Interpersonal needs. Such contradictory social needs of a person. “Moral” avoidance - avoidance of failure, shame, humiliation, ridicule. Refusal to take action due to fear of failure

The American researcher W. Schutz also works in line with the humanistic approach, proposing a three-dimensional theory of interpersonal behavior - FIRO (Firo) theory. The term “Fairo” comes from the initial letters of the phrase Fundamental Interpersonal Relation Orientaitions and expresses the main idea of ​​this theory in two aspects: 1) the basis of interpersonal relationships; 2) basic orientations of interpersonal relationships. Each person is oriented to behave interpersonally in relation to others in a manner characteristic of him. Knowledge of these orientations allows us to understand both the individual behavior of a person and the process of his interaction with others.

U. Schutz began his work on Fire theory in 1952 after receiving his degree in psychology in 1951, when he was called up for active duty. military service in the US Navy. In the Army, he began his work, culminating in the discovery of Fire, at the US Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., and later continued it at the US Navy Systems Coordination Division. The goal of the study was to "understand and improve the behavior of the CIC," the combat information center located on the Commander-in-Chief's ship.

The subject of the study was a group of several male military personnel working in a small room. Their responsibilities included receiving information from various Navy ships, collating, evaluating and disseminating certain pieces of information across ships using radar techniques.

Later the work was continued at Tufts College in the department system analysis, then the project was transferred to Harvard University in the Department of Social Relations. The work was completed in 1957, and in 1958 the book “Firo” was published by Harvard University.

In subsequent years, research on interpersonal relationships using the Fire theory and the Fire method continued in various fields:

When studying the compatibility of dyads that actually exist in life, such as boss - subordinate, doctor - patient, teacher - student. These studies showed that overall positive effects were the result of compatibility, for example, students studied better, subordinates worked better, patients recovered faster;

In family counseling and when choosing a life partner;

To measure changes in interpersonal relationships during T-group workshops (meeting groups) or sensitivity training;

In clinical work. A study was conducted on the relationship between the Fairo categories and the categories of classical psychiatry;

In explaining the relationship between Fire's dimensions of interpersonal needs and dimensions such as the need to belong, social class differences, scientific creativity, and differences between occupational groups.

When forming and training teams, for therapeutic and training groups, for groups for making and implementing decisions, etc. Fire compatibility techniques were used as a method of building groups.

Currently time is running research into new areas of application of Fire theory.

One of basic concepts Fire theory is a concept interpersonal needs. It is assumed that: a) every person has three interpersonal needs: accession, control, openness; b) Affiliation, control, and openness constitute sufficient domains of interpersonal interaction to explain interpersonal phenomena and predict interpersonal behavior.

The concept of interpersonal need is often called social need. The term "interpersonal" refers to the relationships that take place between people. Interpersonal need – This is a human need, which consists in the need to establish satisfying relationships with other people. "Attitude" refers to the number of exchanges between that person and others and the extent to which he initiates behavior himself and receives behavior from others. Interpersonal situations influence human behavior. Behavior in a group is different from behavior when a person is not introduced to other people. An interpersonal situation occurs when two or more people interact when these people use each other for some purpose or for making decisions. An interpersonal situation taking place over a period of time can be described from the point of view of a third person, such as an observer or participant, by the following formula:

“From the point of view of N (or X, or Y), A uses B to solve D in the time interval from t (1) to t (n).”

A using B to decide D means that when A considers possible alternatives to decision D, one of the criteria for his choice is that he expects B to give a certain response to his choice. This expectation does not require A to make a different decision under the influence of B. This means that this criterion is additional to the decision. For example, if a young man sitting on a bus is trying to decide whether or not to give up his seat to an older woman standing in the aisle, he might consider the reaction of an attractive young woman. At the same time, he calculates whether the girl will notice that he is giving up his place. From his point of view, this relationship is interpersonal, since he takes the girl into account. From the girl's point of view, the situation may not be interpersonal at all, since she may not even be aware of the boy's presence.

Further. A may take B into account for one decision and not for another. Thus, a young man takes a girl into account when deciding to give up his seat on the bus, but does not take her into account when deciding which store to go to for bread.

Moreover, the degree to which A takes B into account varies over time. Thus, a young man takes a girl into account while traveling on the bus (i.e., from t(1) to t(n)), but he does not think about her when he watches TV at home in the evening (i.e., after t( n)).

A conceptually important condition in the description of interpersonal relationships is the certainty of the point of view of the observer, that is, a third person. In some cases, it is useful to consider the interpersonal situation from the individual's point of view. In other cases, an interpersonal situation can be viewed as a mutual, mutual relationship between two people. Sometimes the observer's perspective will determine whether a situation is interpersonal based on the views of the people involved in the situation.

Another feature of considering interpersonal or group relationships from the point of view of the Fire approach is that, emphasizing the importance of the physical representation of the participants in an interpersonal relationship as the main condition within the framework of interpersonal behavior, it is also proposed to consider interpersonal situations, i.e. situations in which behavior is certain waiting behavior of others, even if other people are not physically present. It is proposed to leave the term “interpersonal relationships” free from the “face to face” condition and consider such a situation as a separate problem that studies the influence of this condition on behavior.

Thus, from the point of view of Fire theory, interpersonal is a relationship that takes place between two or more people in which people use each other to achieve some goals or to make decisions in a certain time interval t.

Depending on the position of the person describing the situation, the interpersonal relationship may be viewed in terms of one participant, two participants, or the views of other people involved in the situation.

Interpersonal relationships mean situations not only of direct interaction between participants, but also situations in which a person’s behavior is determined by the expectation of the behavior of other people.

Another important term in the Fire concept is the term “need”. W. Schutz defines “need” as some unfulfilled condition or situation by a person, leading to undesirable consequences for him. This basic definition of need is close to the definitions of other authors. M. Gamezo considers the need as “ internal state the needs of humans or animals, expressing their state of dependence on specific conditions.” According to M. Meskon, a need is a mental or physical deficiency of something, reflected in a person’s perception.

These definitions emphasize the lack, need, or deficiency of something for a person. A feature of W. Schutz's approach to the study of needs is a more detailed consideration of not just any, but social or, as he calls them, interpersonal needs.

The main feature of an interpersonal need is that it requires the achievement of need satisfaction between the individual and his human surroundings. In contrast, a biological need requires the achievement and maintenance of certain, satisfying relationships with the physical environment. Interpersonal needs can only be satisfied through achieving satisfying relationships with other people. Satisfying a need is a necessary condition for avoiding undesirable consequences for a person.

The difference between the state of the body when an interpersonal need is satisfied and the present state of the body causes a feeling in the body that can be defined as anxiety or restlessness. This can happen if a person's interpersonal needs are not adequately met when interacting with people.

For example, if a person receives too much control from others and therefore too much responsibility, he may become dissatisfied. In the case of the opposite situation, if he has too little control, then he has insufficient conditions for safety, protection, protection, he can also experience anxiety and anxiety.

Thus, both opposing conditions can cause dissatisfaction and anxiety in a person. In such situations, the individual needs to do something to achieve a relationship with the people around him in the area of ​​control that would satisfy him. Behavior aimed at establishing relationships that satisfy the individual with a degree of control is defined as behavior in the sphere of control.

