Informal communication. Types and forms of communication

Informal communication is all sorts of personal contacts that occur outside of official relations. In simple terms, it means talking between people without restrictions and adhering to rules. And yet informal communication often occurs spontaneously. To get in touch with someone, a person does not need to formulate phrases in advance, come up with topics and prepare their thoughts. In this case, everything is much simpler. But from the point of view of psychology this topic is of considerable interest. So it is worth exploring in its study.

Types of communication

First I would like to pay attention to general concepts. Consider the types and forms of communication, to be more precise. It starts with the most common classification.

There is material communication. We encounter it regularly, because it involves the exchange of products of activity or objects. Cognitive communication is also not rare. In its framework, knowledge and information are exchanged. And it means not only contact between the teacher and the students, the lecturer and listeners, the boss and the subordinates. If one friend calls another to inquire about the weather in his city before coming to visit, it is also a cognitive communication. Let and informal.

Also, we all are well aware of the conditioning communication. With peers, it is practiced most often. It means the exchange of emotions and feelings. A vivid example is the situation when a person tries to cheer his sad friend.

Speaking about the types and forms of communication, it is necessary to distinguish one more category. It is called motivational. It involves the exchange of goals, desires, interests, motivations and interests. It manifests itself both in informal and in business communication. Attempts to persuade a friend to go on a hike - this is the same motivational element as the premium promised to the employee who has concluded the most deals.

The last kind of communication in the traditional system is called activity. It consists in the exchange of skills and skills. It is carried out in the process of joint activities and often in a formal setting.

Primary level of proximity

Now you can go to the main topic. Psychologists believe that informal communication exists on the basis of two levels of intimacy. The initial is called the primary.

It is formed even at the first contact. Surely everyone had such things, that after an hour of communication with a new acquaintance, it was as if he were an old kind friend. Long acquaintance is not required for this, high spontaneity of emotional perception, unconscious sense of joy is manifested.

Willful regulation of the situation does not lend itself to, because in the overwhelming majority of cases the only thing people want is to continue the conversation. Not surprising, because the primary level is characterized by extraordinary ease, a high degree of understanding and trust, frankness. This is the case when a new friend after an hour is known as a kindred spirit.

Rational level

It is formed after passing some time since the beginning of communication between people. The rational level is based on the awareness by the contacting people of the similarity of norms, values, life experiences and attitudes. It is believed that such informal communication is more sustainable.

There are even traditionally singled out groups, which are often found in collectives. They represent a small informal union within one large, integrated business structure.

Variety of groups

It is customary to single out "pairs" - an alliance of two people mutually sympathetic to each other. Often, one of them only complements or accompanies the other.

There are also "triangles". As you might have guessed, these are three people who are in mutual sympathy. They adhere to informal communication and form their own core within the business collective - small, but close and united.

Still distinguish "squares". Most often this is a collection of pairs. And the relationship between them is not always the same intensity.

Also in the teams there are "chains", often a source of gossip, rumors and all known "spoiled phone."

The last informal group is called the "star". Its kernel is a conditional leader, which unites all the others.

Contradictions

There is an opinion that informal communication observed between members of the work collective does not always positively influence labor activity.

Particular contradictions cause situations in which friendly relations bind the leader and the subordinate. Repeats, speculation, envy and suspicion from other colleagues can not be avoided. All the actions of the employee will be examined almost under the microscope. Even the well-deserved praise or reward will be looked upon, as received "by the brunt". Some people, not marked by the good will of the authorities, will get very angry, especially aggressive do not hesitate to start plotting.

And it happens that the employee, close to the leadership, begins to show frivolity, relaxation. Professional duties fall into the background. Why focus on work when your buddy is the boss? In the end, it all ends badly. Informal communication and friendship are severely suppressed. The manager gets tired of this behavior, and he begins to treat the friend not as a friend, but as a useless irresponsible employee. He naturally takes offense and loses the desire to communicate further. This is a vivid and frequent example of evidence that one should not mix personal and business relationships.

On the example of friendship

There are different types of interpersonal relationships. But friendship is the best example of the manifestation of informal communication. It is based on sympathy, community of interests and affection, and still there is no place for a business style of speech.

Dialogue and a monologue between friends is easy, unconstrained. Often they discuss something in their own language, their speech is replete with "private" neologisms. They have a trusting relationship, and they also know almost everything about each other.

What makes it possible to achieve such communication? Communicative skills, which are often not even recognized by people. These include the ability to take into account not only their representative system, but also the interlocutor. Equally important is the ability to positively formulate the goals of communication, take into account the interests and values of the opponent, be flexible in the process of dialogue. It is also necessary to be observant to changes in the emotional state of the interlocutor and tune in to his "wave" when it is needed. And the above is just a small part of what the art of communicating with people implies.

