychological structure of a small group

A small group usually has its own psychological structure, which includes a number of substructures.

Compositional substructure– a set of socio-psychological characteristics of group members that are extremely significant from the point of view of the composition of the group as a whole.

As a rule, it is necessary to take into account the quantitative and qualitative composition of the group. In addition, it is very important to have a clear understanding of the nationality and social background of its members whose psychological characteristics influence the nature of their joint activities, interpersonal relationships between them, the uniqueness of the formation of informal microgroups, the status and positions of many people in them.

Substructure of interpersonal preferences, i.e. a manifestation of the totality of real interpersonal connections of its members, the likes and dislikes that exist between people, which are initially very quickly recorded using the method of sociometry (from the Latin societas - society and metreo - I measure; proposed by J. Moreno).

Sociometry makes it possible to identify the presence of stable mutual preferences of group members, on the basis of which it is possible to build stable assumptions about which of them specific individuals are oriented towards, how people with different authority and individual personal characteristics coexist in a group, what relationships develop between them, what positions they occupy in the group, etc.;

Communication substructure- a set of positions of members of a small group in systems of information flows that exist both between themselves and between them and the external environment, reflecting, in addition, the concentration of a particular volume of various information and knowledge in them.

Possession of the latter - important indicator position of a group member, since access to receiving and storing information provides him with a special role in it and additional privileges.

Substructure of functional relations- a set of manifestations of various interdependencies in a small group, resulting from the ability of its members to play a certain role and perform certain responsibilities. A group is an extremely complex organism in which people, due to the specific functioning of their individual and socio-psychological qualities, occupy different positions, perform different responsibilities, and experience a certain attitude towards each other in connection with a specific role.

Definition of the concept of “small group” and its types. The small group is the initial cell of human society and the fundamental basis of all its other constituent elements. It objectively reveals the reality of life, activities and relationships of most people, and the task is to correctly understand what happens to a person in small groups, as well as to clearly imagine the socio-psychological phenomena and processes that arise and function in them.

A small group as an independent subject of special analysis can be characterized from the point of view of: a) the content of its psychology; b) the uniqueness of its socio-psychological structure; c) the dynamics of socio-psychological processes occurring in it.

Foreign and domestic scientists have come to the conclusion that it must necessarily be characterized by such specific traits and signs, How:

The presence of two or more people;

Implementation of continuous contacts and communication between them;

The presence of a common goal and joint activities;

The emergence of mutual emotional and other connections; manifestation of a sense of belonging to a given group;

Awareness by group members of themselves as “we” and others as “they”;

Formation of common norms and values ​​acceptable to all group members;

Functioning of a high-quality organizational structure and leadership system (authority);

Availability of sufficient time for mutual existence of people.

Thus, small group - it is a small, well-organized, independent unit of the social structure of society, whose members are united by a common goal, joint activities and are in direct personal contact (communication) and emotional interaction for a long time.

Small groups are divided into conditional and real, formal and informal, underdeveloped and highly developed, diffuse, referent and non-referential.

Conditional groups - these are groups united for some reason common feature, for example by age, gender, etc. Real groups - these are groups in which people are constantly in everyday life and activities. They are natural and laboratory. Natural groups are groups that actually exist in society. Laboratory groups are groups created in the interests of their scientific study.

Formal groups- these are groups that have an officially defined structure from the outside. Informal groups- these are groups that are formed on the basis of personal preferences. A formal group functions in accordance with pre-established, usually publicly fixed goals, regulations, instructions, and charters. An informal group is formed on the basis of the personal likes and dislikes of its members.

Underdeveloped groups - these are groups located on initial stage of its existence. Highly developed groups - these are groups that have been created for a long time, characterized by the presence of unity of goals and common interests, a highly developed system of relations, organization, cohesion, etc.

Diffuse groups - These are random groups in which people are united only by common emotions and experiences.

Reference (standard) groups - These are groups that people focus on in their interests, personal preferences, likes and dislikes. Non-reference groups (membership groups)- these are groups in which people are really involved and work.