If interpersonal needs remain unmet, it can lead to problems and difficulties in a person's life. They in turn cause either emotional distress and illness, or even in extreme cases, death. Death can occur through suicide or as a result of a long-term feeling of dissatisfaction in life.

However, in real life a person can rarely fully satisfy all his needs. Therefore, in the process of evolution of the human body, it has developed certain ways to adapt to unmet interpersonal needs. To describe this phenomenon of adaptation, the terms “conscious” and “unconscious” needs are used. If a person experiences a feeling of dissatisfaction with interpersonal relationships and tries to adapt to them, they talk about using various mechanisms or methods of defense.

Three Interpersonal Needs accession, control And openness characterize the entire spectrum of interpersonal and group interaction.

Interpersonal need accession defined behaviorally as the need to achieve and maintain a certain, satisfying relationship with other people, with an emphasis on the process of interaction and association.

Interpersonal need for control at the behavioral level is defined as the need to achieve and maintain satisfactory relationships between a person and other people in the area of ​​control and distribution of power.

Interpersonal need for openness behaviorally defined as the need to achieve and maintain satisfactory relationships between a person and other people in the sphere of love and affection. Openness always refers to a relationship between two, i.e. it is a dyadic relationship.

In order not to experience worry and anxiety, a person must achieve a certain balance in three different areas of relationships with other people. This is possible through maintaining a comfortable behavioral attitude while taking into account the change in areas of interaction.

To achieve satisfaction of the interpersonal need for affiliation, it is necessary to use affiliation behavior. Accordingly, to achieve satisfaction of the interpersonal need for control, it is necessary to use controlling behavior. Open behavior is behavior aimed at satisfying the interpersonal need for openness.

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Introduction

Chapter I. Concepts and theories of interpersonal needs analysis

1.1 Basic interpersonal needs

1.1.1 Need for inclusion

1.1.2 Need for control

1.2 Typology of interpersonal behavior

1.3 Theories of needs (views of various authors on the structure of needs)

1.4 Intensification and acquisition of needs

2.1 Need as an object to satisfy a need

2.2 Understanding need as the absence of a good

2.3 Need as necessity

2.4 Classification of needs

Conclusion

Applications

Introduction

Each person realizes his social essence in interpersonal relationships. When interacting with others, people strive to satisfy various needs, depending on many factors; biological, personal, situational, etc. Our research focuses on identifying personality traits associated with motivational aspects of interpersonal relationships. We believe that special attention should be paid to tolerance to uncertainty, since it is the attitude towards uncertainty that has recently begun to be recognized as one of the fundamental characteristics of a person. Psychologists, philosophers, sociologists and other scientists note that the attitude towards uncertainty underlies a person’s interaction with the world around him and - thereby - with other people (Frenkel-brunswik E., 1949; Badner S., 1962; Norton R., 1975 ; Kahneman D., 1982; Lukovitskaya E.G., 1998). The purpose of our study is to find out whether there is a connection between interpersonal needs and psychological determinants and whether there are gender differences in these connections. Therefore, we hypothesized that there should be a relationship between tolerance of uncertainty and needs realized in interpersonal relationships.

To achieve this goal it is necessary:

1. Conduct an analysis of existing research methods.

2. Based on the analysis, select the methods most suitable for our research and conduct testing of the subjects.

3. Based on the test results, carry out an analysis using the Statistics program.

4. Analyze the results obtained and test the above hypothesis.

The sample is a group of 28 people aged 18 to 22 years, including 14 men and 14 women.

Chapter I. Concepts and theories of interpersonal needs analysis

1. 1 Basic Interpersonal Needs

The theoretical basis of the work is the concept of W. Schutz, according to which there are three interpersonal needs and those areas of behavior that relate to these needs, sufficient to predict and explain interpersonal phenomena. Schutz (1958) pointed out the close connection between biological and interpersonal needs:

1. Biological needs arise as a reflection of the need to create and maintain a satisfactory balance between the body and the physical environment. Therefore, both biological and social needs are requirements for optimal exchange between the environment, either physical or social, and the organism.

2. Failure to satisfy biological needs leads to physical illness and death; mental illness and sometimes death may result from inadequate satisfaction of interpersonal needs.

3. Although the body is able to adapt in a certain way to insufficient satisfaction of biological and social needs, this brings only temporary success.

If a child’s satisfaction of interpersonal needs was frustrated, then, as a consequence, he developed characteristic methods of adaptation. These methods, formed in childhood, continue to exist in adulthood, generally determining the typical way of orienting an individual in the social environment.

1.1.1 Need for inclusion

This is the need to create and maintain satisfactory relationships. communication with other people, on the basis of which interaction and cooperation arise.

Satisfactory relationships mean for an individual psychologically acceptable interactions with people that flow in two directions:

1. From the individual to other people - range from “establishes contacts with all people” up to “does not establish contacts with anyone”;

2. From other people to the individual - the range from “always establish contacts with him” up to “never establish contacts with him.”

At the emotional level, the need for inclusion is defined as the need to create and maintain a feeling of mutual interest. This feeling includes:

1. The subject's interest in other people;

2. Interest of other people in the subject.

From a self-esteem perspective, the need for inclusion is the desire to feel valued and important. Behavior consistent with the need for inclusion is aimed at establishing connections between people, which can be described in terms of exclusion or inclusion, belonging, cooperation. The need to be included is interpreted as a desire to be liked, to attract attention, and interest. The class bully who throws erasers does so because he is not getting enough attention. Even if this attention to him is negative, he is partially satisfied, because... finally someone paid attention to him.

To be a person who is not like others, i.e. being an individual is another aspect of the need for inclusion. Most of the aspirations are aimed at being noticed, i.e. attract attention. A person strives for this in order to be different from other people. He must be an individual. The main thing in this selection from the mass of others is that you need to achieve understanding. A person considers himself understood when someone is interested in him and sees the peculiarities inherent only in him. However, this does not mean that he should be revered and loved.

A problem that often arises at the beginning of interpersonal relationships is the decision whether to be involved in a given relationship or not. Typically, when first establishing relationships, people try to introduce themselves to each other, often trying to find something in themselves that might interest others. Often a person is initially silent, because... he is not sure that other people are interested in him; it's all about the issue of inclusion.

Inclusion involves concepts such as relationships between people, attention, recognition, fame, approval, individuality and interest. It differs from affect in that it does not involve strong emotional attachments to individuals; and from control in that its essence is the occupation of a prominent position, but never dominance.

Characteristic modes of behavior in this area are formed primarily on the basis of childhood experience. The parent-child relationship can be either positive (the child is in constant contact and interaction with the parents) or negative (the parents ignore the child and there is minimal contact). In the latter case, the child experiences fear, a feeling that he is an insignificant person, and feels a strong need to be accepted by the group. If the inclusion is inadequate, then he tries to suppress this fear either by eliminating and withdrawing, or by an intensive attempt to join other groups.

1.1.2 Need for control

This need is defined as the need to create and maintain satisfying relationships with people based on control and power.