Speech style

It should also be noted with attention. Surely everyone saw how the conversation of children. It is unconstrained and as simple as possible. Children speak the way they think. Informal dialogue implies the same thing. This is a real moral rest for the person. After all, a person can express his thoughts as he wants, and not as prescribed by the rules. What is called a colloquial style of speech.

Spoken and colloquial vocabulary, neologisms, jargon, slang, phraseological units, expressively colored or diminutive words, truncations, substantivization - all this and much more can contain a dialogue and a monologue, sustained in a conversational style.

Speech "interference"

In general, as one could understand on the basis of the above, a person in an informal style of communication is given complete freedom of speech. However, not everyone can take advantage of it. Why? Everything is elementary. Many people become so familiar with communication in a business-like form that even in an informal atmosphere they continue to talk in an official style.

In principle, there is nothing terrible in this, but it looks, at times, inappropriate. After all, the business style of speech is characterized by the compactness and conciseness of the presentation, the use of specific terminology, otymenyh pretexts, complex unions and verbal nouns. But the most attention is drawn to the lack of emotional speech and expression.

Distance

So, the characteristic of communication styles was given, now I would like to note the importance of distance. All people contact each other, being at a certain distance. Traditionally, there are four zones of communication.

The first is intimate (about 15 cm). Only the closest people usually fall into this zone. Because it can be compared with private intangible property - this is a very private space. If an unpleasant person or someone else is trying to get in there, then there is a feeling of discomfort.

The second zone is called personal (up to 50 cm). It is characteristic for both business and informal communication. Approximately half a meter and usually shares friends, chatting freely in a bar or in a cafe at a table. So it is more convenient to see the interlocutor.

The third and fourth zones are called social (up to 1.2 m) and public (above 1.2 m). They are typical for formal communication.

The rules of communication: what you do not need to do

This topic is also worth noting with attention. From early childhood, communication with peers teaches us to build a dialogue, cooperate with surrounding people, exchange opinions. Over the years, primitive skills are enriched, improved, replenished with new ones. However, there are people who find it very difficult to find a language with others. Sometimes, business relations seem to them more simple than informal, everyday. They are worried about how to communicate with people correctly, and what should be avoided in the process.

If you want to build a positive and productive dialogue, you do not need to ask personal and vulgar questions. You should also avoid flattery. A low-key compliment can make a pleasant interlocutor and adjust it to a conversation, but excessive admiration, bordering on fanaticism, will only alert.

You do not need to "twitch". It is important to keep your body under control. And it's not enough to talk about yourself, interrupt, shout, lie and invent something, just to develop a conversation. Also, you do not have to think too long over the answer and look past the interlocutor - you have to learn to fight with constraint.

Principles of good dialogue

Continuing the topic concerning how to communicate correctly, it is worth noting the rules that are the basis of informal relations.

The most important of them - do not be afraid to show interest in the interlocutor. No idea how to start a conversation? You can just ask a person to be interesting. Let him tell something about himself. The question can concern anything. Favorite movies, music genre, places to relax in the city. Without summing up the conversation to the topic, one can ask whether a person has been abroad. Yes? Then it will not be superfluous to specify exactly where and what is interesting there. No? So, you can clarify whether there is a desire to go somewhere and see something. This topic is very easy to develop.

You can also discuss something topical. There are countless events in the world every day. Nobody forbids to select the most significant of them and ask the interlocutor what he thinks about him. Then in most cases, during the conversation, a few more topics "come up", suitable for discussion.

Correspondence

It's a great way to improve your art of communicating with people. Today, social networks provide limitless opportunities for this. In addition, the written form of informal communication is much simpler than the oral one.

First, a person has a chance to formulate his thought. He can dial it in the window, reread, correct it. Or delete and write again, in a different way. In other words, a person in social networks is able to learn how to properly build a dialogue.

In addition to forming a culture of communication, an emotional "disclosure" of the personality is also realized. A person who previously could not communicate, suffered with timidity, indecision and complexes, acquires the skills that are necessary for existence in society. The most important thing is to learn how to transfer them to reality.

Finally

Summarizing, I would like to say that informal relations are the best example of social interaction of people. In the course of their manifestation individual individuality of each person, peculiar manners, specificity of speech and communication. It is an unofficial, everyday, simple situation that allows one to recognize an individual as a person with a capital letter. Because in any other forms and types of communication there are rules and boundaries. And only in the informal sphere this is not.