The psychology of a small group at one time or another is characterized by a certain state, mood, and peculiar atmosphere, which, in fact, determine the effectiveness and direction of the aspirations of group members, as well as its influence on the individual and, in general, on the actions and behavior of people.

Since each group is a cell of a social organism, its psychology also has features of larger-scale communities (national, confessional, class, professional, age, etc.). At the same time, the psychology of a small group is specific, which is due to the peculiarities of the life activity of its members and the uniqueness of their interaction and communication.

Small group structure. The cementing basis of small group psychology, its structural system-forming components are such socio-psychological phenomena as: intra-group interpersonal relationships, group aspirations, group opinion, group moods and group traditions, which are a direct reflection real life and the activities of its members.

Small group relationships- these are subjective connections that arise as a result of the interaction of its members and are accompanied by various emotional experiences of the individuals participating in them.

Relationships in a small group are different types. Socio-political relations- arise and function in the process of preparing and conducting social and other events in the group.

Service relationships - are formed in the process of joint professional activities members of a small group when solving various kinds of problems, achieving goals important for its members.

Non-work relationships - develop between members of a small group outside of their official (professional) activities: during leisure hours, during joint recreation, etc.

Relationships in a small group must meet the requirements of certain principles.

The principle of respect and subordination involves the creation of such relationships in a small group that correspond to: the norms of public morality and ethics, traditions established in the interests of communication and interaction between people; provide for taking into account the individual and socio-psychological characteristics of all its members, attentive attention to their interests, inclinations and requests. The same principle requires subordination in relations between all members of the group, maintaining the personal dignity, professional and social status of each person.

The principle of cohesion members of a group involves the formation of mutual assistance, support, interaction and mutual understanding among all its members. Members of a small group are obliged to highly value belonging to it, to help and support each other, and to restrain their comrades from unworthy acts.

The principle of humanism presupposes sensitivity, responsiveness, fairness and humanity in relationships in a small group, which should be characterized by trust, sincerity, and accessibility.

The system of interpersonal relations due to its internal psychological conditioning (sympathy or antipathy; indifference or hostility; friendship or enmity and others psychological addictions between people in a small group) sometimes develops spontaneously. In most cases, it is not institutionalized, especially in the initial period of its existence. Meanwhile, its significance is very great, so it should be studied and comprehended, since on the basis of interpersonal relationships all other components of the psychology of a small group are formed: mutual requirements and norms of joint life and activity; constant interpersonal assessments, empathy and sympathy; psychological rivalry and competition, imitation and self-affirmation. All of them determine the incentives for joint activity and behavior of people, the mechanisms for the formation and self-development of a small group.

In the course of interpersonal relationships, the individual self-affirms in the group, evaluates one’s merits in comparison with the merits of the other members of the group in order to reveal one’s capabilities, prove oneself, and determine one’s role in the group.

Self-affirmation is an active, multifaceted mechanism of interaction and relationships, consisting in a person’s desire to highly appreciated and self-esteem of one’s personality and the behavior caused by this desire, and therefore a very effective stimulator of its development. It's about not only and not so much about the desire to occupy an official official or professional position, but about the moral and psychological position in the system of interpersonal relations, about the position in it that would provide a person with respect, recognition, trust, favor, support, help, protection and thereby would help satisfy the need for communication and interaction with other people, the manifestation of the individual’s individuality and its strongest sides.

The nature of the development of interpersonal relationships in a small group can be very multifaceted and sometimes contradictory. They manifest many different collisions and situations that affect the behavior, actions, deeds, well-being and mood of not only one or another group member, but also the entire group as a whole, its cohesion and performance results. For example, informal microgroups may spontaneously develop, arising as a result of various reasons and prerequisites, having a positive or negative orientation, having one degree or another of influence on people. In any case, their appearance is a pattern in the development of interpersonal relationships, which must always be taken into account and taken into account.