Satisfactory relationships include psychologically acceptable relationships with people in two ways:

1. From the individual to other people, ranging from “always controls the behavior of other people” to “never controls the behavior of others”;

2. From other people to the individual - in the range from “always control” to “never control.”

At the emotional level, this need is defined as the desire to create and maintain a feeling of mutual respect, based on competence and responsibility. This feeling includes:

1. Sufficient respect towards others;

2. Getting enough respect from other people.

At the level of self-understanding, this need manifests itself in the need to feel like a competent and responsible person.

Control-need behavior refers to people's decision-making process and also affects areas of power, influence, and authority. The need for control ranges on a continuum from the desire for power, authority and control over others (and indeed one's future) to the need to be controlled, i.e. be relieved of responsibility. There are no hard and fast connections between behavior aimed at dominating others and behavior aimed at subjugating others in one person. Two people who dominate others may differ in how they allow themselves to be controlled by others. For example, an overbearing sergeant may obey the orders of his lieutenant with pleasure, while a bully may constantly contradict his parents. Behavior in this area, in addition to direct forms, also has indirect forms, especially among educated and polite people.

The difference between control behavior and inclusion behavior is that it does not imply fame. “Power Beyond the Throne” is a perfect example of a high level of need for control and low level of inclusion. “The Wit” is a vivid example of a great need for inclusion and a small need for control. Control behavior differs from affect behavior in that it deals more with power relations than with emotional intimacy.

In the parent-child relationship there can be two extremes: from very limited; regulated behavior (the parent completely controls the child and makes all decisions for him) to complete freedom (the parent allows the child to decide everything on his own). In both cases, the child feels fear that he will not be able to cope with the situation in critical moment. An ideal relationship between parent and child reduces this fear, however, too much or too little control leads to the formation of defensive behavior. The child seeks to overcome fear either by dominating others and at the same time obeying the rules, or by rejecting the control of other people or their control over himself.

1.1.3 Interpersonal need for affect

It is defined as the need to create and maintain satisfaction. constructive relationships with other people, based on love and emotional relationships. This type of need concerns, first of all, couple relationships.

Satisfactory relationships always include psychologically acceptable relationships of the individual with other people in two directions:

1. From the individual to other people, ranging from “have close personal relationships with everyone” to “do not have close personal relationships with anyone”;

2. From other people to the individual - ranging from “always have a close personal relationship with the individual” to “never have a close personal relationship with the individual.”

At the emotional level, this need is defined as the desire to create and maintain a feeling of mutual warm emotional relationship. It includes:

1. The ability to love other people sufficiently;

2. Understanding that a person is loved by other people to a sufficient extent.

The need for affect at the level of self-understanding is defined as the individual’s need to feel that he is worthy of love. It usually concerns a close personal emotional relationship between two people. An emotional relationship is a relationship that can exist, as a rule, between two people, while relationships in the field of inclusion and control can exist both in a couple and between an individual and a group of people. The need for affect leads to behavior whose goal is emotional closeness with a partner or partners.

Behavior consistent with the need for emotional connections in groups indicates the establishment of friendships and differentiation between group members. If such a need is absent, then the individual, as a rule, avoids close communication. A common method of avoiding close association with any one person is to be friendly with all members of the group.

In childhood, if a child is not brought up emotionally adequately, then he may develop a feeling of fear, which he can subsequently try to overcome in various ways: either by withdrawing into himself, i.e. avoiding close emotional contacts, or trying to act outwardly friendly.

In relation to interpersonal interactions, inclusion is considered primarily to be about attitude formation, whereas control and affect concern attitudes that have already been formed. Among existing relationships, control concerns those people who give orders and decide things for someone, and affect concerns whether the relationship becomes emotionally close or distant.

In short, inclusion can be described as "inside-out", control as "up-down", and affect as "near-far". Further differentiation can be made at the level of the number of people involved in the relationship. Affect is always a relationship in a couple, inclusion is usually an individual’s attitude towards many people, control can be both an attitude towards a couple and an attitude towards many people.

The previous formulations confirm the interpersonal nature of these needs. For the normal functioning of an individual, it is necessary that there is a balance in three areas of interpersonal needs between him and the people around him.

1.2 Typology of interpersonal behavior

The relationship between parents and children within each area of ​​interpersonal needs can be optimal or unsatisfactory. Schutz describes three types of normal interpersonal behavior within each domain that correspond to different levels satisfaction of needs. Pathological behavior is also described for each area.

Types of interpersonal behavior as adaptive mechanisms arose, as Schutz argues, in a certain way: too much inclusion leads to socially excessive, and too little to socially deficient behavior; too much control - autocratic, too little - abdicratic; too strong an affect leads to sensual excess; and too weak - to sensory deficient behavior. Later, Schutz came to the conclusion that too much or, conversely, insufficient satisfaction of a need can turn into any type of behavior.

For each area of ​​interpersonal behavior, Schutz describes the following types of behavior:

1. Deficit - suggesting that the person does not directly try to satisfy his needs;

2. Excessive - the individual tirelessly tries to satisfy his
needs;

3. Ideal - needs are adequately satisfied;

4. Pathology.

Diagnosis of these needs was carried out using the OMO Interpersonal Relations Questionnaire. adapted by A.A. Rukavishnikov.

W. Schutz defines compatibility as a characteristic of the relationship between two or more persons, between an individual and a role, or between an individual and a work situation, resulting in the mutual satisfaction of individual or interpersonal needs and their harmonious coexistence.

1 . 3 Theories of needs (views of various authors on the structure of consumption b news)

The basis of the theory of needs is the idea that the energy charge, direction and stability of behavior is determined by the existence of needs. We are born with a limited set of needs that can be changed through learning.

1.3.1 Murray's theory of needs

Henry Murray proposed that people can be characterized using a limited set of needs. He explained individual differences through differences in the strength of needs among individual people, opposing the idea that the causes of individual differences are related to learning. Murray's list of basic human needs.

1. Humiliation - submission. Seeking and receiving pleasure from insults, insults, accusations, criticism, punishment. Self-deprecation. Masochism.

2. Achievement - overcoming obstacles and achieving high standards. Competition and superiority over others. Effort and victory.

3. Affiliation (affect) - the formation of close and friendly relationships. Making contact, communicating, living next to other people. Cooperation and establishing social contacts.

4. Aggression - attacking or insulting another person. Struggle. Power confrontation. Humiliating, harming, blaming, or belittling another person. Revenge for wrongs caused.

5. Autonomy - resistance to attempts to influence or force someone to do something. Challenging conventions. Independence and freedom of action in accordance with impulses.

6. Counteraction - the desire to win or resume efforts in case of failure. Overcoming weaknesses. Maintaining honor, pride and self-respect.

7. Defense - protecting yourself from accusations, criticism, humiliation. Willingness to provide explanations and apologies. Resistance to inspection.

8. Respect - admiration and willingness to follow the best, another person close to you. Cooperation with the leader. Appreciation, honor or praise

9. Dominance (control) - influence on others and control over them. The use of persuasion, prohibitions, prescriptions, orders. Limiting others. Organization of behavior in a group.

10. Presentation - attracting attention to yourself. The desire to impress, motivate, amuse, amaze, surprise, intrigue, shock or horrify other people.

11. Avoidance of harm - avoidance of pain, physical damage, illness and death. Avoiding a dangerous situation, taking precautions.

12. “Moral” avoidance - avoidance of failures, shame, humiliation, ridicule. Refusal to take action due to fear of failure.

13. Care - care, assistance or protection of another. Expression of sympathy. Taking care of the child. Feeding, help, support, creating comfortable conditions, care, treatment.

14. Order - put in order, organize, put away objects. Be clean and tidy. Be scrupulously accurate.

15. Game - relaxation, recreation, entertainment, pleasant pastime. Fun, games. Laughter, jokes, joy. Entertainment for entertainment's sake.

16. Rejection - bullying, ignoring or rejecting another person. Indifference and indifference. Discrimination against other people.

17. Sensitivity - seeking impressions and enjoying them.

18. Sex - Formation and further development of love relationships. Having sex.

19. Receiving support - seeking help, protection, sympathy. Requests for help. A plea for mercy. The desire to be close to a loving, caring parent. The desire for dependence, to receive support.

20. Understanding - analyzing experience, abstracting, distinguishing between concepts, defining relationships, synthesizing ideas.

Above is a list of psychological needs. At some points this list intersects with the needs from Schutz's theory. For example, the need for affiliation i.e. in affect, the need for dominance, i.e. in control over others and the need to receive support.

David McClelland has worked to justify the need for achievement, as well as the need for affiliation and the need for power. He was able to prove that the need for achievement largely determines our behavior.

1.3.2 Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Abraham Maslow argued that basic physiological needs are related to some deficit, and higher order needs are related to personal growth. This assumption fits well with the distinction between achievement motivation (achievement-oriented) and avoidance motivation (avoidance-oriented). According to Maslow, needs can be grouped into separate categories arranged in a hierarchical order, with basic or primary needs at the base of this hierarchy. Only after the needs of the lowest basic level have been satisfied can the transition to the next set of needs be made.

1. Lowest level. Physiological needs: hunger, thirst, etc.

2. Security needs: the desire to feel safe, to feel protected, to be out of danger.

3. The need for belonging and love: the desire to establish close relationships with other people, to be accepted, to belong.

4. The need for esteem: the desire for achievement, competence, approval and recognition.

5. Cognitive needs: the desire to know, understand, explore.

6. Aesthetic needs: the desire for symmetry, order, beauty.

7. Highest level. Self-actualization needs: the desire for self-realization, realizing one’s potential.

1 . 4 Intensification and acquisition of needs

Previously, many psychologists believed that people are born with a certain set of basic needs, these needs can be intensified through the use of a reward system. They believed that the needs with which we are born are something like a predisposition to action; a reward system can strengthen such predispositions and turn them into stable and stable needs. Thus, the comparison of two concepts - the concept of needs and the concept of a reward system - contributed to the acceptance of the idea that the environment is a factor that has a strong influence on the formation of human motivation. This idea was readily shared by psychologists who believed that learning plays a role important role in the process of developing needs.

Some psychologists have suggested the existence of needs that are almost entirely determined by environmental influences. The work of David McClelland (1985), devoted to the study of the achievement motive, was built on the basis of this assumption. Among other things, he argued that children who receive rewards for their achievements grow up with a highly developed achievement motive. In his research, McClelland was able to show that there are styles of parenting, the use of which, compared with others, increases the likelihood of developing a strong need for achievement; These findings are entirely consistent with the idea that rewards play an important role in the process of need formation and intensification.

Chapter II. Different views on the concept of “needs” and classification of needs

2 .1 Need as an object to satisfy a need

A common view is the need as a reflection in the human mind of an object that can satisfy (eliminate) the need. V. G. Lezhnev (1939) wrote that if a need does not presuppose the presence of something that can satisfy it, then the need itself as a psychological reality simply does not exist. Many people consider a need not only the image of an object, but also the object itself. With this interpretation, the need is, as it were, taken outside the subject. This point of view reflects the everyday, everyday understanding of need. For example, when a person says “I want bread.” The view of need as an object leads some psychologists to the fact that they consider objects as a means of developing needs. This indicates that the development of a person’s need sphere is not carried out according to the principle of “stimulus-response” (object-need) due to the presentation of new objects to him. This does not lead to the desire to have them precisely because a person does not have a need corresponding to these items. Why is an object identified with a need in everyday consciousness and even in the consciousness of psychologists? The fact is that with the acquisition of life experience, a person begins to understand how, with the help of which the need that has arisen can be satisfied. Before its first satisfaction, the need, as noted by A. N. Leontiev (1971), still “does not know” its object, it still must be found, and, we add, it still needs to be remembered. Therefore, infants' needs are initially not related to objects. They express the presence of a need by general concern and crying. Over time, children learn those objects that help get rid of unpleasant sensations or get pleasure. A conditioned reflex connection is gradually formed and consolidated between the need and the object of its satisfaction, its image (both primary and secondary representation). Original need-goal complexes are formed, “objectified needs”, according to A. N. Leontiev, in which the need is specific, and the goal is often abstract (need food, liquid, etc.). Therefore, in many stereotypical situations, following the emergence of a need and its awareness in a person, images of objects that previously satisfied this need, and at the same time the actions necessary for this, immediately emerge through the mechanism of association. The child does not say that he has a feeling of hunger or thirst, but says: “I want to eat.”

Thus, in the minds of a child, and then an adult, objects become equivalents of needs, similar to how xylitol replaces sugar for diabetics, without being such. However, in some cases, even in adults, the associative connection between a need and the object of its satisfaction may be absent. This happens, for example, when a person finds himself in an uncertain situation or feels that he is missing something, but does not understand what exactly, or incorrectly represents the object of need. The objects of its satisfaction cannot be the essence of a need. For sociologists, needs act as values, and it is characteristic that many do not identify values ​​and needs.

2 . 2 Understanding need as the absence of a good

V. S. Magun believes that the economic tradition, which combines intermediate and final needs (goods) within the framework of a general series, is more constructive than the psychological one. But this does not mean that the need does not belong to the psychological field. The “economic” approach, according to V. S. Magun, will make it possible to understand the mechanisms of interaction between an individual’s own needs and the needs of other people and social systems. V. S. Magun based his approach on the concepts of preservation and development (improvement) of the subject, which are perceived by scientific and everyday consciousness as manifestations of human well-being. V. S. Magun denotes the states and processes of the subject and his external environment, which are the reasons (it would be more correct to say factors, conditions) of the preservation and development of this subject. V. S. Magun, following the economists, introduces the concept of orders. Moreover, by a good of the first order he understands, for example, the state of satiety, by a good of the second order - bread, then grain, a mill, a field on which grain is grown, and so on ad infinitum. The author takes the state of absence of a good as a need. Being in such a state, the subject seems to demand the restoration of its damaged integrity (safety), or development, or the emergence of conditions that ensure these results. V. S. Magun calls the missing good an object of need. Thus, the need for good X is a state of absence of good X, and the presence of good X means the absence of a need for it.