On the basis and in the course of interpersonal relationships, group aspirations- goals, objectives, needs, motives (interests, values, ideals, inclinations, beliefs) underlying the behavior and joint efforts of members of a small group. The formation and development of group aspirations occurs under the influence of the conditions of social life and people’s activities.

In the aspirations of the members of a small group, tasks and goals that are common to all and individual to each are expressed in a complex and generalized manner, and specific needs and interests are realized that meet the aspirations and demands of each individual and everyone together as a whole. Aspirations orient and lead people in a certain, constantly maintained direction. They make it possible to periodically indirectly monitor the intermediate results of the life and activities of group members, and in an integrated form to continuously regulate the joint efforts and direct activity of everyone in various circumstances and conditions of objective reality.

In the system of joint activities of members of a small group, aspirations perform certain functions:

Value-normative, indicating the possibility of group aspirations to reflect the needs of all group members;

Organizational-functional, during the implementation of which group aspirations in the context of the means and conditions for their implementation act as a way of organizing intra- and intergroup interaction;

Individually motivational, capturing the personal meaning and significance of joint activities for members of a small group.

Thus, the integrating and organizing function of group aspirations in a system of joint activities manifests itself at three levels: value-normative, organizational-functional, and individual-motivational.

One of the structural elements of small group psychology is (are) group opinion(group opinions) - a set of value judgments that express the general or prevailing attitude of its members to certain facts, events or phenomena taking place both within and outside its boundaries.

Group opinion is an indicator of the development of the group, its cohesion, the effectiveness of the joint efforts of its members, and in some cases, the ideological orientation of its psychology.

Group opinion performs certain functions:

Informational, showing at what stage of its development the small group is, what is its cohesion, what is the nature of the relationships between its members, etc.;

The influence function, through which all members of the group are influenced in the interests of joint activities, the development of common opinions and judgments, etc.;

Evaluative, with the help of which group members express their attitude to certain events and phenomena occurring within the small group and outside it.

The current general opinion of the group is real and effective moral strength. Through him, it influences each of its members primarily through: informing him about reactions to his actions and actions on the part of other people; presenting certain requirements to him that correspond to group or social norms and values; constant control and evaluation of his actions and behavior, expressed in the form of evaluation, praise, approval, blame, condemnation. However, it should be kept in mind that psychological mechanism The impact of group opinion can manifest itself not only in a positive, but also in a negative impact on the individual.

The effectiveness of group opinion is explained by:

a) a combination of persuasion and psychological coercion, in which the mind, feeling and will of all members of the group are expressed in a concentrated form (group opinion evokes in a person the need for conscious self-esteem, deeply affecting the area of ​​​​feelings and generating an active desire for self-improvement);

b) prompt response to events, systematicity, transparency and inevitability of assessments of an individual’s actions on the part of group members;

c) the ability of a number of group judgments to turn into evaluative standards and influence not only consciousness, but also the subconscious sphere of the human psyche.

Along with the official opinion in the group, there may also be an unofficial one, which, as a rule, is not publicly expressed. This opinion may not coincide with the official one and even counteract it. Most often, its carriers are representatives of informal microgroups that have both a positive and negative orientation. In any case, unofficial opinion does not contribute to strengthening the group and stabilizing a healthy psychological atmosphere in it. You should know the origins and direction of the judgments on the basis of which it was formed, take them into account correctly and, if necessary, take or not take them into account (Dontsov A.I., 1984).

A common opinion on every issue of life and activity is not always formed immediately. The degree of its objectivity depends on factors such as private or temporary discrepancies between the interests of individuals and the group; conflictual relations between its individual members and the group itself; inertia or, conversely, the activity of specific people seeking to defend their judgments.

In the process of formation and development, group opinion goes through three stages. On first stage group members directly experience a specific event, express their personal judgments and attitudes towards it. On second they exchange their ideas, views, assessments and feelings and, as a result of group discussion, come to common point vision. On third stage a clear and clear group position on the subject of discussion is developed, which is accepted by all group members.

The most important components of small group psychology are group sentiment- complex emotional states, the general emotional mood of group members, the totality of experiences that overcame them at a certain period and largely determine the direction, orientation and nature of all manifestations of the psychology of the group and its individual members.

These usually include:

Joint experiences of specific events and facts;

Similar emotional states that have taken possession of a group or part of it for some time;

A stable mood of emotions and feelings that mediates the actions and behavior of all group members.

Group moods enhance the feelings of individuals and influence their lives and activities, i.e. a general pattern of social psychology emerges, namely that the merging of individual moods into one common one creates a new whole, which differs significantly from the sum of its components. And this shared mood (common experiences and feelings) is often very strong driving force. At the same time, it should be remembered that some moods (enthusiasm, faith in common success, passion, elation, a state of general uplift) contribute to joint efforts and the success of the group, while others (a state of decline, lack of faith in one’s strength, despondency, boredom, resentment or dissatisfaction) ), on the contrary, sharply reduce its capabilities. In particular, it is calculated that depending on the mood, for example, of the workshop team, its labor productivity fluctuates within one fifth of the average value (with good mood it is 0.8-4.2% higher, and if it is bad, it is 2.5-18% lower than average).

Periodic activation (spontaneous or purposeful) among members of a small group of corresponding moods, emotional states regarding specific political, moral, aesthetic, professional and other facts and events can lead to the consolidation of such states, to the manifestation of their stability and, thus, to the emergence, formation of appropriate social feelings. However, unlike the latter, group moods are characterized by greater dynamism. They arise more spontaneously and are capable of spreading much faster than feelings in a group, being transmitted outside it and changing their polarity.

A significant element of small group psychology is traditions- norms, rules and stereotypes of behavior and actions that have developed on the basis of long-term experience of joint activities of its members and are firmly rooted in their lives, everyday communication between people, the observance of which has become the need of each member of the small group.

There are many similarities in the traditions of different groups of people. Nationwide, class, national traditions are inherent in each specific community (group, collective). Along with the general ones, many specific traditions arise within each small group that are of great importance for their unity. The effectiveness and vitality of traditions is determined by the degree of their emotional appeal, the desire to accept them by the group as a whole and by each of its members individually. And this depends on the extent to which this tradition contributes to the satisfaction of certain subjective needs of people, to what extent they associate their interests with this or that tradition, to what extent ideas about it are associated with social and group ideas and values ​​that are familiar and significant to them.

Any group has one structure or another - a certain set relatively stable relationships between its members. The characteristics of these relationships determine the entire life activity of the group, including the productivity and satisfaction of its members.

Psychological structure of a small group. A comprehensive study of the psychology of a small group involves understanding, first of all, its socio-psychological structure, which, as a rule, includes the following substructures: compositional, interpersonal preferences, communicative, functional relationships.

Compositional substructure of a small group- this is a set of stable socio-psychological characteristics of group members, extremely significant from the point of view of the composition of the group as a whole. It is necessary to take into account the number of group members, on which the functioning of many socio-psychological processes in it depends, such as unity and leadership, distribution of roles and functions of its members, etc.

It is very important to have clear ideas about the nationality, socio-demographic characteristics of the members of a small group and their social status, which affect the nature of interpersonal relationships between them, the uniqueness of the formation of informal microgroups, the status and positions of many people in them. High degree homogeneity of the group on such grounds as nationality, gender, age, education, level of qualifications and the presence on this basis of common interests, needs, value orientations, etc., is a good basis for the emergence of close ties between employees. A group that is heterogeneous in terms of these characteristics usually breaks up into several informal groups, each of which is relatively homogeneous in its composition.