This seemingly logical chain of reasoning suffers from many flaws. On the other hand, the emergence of some needs can itself be considered as a benefit (in a universal, rather than economic sense), for example, the emergence of the need to live after acute depression.

Seeing the reasons for the change in the subject’s states (the emergence of a need) outside the person, he introduces the term “external need,” although he understands that this sounds unusual. He also identifies potential needs, which mean everything, due to the absence of which the processes of preservation and development of the individual may be disrupted. Here he again comes into conflict with himself, since the good itself becomes a need, and not its absence and the associated state of the subject. In addition, reasoning like: since I don’t have it, it means I have a need for it, are far from reality.

V.S. Magun concludes that satisfaction influences need in two ways: as satisfaction grows, the need for the corresponding good can both weaken and strengthen. The opposite situation is questionable: the more satisfaction a person has, the stronger his need for the corresponding good. If you do not introduce the clarification that we are talking about a known need that has become a value for a person, and not about a real need experienced at the moment, then it is difficult to agree with V.S. Magun.

Positive connections (correlations) are revealed between satisfaction (as an attitude) and the significance of a particular value. The greater the satisfaction a given person develops from a particular factor, the greater the value this factor becomes for him. But this is not directly related to the actually experienced need, which V.S. is trying to prove. Magun. His idea that the stronger the satisfaction with some factor, the stronger the person’s actual need for it, could be realized by considering the experience of need as an anticipation of something.

2 . 3 Need as necessity

B.F. Lomov (1984) defines need as an objective necessity. A need can reflect not only an external objective need, but also an internal, subjective one. The need for something (its awareness) can be one of the incentives for human activity, not being a need in the proper sense of the word, but reflecting either an obligation, a sense of duty, or preventive expediency, or necessity. But not only the useful is a necessity and a need. Necessity may also reflect the dependence of the organism and personality on specific conditions of existence, on environmental factors essential for their own preservation and development. Some authors understand need in this way, as dependence on something. Leontyev determined that the need is also a requirement from oneself for certain productive activities (creation); the organism and personality are active not only because they need to consume something, but also because they need to produce something. B.I. Dodonov includes beliefs, ideals, and interests as “theoretical” needs; His needs include everything that influences the motivational process. From the point of view of D.A. Leontief need is an objective relationship between an object and the world.

M. S. Kagan et al. (1976) write that need is a reflection of the objective relationship between what a subject needs for optimal functioning and the extent to which he actually possesses it; it is a reflection of the relationship between what is necessary and what is present.

V.L. Ossovsky (1985) notes that the relationship between the subject of need and the surrounding world can be genetically programmed (in the form of programmed life activities carried out through reflexes and instincts) or can be acquired in the process of ontogenetic development of a person.

V.P. Tugarinov (1969) defines needs as objects (phenomena, their properties) that people need (necessary, pleasant) as a means of satisfying needs and interests.

The stated position of philosophers and sociologists speaks of a person’s demands on the world around them not as needs, but as a need-based relationship between a person and this world.

2.4 Classification of needs

Since social needs play a leading role in our research, accordingly, W. Schutz’s classification of needs and the views below on understanding needs are closely related to W. Schutz’s ideas about the needs. In this regard, we can recognize the concept of W. Schutz as universal.

There are various classifications of human needs, which are divided according to the dependence of the organism (or personality) on some objects, and according to the needs that it experiences. A. N. Leontiev in 1956, accordingly, divided needs into objective and functional.

Needs are also divided into primary (basic, innate) and secondary (social, acquired). A. Pieron proposed to distinguish between several fundamental physiological and psychophysiological needs that provide the basis for any motivated behavior of animals and humans.

Behavioral, research attention, novelty, search for communication and help, competitive motivations, etc.

In Russian psychology, needs are most often divided into material (for food, clothing, housing), spiritual (the need for knowledge of the environment and oneself, the need for creativity, aesthetic pleasures, etc.) and social (the need for communication, work , in social activities, in recognition by other people, etc.).

Spiritual and social needs reflect the social nature of a person, his socialization. Even a person’s need for food has a socialized form: after all, a person does not consume food raw, like animals, but as a result of a complex process of its preparation.

P. V. Simonov (1987) believes that human needs can be divided into three groups: vital, social and ideal. In each of these groups, the needs of preservation and development are distinguished, and in the social group - also the needs “for oneself” (recognized by the subject as rights belonging to him) and “for others” (perceived as “responsibilities”).

A. V. Petrovsky (1986) divides needs: by origin - into natural and cultural, by subject (object) - into material and spiritual; natural needs can be material, and cultural needs can be material and spiritual.

P. A. Rudik (1967) distinguishes between social and personal needs, which is hardly correct: every need is personal. Another thing is what goals (social or personal) the satisfaction of a person’s needs corresponds to. But this will characterize the motive, not the need.

V. A. Krutetsky (1980) divides needs into natural and spiritual, social needs.

W. McDougall (1923), based on an understanding of needs as instincts, identified the following instinct-like motivational dispositions (ready-made ways of responding):

n food foraging; search and accumulation of food;

n disgust; rejection and avoidance of harmful substances;

n sexuality; courtship and marital relations;

n fear; flight and hiding in response to traumatic, pain and suffering or threats thereto;

n curiosity; exploration of unfamiliar places and objects;

n patronage and parental care; feeding, protecting and sheltering the younger ones;

n communication; being in the company of peers, and in solitude - searching for such a society;

n self-assertion: dominance, leadership, assertion or demonstration of oneself to others;

n submission; concession, obedience, exemplary, subordination to those who demonstrate superior strength;

n anger; indignation and violent removal of every hindrance or obstacle that interferes with the free exercise of any other tendency;

n call for help; actively seeking help when one’s own efforts end in complete failure;

n creation; creation of shelters and tools;

n acquisition; acquiring, possessing and protecting anything that seems useful or attractive;

n laughter; ridiculing the shortcomings and failures of people around us;

n comfort; eliminating or avoiding what causes discomfort (change of posture, location);

n rest and sleep; tendency to immobility, rest and sleep when tired;

n vagrancy; movement in search of new experiences.

Among them, the needs for courtship coincide with the needs from the concept of W. Schutz in close, intimate relationships. The need for communication with the individual's need to belong to different groups. The need for dominance refers to the need to control and influence others. The need for submission is closely related to a person's need for others to control him.

G. Murray (N. Murray, 1938) identifies the following psychogenic needs: aggression, affiliation, dominance, achievement, protection, play, avoiding harm, avoiding failure, avoiding accusations, independence, rejection, comprehension, knowledge, help, patronage, understanding, order, attracting attention to oneself, recognition, acquisition, counteraction, clarification (training), creation, preservation (frugality), respect, humiliation.

E. Fromm (1998) believes that a person has the following social needs: for human connections (associating oneself with a group, a feeling of “we”, avoidance (loneliness); for self-affirmation (the need to verify one’s own importance) in order to avoid feelings of inferiority , infringement, affection (warm feelings for a living being and the need for animals - otherwise apathy and disgust for life); in self-awareness (awareness of oneself as a unique individual); in the system of orientation and the object of worship (involvement in culture and ideology, biased attitude towards ideal objects In this classification, the need for human connections coincides with the need for inclusion, the need for self-esteem with the need for control, the need for affection with the need for affect.

Only A. Maslow gave a coherent classification and system of needs, highlighting their groups: physiological needs, needs for safety, for social connections, self-esteem, self-actualization. He calls the needs of lower levels needs, and the needs of higher levels - growth needs. At the same time, he believes that these groups of needs are in a hierarchical dependence from the first to the last

Chapter III. Conducting a study of connections between interpersonal needs and psychological characteristics and analyzing the results

Diagnosis of the need for inclusion, the need for control and the need for affect was carried out using the OMO interpersonal relationships questionnaire, adapted by A.A. Rukavishnikov. Personality characteristics were diagnosed using the FPI questionnaire (Form B), adapted at St. Petersburg State University. Tolerance of uncertainty was measured by the Badner Tolerance of Uncertainty Scale, which consists of three subscales: novelty, complexity, and intractability. At the same time, tolerance to uncertainty is understood as a tendency to perceive uncertain situations as desirable and, therefore, strive for them.

The study involved 28 people aged 18 to 22 years, including 14 men and 14 women. I processed the results obtained using the Statistics program. In this case, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used, since it gives a more accurate result with a small sample size.

The results of the statistical analysis indicate numerous significant relationships between tolerance of uncertainty and interpersonal needs, but I have considered the most significant. In particular, the lower a person’s tolerance to difficult situations, the higher his need to be included in a social group (r s = 0.47). Apparently, group membership is one of the mechanisms by which a person reduces the uncertainty of a situation. Established relationships, knowledge of norms and rules of behavior in various situations allow a person to react to the outside world stereotypically, and the stability of the environment acts as a guarantor of certainty (the correlation matrix is ​​given in Appendix 2).

The following relationship is interesting: the more a person is tolerant of uncertainty, the more expressed is his desire to control and influence others, to take leadership and make decisions for himself and others (r s = -0.43). In our opinion, this fact indicates a close relationship between leadership and a person’s ability to actively interact with uncertainty. As an additional guess, it can be noted that people intolerant of uncertainty may have a need for guidance from a person who does not lose confidence and ability to make decisions in such a situation (see Appendix 2).

It is impossible not to note the following: the lower a person’s tolerance for uncertainty, the higher his need for intimate relationships (r s = 0.39). Perhaps a person intolerant to a situation of uncertainty strives for close, intimate relationships because he is comfortable in them, since he can predict the further development of events and thereby avoid uncertainty (see Appendix 2).

Regarding the relationship between interpersonal needs and other personal characteristics, we would like to note the following. The higher a person’s need for control from others, the lower his irritability (r s = -0.66). Presumably, others are more willing to help calm and balanced people than irritable people (the correlation matrix is ​​given in Appendix 1).

More sociable individuals experience a stronger desire to belong to different groups (r s = 0.49). This connection seems quite obvious to us, since it is in a group of people that the need for communication is most easily satisfied (see Appendix 1).

An individual who is inclined to control and influence others is more extroverted (r s = 0.47). It may be that outward-looking extroverts feel a greater need to control others than introverts in order to satisfy their social needs (see Appendix 1).

In terms of gender differences, we found the following. Men have a greater need for control and guidance from others than women (p=0.018). This fact contradicts generally accepted beliefs. It is quite possible that it can be explained by the fact that in modern society the differences between the sexes are gradually being erased, that is, women become more masculine, and men acquire traits that are traditionally considered feminine. We should not discount the age characteristics of the sample, which could also influence the detected difference (see Appendix 4).

Women are less tolerant of intractable problems than men (p=0.039). Perhaps this is due to psychological differences between men and women (see Appendix 4). As studies conducted within the framework of evolutionary psychology show, ideal man smart, creative and adaptable. All of these characteristics are associated with a high tolerance for uncertainty. At the same time, I would like to note that - it is quite possible - the men who participated in the study do not have such characteristics, but only answer questions in such a way as to pass off wishful thinking. In other words, in this case, the factor of social desirability can play a distorting role.

The higher the irritability, the lower the tolerance to insoluble problems (r s =0.58). Perhaps because in unsolvable problems the individual’s irritability increases (the correlation matrix is ​​given in Appendix 3).

Conclusion

To achieve the set goal of the work, the following was done:

· The following methods related to the topic of the work are considered: the OMO interpersonal relations questionnaire, the FPI questionnaire, Form B, the Badner Uncertainty Tolerance Scale.

· A study was conducted using the above methods, most of the subjects were NSU students, but this could not in any way affect the results obtained, that is, the sample is quite representative.

· Based on the results obtained, a correlation analysis was carried out using the Statistics program, the results of the analysis - see Appendixes 1,2,3,4.

Having carried out all the necessary calculations, I received the following dependencies:

· The lower a person’s tolerance for difficult situations, the higher his need to be included in a social group.

· The more a person is tolerant of uncertainty, the more expressed is his desire to control and influence others, to take leadership and make decisions for himself and others.

· The lower a person’s tolerance for uncertainty, the higher his need for intimate relationships.

· The higher a person’s need for control from others, the lower his irritability

More sociable individuals have a stronger desire to belong to different groups

An individual who tends to control and influence others is more extroverted.

· Men have a greater need for control and guidance from others than women

Women are less tolerant of intractable problems than men

Analysis and interpretation of the data obtained allows us to say that personality traits are indeed related to interpersonal needs. And a person’s tolerance for uncertainty plays a special role in their determination.

List of used literature

1. Rukavishnikov A.A. Interpersonal Relationships Questionnaire. - Yaroslavl, 1992.

2. Frenkin R. Motivation of behavior. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2003.

3. Ilyin E. Motives and motivations. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2006.

4. Budner, S. (1962). Intolerance of ambiguity as a personality variable. Journal of Personality, 30, 29-50.

5. Palmer J., Palmer L. Evolutionary psychology. Secrets of Homo Sapiens behavior. - SPb.: prime - EUROZNAK, 2003.

6. The problem of psychological compatibility in modern social psychology O.I. Matyukhina, S.E. Poddubny // Modern problems of management psychology: Sat. scientific Tr. / RAS. Institute of Psychology, Tver. state University; Rep. Ed.: T.P. Emelyanova, A.L. Zhuravlev, G.V. Telyatnikov. - M., 2002.

7. Krichevsky R.L., Dubovskaya E.M. Small group psychology: theoretical and applied aspects. M.: Moscow State University Publishing House, 1991.

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FIRO - “Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation”. This system was first described by Schutz in 1958. Based on an analysis of numerous studies of interpersonal behavior conducted in the field of child development, social psychological and clinical fields, Schutz concluded that the basic interpersonal needs are control, inclusion and affection, and all others can be described within these three. Using these three needs, an interpersonal profile of an individual can be created. Does he strive to control others, to be controlled, or is he rather indifferent to this? Does he want to be involved in social activities or not? Does he seek intimacy or avoid it? Information is obtained from the self-report questionnaire FIRO - B ("B" - from the English "Behavior" - behavior. - Approx. Per.), consisting of 54 questions, each of which must be answered on a six-point scale and which requires approximately fifteen - Twenty minutes. The questions are also superficial and endlessly repetitive, so it is not surprising if sophisticated patients become irritated and offended.