There are quite a lot of similar characteristics of members of a particular community. When studying the compositional structure of a small group, the choice of these characteristics depends on the specific goals and objectives that the researcher sets for himself. As a rule, general analysis composition of the group begins with clarification of data on social and national affiliation, gender, age and professional features, educational level, marital status, health status, personal and social interests and the requests of its members. Next, it is necessary to clearly understand the strength of the ideological and moral beliefs of the members of a small group, since they influence their psychology, leave an imprint on reactions, behavior, actions and deeds, and affect attitudes towards social and intra-group values ​​and interests. In addition, one should know and take into account the peculiarities of individual psychology and personal capabilities of each member of a small group, which directly not only influence his behavior, but are reflected in joint activities and can cause interpersonal conflicts. The presence of various contact and informal microgroups, as well as the attitude of their leaders to intragroup norms and traditions, which in some cases can lead to future possible transformations of the smallest group and its composition, also deserves attention.

Following such a program for studying the compositional components of a small group, the researcher must collect sufficient material for conclusions and the most important characteristics small group psychology. At least, based on this study, it is possible to predict their future or any other development.

Substructure of interpersonal preferences in a small group- this is a manifestation of the totality of real interpersonal connections of its members, the likes and dislikes that exist between people. They are initially very quickly recorded using the sociometry method.

This method makes it possible to determine a clear system of interpersonal and emotional relationships in a small group, since it makes it possible to determine the number of preferences given to a particular person and reflect them quality characteristics, manifested in interpersonal reciprocity.

Sociometry also makes it possible to identify groups of mutual preference, on the basis of which one can make assumptions about which of them specific individuals are oriented towards, how people with different roles coexist in these microgroups, what are the relationships between them, etc.

A subsequent, more thorough study of the nature of the relationships between members of a small group using observation and experiment methods makes it possible to create a complete picture of interpersonal relationships in it.

Communicative substructure of a small group - this is a set of positions of members of a small group in systems of information flows that exist both between themselves and within external environment, and reflecting, in addition, the concentration of a particular volume of various information and knowledge. Possession of the latter is an important indicator of the position of a group member, since access to receiving and storing information provides him with a special role in it and additional privileges.

When analyzing information group connections, the term “communication network” is often used, implying that it can be of two types: centralized or decentralized. Centralized communication networks characterized by the fact that in them one of the group members is at the center of information flows and plays a key role in organizing the exchange of information and interpersonal interaction. Through it, communication is carried out among other participants in the activity, who cannot directly contact each other.

Decentralized networks They differ primarily in that they have “communicative equality” of all members of a small group, in which each of them has the same capabilities as all others to receive, transmit and process information, entering into direct communication with participants in joint activities.

Turning to the analysis of communication networks existing in a small group is especially important in cases where it is necessary to find out the effectiveness of joint activities or the presence of a negative emotional background in the relationships between its members.

Substructure of functional relationships in a small group - it is a set of manifestations of various interdependencies that are a consequence of the ability of group members to play a certain role. A group is an extremely complex organism in which people occupy different positions due to the specific functioning of their individual and socio-psychological qualities. The already mentioned method of sociometry makes it possible to quickly identify the sociometric status of each member of a small group 1, reflecting his real role within it, and also giving a certain idea of ​​​​the general status of his personality.

As a rule, the group includes:

1) sociometric “stars”, which are the most preferred members of the group at the top of the hierarchy;

2) high-status, average-status and low-status individuals, defined by the number of positive choices and not having a large number of negative choices;

3) isolated group members who lack any choices (both positive and negative);

4) group members who are neglected, having a large number of negative choices and a small number of positive ones;

5) rejected members of the group (“outcasts”), who, according to the results of sociometry, have only negative choices.

The sociometric status of a group member is a fairly stable value. It not only tends to persist in this particular group, but very often “passes” with the person to another group. This is explained by the fact that status is a group category and does not exist outside the group; a person gets used to fulfilling the roles assigned to him his permanent status position. Certain habitual forms of response to the words and actions of others are fixed in behavior. Facial expressions, poses, gestures and others nonverbal reactions also “adapt” to a certain role.