The author seems to be trying to cover small aspects of human existence that we usually overlook, but there are many different studies that support the validity of this test.

One such work was a study of roommate choice among members of a college student organization. The FIRO-B theory allows us to predict the number of attractions between two individuals. For example, between someone who seeks to control and someone who wants to be controlled (if their other two needs also intersect). College students' roommate selection was significantly predicted by this compatibility assessment.

The tool is focused on measuring behavioral manifestations in three areas of interpersonal relationships: “Involvement” - the intensity of contacts, “Control” - the degree of dependence, “Emotions” (in a later version this concept was replaced by “Openness”) - the degree of willingness to share feelings. These three dimensions correspond to the three scales of the questionnaire FIRO-B. With its help, you can measure, evaluate and predict human behavior in interpersonal interactions: what he really does and that he wants to do , respectively - how other people really arrive towards him and how he I would like to so that they do so.

Inclusion- the need to create and maintain satisfactory relationships with other people (psychologically acceptable), on the basis of which interaction and cooperation arise. Relationships are established in two directions:

  • (f) from the individual to other people (ranging from “establishes contacts with all people” to “does not establish contacts with anyone”);
  • (w) from other people to the individual (ranging from “always establish contact with him” to “never establish contact with him”).

The need for inclusion is understood as the desire to be liked, attract attention, and arouse interest. At the emotional level, this is the need to create and maintain a feeling of mutual interest in communication. From the point of view of self-esteem, the need for inclusion is manifested in a person’s desire to feel like a valuable and significant person. Behavior that meets this need is aimed at establishing connections between people. To be different from others, that is, to be an individual, is another aspect of the need for inclusion: a person strives to be noticed, to be different from other people.

Control- the need to create and maintain satisfactory relationships with people, based on control and power. Relationships are established in two directions:

  • (f) from the individual to other people (ranging from “always controls the behavior of other people” to “never controls the behavior of others”);
  • (w) from other people to the individual (ranging from “always control” to “never control”).

At the emotional level, this need is defined as the desire to create and maintain a feeling of mutual respect, based on competence and responsibility. At the level of self-understanding, the need for control manifests itself in the need to feel like a competent and responsible person. Behavior driven by the need for control relates to the decision-making process and also affects the areas of power, influence and authority. The severity of the need for control varies from the desire for power, authority and control over others to the desire to be controlled and to get rid of responsibility.

Affect- the need to create and maintain satisfactory relationships with other people, based on emotional relationships. Relationships are established in two directions:

  • (f) from the individual to other people (ranging from “establishes close personal relationships with everyone” to “does not form close personal relationships with anyone”);
  • (w) from other people to the individual (ranging from “always have a close personal relationship” to “never have a close personal relationship with an individual”).

At the emotional level, this need is defined as the desire to create and maintain a feeling of mutual warm emotional relationship. At the level of self-understanding - as the individual’s need to feel that he is worthy of love.

Inclusion refers primarily to formation relationships, while control and affect concern already formed relationships. Inclusion can be illustrated as an “inside-out” relationship, control as a “top-down” relationship, and affect as a “near-far” relationship.

Questionnaire FIRO-B was developed to help a person understand his own behavior and the behavior of other people, explain how the needs of the individual affect interpersonal relationships. Its validity and reliability have been confirmed by numerous studies. Russian-language adapted version FIRO-B known as the Interpersonal Relationships Questionnaire (IRA). With its help, personal characteristics are measured and relationships between people are assessed. The type of behavior is diagnosed in three areas - inclusion (I), control (C), and affect (A), on six scales:

Inclusion

  • Ie(demonstrated behavior of the individual): I strive to accept other people, maintain their interest in me and participation in my activities; I actively strive to belong to different social groups and be among people as often as possible;
  • Iw(behavior expected by an individual from others): I try to get other people to involve me in their activities and strive to be in my company.

Control

  • Xie(demonstrated behavior of the individual): trying to control and influence other people; I strive to lead and make decisions;
  • Сw(behavior expected by an individual from others): I try to have other people control me, influence me and tell me what I should do.

Affect

  • Ae(demonstrated behavior of the individual): I strive to be in close, intimate relationships with others, to show warm, friendly feelings towards them;
  • Аw(behavior expected by an individual from others): I try to make others strive to be emotionally closer to me and share their intimate feelings with me.

The OMO questionnaire contains 54 statements. When testing, it is recommended to observe the principle of voluntariness. Pressure on the subject increases the likelihood of distortion of the results. There is no time limit for answers (on average, filling out the form takes 15 minutes).

Interpersonal Relationship Questionnaire (IRA)

Instructions:

The questionnaire is designed to determine the typical ways in which you relate to people. There are no right or wrong answers, every truthful answer is correct.

Sometimes people tend to respond the way they think they should behave. But now we are interested in how you actually behave.

Some questions are very similar to each other, but they still mean different things. Please answer each item in the questionnaire separately, without regard to other statements. There is no time limit for answering, but don't think too long.

For each statement, choose the answer option that seems most appropriate to you.

Answer form (OMO)

__________________________________________
Full Name

No.

Statement

Answer

Usually
1

Often
2

Sometimes
3

On the occasion of
4

Rarely
5

Never
6

I strive to be with everyone
Becoming a member of various groups
I strive to have close relationships with other group members
When the opportunity presents itself, I tend to become a member of interesting organizations
I allow others to have a strong influence on my activities
I strive to join informal social life
I strive to involve others in my plans
I try to be among people
I strive to establish close and cordial relationships with others
I tend to join others whenever something is done together
I easily obey others
I try to avoid loneliness
I strive to take part in joint events
I strive to treat others in a friendly manner
I leave it to others to decide what needs to be done.
My personal attitude towards others is cold and indifferent
I give others the right to direct the course of events
I strive to have close relationships with others
I allow others to have a great influence on my activities
I strive to establish close and cordial relationships with others
I let others judge what I do.
I act cold and indifferent towards others
I easily obey others
I strive to have close and cordial relationships with others
I love it when others invite me to participate in something.
I strive to have a strong influence on the activities of others
I like it when others invite me to participate in their activities.
In the company of others, I strive to direct the course of events
I like it when others include me in their activities
I like it when others act cold and reserved towards me
I strive for others to do as I want
I like it when others invite me to participate in their discussions.
I like it when others treat me in a friendly manner
I like it when people treat me with restraint
I try to play a leading role in society
I like it when others invite me to participate in something.
I like it when others relate to me directly
I strive for others to do what I want
I like it when others invite me to participate in their activities.
I like it when others treat me coldly and reservedly
I strive to greatly influence the activities of others
I like it when others include me in their activities.
I like it when other people treat me directly and cordially
In society I try to direct the course of events
I like it when others invite me to participate in their activities.
I like it when people treat me with restraint
I try to get others to do what I want.
I direct the course of events in society

Processing the results

The results (in points) are calculated in accordance with the key to the questionnaire.