When moving to another group, a person continues to play familiar roles, or at least his typical social role is demonstrated by unconscious elements of behavior. The group members catch the image offered to them and begin to play along with the newcomer. At the same time, from the point of view of personal development, it is advisable for a person to periodically “change” his status, which allows him to acquire greater social flexibility, thereby developing forms of interpersonal relationships that are more adapted to the reality of interpersonal relationships and more diverse. social behavior, which ensures a lower degree of conflict in a small group.

Due to the established role relationships in a small group, we can talk about the existence in it of several elements of the substructure of functional relationships.

Firstly, the manager (managers) and the leader (leaders) who form the management core are clearly distinguished. There is a definite difference between them. The leader always acts as an official who implements management functions in a small group, which is due, on the one hand, to the formal legal aspect of his power in the group, and on the other, to a number of the actual psychological factors, determining the measure of his authority, among which are: organizational and motivational potential, the value attractiveness of the leader’s personality for group members (their willingness to share his principles and ideals) and management style.

A leader is a person who has gained authority and the right to influence other members of a small group. It is a product of the structure of relationships of this particular community. This structure is determined by the goals of the group, the values ​​and norms that operate within it. As a result, a specific leader emerges. He, as it were, personifies the system of goals and values ​​preferred by other people, and acts as their direct guide to life. He is recognized as having the right to lead other members and to be the final authority in assessing various new situations and circumstances.

In practice, the leader is often identified through a system of sociometric elections that define him as the most emotionally preferred member of the group. However, it is known that the sociometric “star” is not always the leader, although the latter in some groups can be both the “star” and the communicative center of the group. The leadership position and high sociometric status are based on different mechanisms. A leader and a “star” are created or nominated by the group to solve various problems. The “star” can rather be characterized as the center of emotional attraction of the group, as a person with whom it is pleasant to communicate and spend free time.

Secondly, in the substructure of the positional relations of a small group, an asset is identified, which usually includes its most preferred and high-status members. They are the conductors of the group's policies, values ​​and objectives, act as a support for managers and leaders, and are distinguished by great productivity of interpersonal communication and great cohesion.

Thirdly, the small group also contains the bulk of people, which usually includes its middle-status and low-status members. They, as a rule, do not stand out in any way common system relationships between people, participate in joint activities and communication with restraint and unproductively, and at the same time almost completely approve of the values ​​and norms existing in the group, obediently following leaders and managers.

Fourthly, in the substructure of positional relations, one can distinguish passive members of a small group, which usually include isolated, neglected, and rejected individuals who are in a very special position and whom everyone perceives indifferently or, conversely, shows special antipathy. These people are almost always the “ballast” of the group or the object of ridicule and negative pressure.

The presence and clear outline of the socio-psychological structure of a small group ensures that it realizes its functions:

1) socialization - only in a group can a person ensure his survival and education of younger generations, it is in this group that he masters all the necessary social skills and abilities;

2) instrumental, consisting in the implementation of one or another joint activity of people. Many activities are impossible to do alone. In addition, it, as a rule, provides a person with material means of life and provides him with opportunities for self-realization;

3) expressive, consisting of satisfying people’s needs for approval, respect and trust. This function is often performed by primary and informal groups. Being a member of them, the individual enjoys communicating with people who are psychologically close to him;

4) supportive, manifested in the fact that people strive to unite in difficult situations for them. They seek psychological support in a group to ease unpleasant feelings.

All components of the socio-psychological structure of a small group can be modified to a certain extent, which largely depends on the characteristics of the course and development of socio-psychological processes in it.

Types and structure of a small group

Small group is a small association of people connected by direct interaction. Its lower and upper boundaries are determined by qualitative characteristics, the main ones of which are contact and integrity. Contact - this is the ability of each group member to regularly communicate with each other, perceive and evaluate each other, exchange information, mutual assessments and influences. Integrity is defined as the social and psychological community of individuals included in a group, allowing them to be perceived as a single whole.

Most experts take three people as the lower limit of the size of a small group, since in a group of two people (dyad) group socio-psychological phenomena occur in a special way. The upper limit of a small group is determined by its qualitative characteristics and usually does not exceed 20–30 people. The optimal size of a small group depends on the nature of the joint activity being performed and is in the range of 5-12 people. In smaller groups, the phenomenon of social satiation is more likely to arise; larger groups more easily break up into smaller ones, in which individuals are connected by closer contacts. In this regard, it is customary to distinguish primary groups, that is, the smallest in size and further indivisible communities, and secondary groups, formally representing single communities, but including several primary groups.

Small groups are the main object of laboratory experiments in social psychology. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between artificial (laboratory) groups, specially created to solve scientific problems, and natural ones, existing independently of the will of the researcher.

Formal groups- groups in which membership and relationships are predominantly formal in nature, that is, determined by formal regulations and agreements. Formal small groups are, first of all, primary groups of divisions of social organizations and institutions.

Organizational and institutional small groups are elements of the social structure of society and are created to meet social needs. The leading area of ​​activity and the main psychological mechanism for uniting individuals within organizational and institutional small groups is joint activity.

Informal groups- associations of people that arise on the basis of the internal, inherent needs of individuals for communication, belonging, understanding, sympathy and love.

In a subjective, psychological sense, groups (both formal and informal) are formed in the process of individuals realizing their needs for communication, however, within informal groups, communication and the psychological relationships arising on its basis are the leading sphere of activity, and in this regard, the central phenomenon of the psychology of small groups is psychological community.

The significance of group values, norms, and assessments for an individual is called the reference of a small group. The main functions of the reference group are comparative and normative (providing the individual with the opportunity to correlate his opinions and behavior with those accepted in the group and evaluate them in terms of compliance with group norms and values).

The main elements of the group structure are: social status, social role, group norm. In addition, important components of any small group are the phenomena of “group pressure” and “group cohesion”.

Social status- this is the position of the subject in the system of interpersonal relations, which determines his rights, responsibilities and privileges. The same person in different groups (at work, in the family, among friends) may have different status. Some statuses are assigned to a person from birth (gender, nationality, family name), others are determined by what a person has accomplished in his life (obtaining a specialty, getting married). The highest status in a small group is characterized by its leader and leader.

Social role refers to the expected behavior of a person due to his status. A role is a range of functions and behaviors that are considered appropriate for a given group member and are implemented in a particular social context. Since a person plays several roles simultaneously (in the family, among friends, etc.), conflicts may exist between the roles. They are associated with situations where it is necessary to simultaneously satisfy the conflicting demands of two or more roles - role conflict. We can distinguish formal roles that are defined in the organization, and informal roles that arise in the process of interaction between people. Examples of the latter are roles such as: “the soul of the party,” “the scapegoat,” “the house clown,” “the virtuous moralist,” etc. The emergence of informal roles presupposes long-term relationships, which is primarily typical for small groups. As a group develops, various group roles emerge.

Group norm is understood as a certain rule, a regulator of the relations unfolding in a group. Norms, as accepted rules of behavior, guide the actions of participants and allow the application of sanctions to forms of behavior that are unacceptable for a given community.

The phenomenon of group pressure. In social psychology it is often called the phenomenon of conformity, meaning purely psychological characteristics the position of the individual relative to the position of the group, his acceptance or rejection of a certain standard, opinion characteristic of the group, the extent of the individual’s subordination to group pressure. The functioning of groups depends largely on the agreement of their members regarding some fundamental life values. There is a distinction between external conformity, when the opinion of the group is accepted by the individual only externally, and internal conformity, when the individual actually assimilates the opinion of the majority.

The phenomenon of group cohesion. Most researchers are of the opinion that the basis of group cohesion is the emotional side of the system of interpersonal relationships in the group. Sociometry of likes and dislikes even made it possible to propose a special “group cohesion index” as a formal characteristic of a small group. Sometimes cohesion is analyzed based on the frequency and strength of communication ties found in a group.