Keys to the questionnaire

To calculate the results it is better to use Calculation form. The answer is scored 1 point if it matches one of the answers in the key, and if it does not match - 0 points. The range of final scores for each scale is from 0 to 9 points.

Calculation form


Click image for a larger view

Questionnaire scales


Click image for a larger view

  • interaction volume indices(e + w);
  • indices of contradictory interpersonal behavior(e – w) - within and between individual areas of interpersonal needs.

Test results can be presented as tables:

or diagrams:

Scales

Points

Interpretation of the results obtained

Below is a description of typical human behavior trends corresponding to different indicators of values ​​on the OMO scales:

Inclusion

  • Low scores on the scale Ie- a person feels uncomfortable around people and is more likely to demonstrate a tendency to avoid them.
  • High scores on the scale Ie- a person feels comfortable among people and will tend to seek their company.
  • Low scores on the scale Iw- the person demonstrates a tendency to communicate with a small number of people.
  • High scores on the scale Iw- a person has a strong need to belong to a group, strives to be accepted by people.

Control

  • Low scores on the scale Xie- a person avoids making decisions and taking responsibility.
  • High scores on the scale Xie- a person tries to take responsibility and play a leading role in the team.
  • Low scores on the scale Cw- a person does not accept control over himself.
  • High scores on the scale Cw- a person demonstrates a need for dependence, hesitates when making decisions.

Affect

  • Low scores on the scale Ae- a person is very careful when establishing close, intimate relationships with people, avoids such relationships.
  • High scores on the scale Ae- a person demonstrates a greater tendency to establish close, intimate relationships with people.
  • Low scores on the scale Aw- a person is very careful when choosing people with whom he establishes deep emotional relationships.
  • High scores on the scale Aw- a person has a great need for other people to establish close emotional relationships with him.

The more the scores approach the extreme values ​​of the range, the more likely it is to expect the described behavior from the subject (in general outline). The value of the resulting score determines the degree of applicability of the above descriptions:

  • at extremely low (0–1) and extremely high (8–9) estimates that a person’s behavior will correspond to the described trends, and at the same time be of a compulsive nature*;
  • at low (2–3) and high (6–7) estimates that human behavior will correspond to the described trends;
  • at border (4–5) assessments, a person can demonstrate both of the described behavioral tendencies.

All estimates are best interpreted in terms of average and standard deviations for a specific sample.

For a person to interact harmoniously with other people, balance in three areas of interpersonal needs is necessary.

There are no strict connections between behavior aimed at dominating others and behavior aimed at subjugating others. Two dominant people may differ in how they allow others to control them. For example, an overbearing department head may gladly obey the orders of his boss (or his wife), while the leader of a neighborhood group of teenagers may constantly contradict his parents.

The Interpersonal Relations Questionnaire is widely used in the practice of HR managers in many countries. Test results are applied in the following areas:

  • work with personnel reserve;
  • consulting employees on career planning and development;
  • leadership development;
  • conflict resolution (and prevention);
  • team formation;
  • personnel selection, etc.

The information obtained using an interpersonal relationships questionnaire can help increase a person’s job satisfaction and increase the effectiveness of his activities. By better understanding his needs in communicating with other people, the characteristics of his behavior and the behavior of other people, a person will be able to use more effective ways communication, look for alternative methods of achieving your goals. The tendency to work autonomously or intolerance to loneliness, to obey or actively take responsibility - these and other features of a person’s behavior and his relationships with colleagues are very important to take into account when adapting new employees, when selecting work groups, and in career counseling.

In the attached file, a file for calculations in Excel
______________
* Compulsivity- repeated, goal-directed and intentional behavior that occurs as a reaction to obsession in order to neutralize or prevent psychological discomfort. The person feels forced to take irrational actions to relieve stress. This form of behavior may be due to illness, personality traits, or a current situation that causes internal anxiety and discomfort. Compulsive actions are performed under the influence of an irresistible urge. Conscious control of compulsive behavior is difficult.

Let's go back to the very beginning of the process of raising a child. As we have already found out, the most important thing for him at this time is feeding (mainly breastfeeding) and various actions performed by his parents when they hold him in their arms. It is this behavior that the child perceives as stroking.

What do you think a child achieves by screaming until he’s blue in the face in his cradle? He wants to be noticed. The child learns quite quickly that as soon as he succeeds, the satisfaction of his physiological needs occurs automatically. That is, in order to survive, a child must receive the attention of his parents.

From this moment on, a person develops the first interpersonal need, directed at another person - the need for recognition, the need to be noticed, paid attention - first of all, of course, by people close to him, significant to him, and then by everyone else.

Already for young children the need to play is important, m they are ready to play even with those children whom they do not like and with whom they can fight; nevertheless , they play with them because it satisfies their need for recognition.

It is very important for a child how often attention is paid to him, and if this is done too rarely, in his opinion, he tries in some way to get it: “Mom, where is my doll?” Equally important is how this is done and whether there is “quality” of interaction. If they communicate with him or her as with the unique and only Mishenka or Varenka, as with a unique personality, then this interaction is perceived as stroking and the child learns to value himself, to count significant person. If, on the contrary, the child is treated as an “empty place”, as a faceless child “in general”, that is, his real needs are not taken into account, but he is treated as “needed” (All children should eat semolina porridge! Children should go to bed early!), then the child, becoming an adult, will doubt that he is attractive, interesting, that he can be noticed by other people.

Behavior aimed at satisfying needs and recognition is characterized by a large number of different types of contacts. In response to these contacts and during them, the adult produces and shows the child certain feelings and feelings that arise in him as a reaction to the child’s behavior, serving as a model of behavior for him. The continuum of recognition behavior in the parent-child relationship includes, from minimum to maximum: ignoring, noticing, knowing, paying attention, interacting, interest, recognizing, understanding.

The age stage of development of the need for recognition is to some extent parallel to the oral stage in Freudianism. While psychoanalysts emphasize the dominance of the erogenous zone, W. Schutz focuses on interpersonal relationships. However, psychoanalysis also recognizes that at the oral stage the relationship between parent and child concentrates on noticing and contact. Here we are not yet talking about control and discipline, and sympathy and love are just emerging.

Difficulties in satisfying a child's interpersonal need for recognition arise when parents either avoid contact with him or his overprotective. When avoiding interactions and not paying attention, abandonment occurs, and what matters here, as we have already said, is the quality and quantity of contacts. With overprotection, difficulties of the opposite nature arise. In this case, the parents include the child in all their affairs and he does not have the opportunity to be alone with himself.

The ideal relationship between parents and children in the area of ​​recognition is in the middle between these poles. Parents often and openly communicate with their children and show interest in their affairs, and at the same time allow the child to be alone without communicating with him for some time. These are optimal conditions for interaction between children and parents, which enable the child, when he grows up, to feel equally good both in any company and alone.

It is quite obvious that the first type of interaction with a child leads to the education of an undersocial, the second - an oversocial and the third - a social type of person in satisfying the interpersonal need for recognition.

When a child learns to satisfy his need for recognition, problems associated with control come to the fore in his life.

The issue of control is central to the relationship between parents and children, and indeed between teachers and students, as their interactions revolve around issues related to discipline. Discipline and management issues focus on who will make decisions and in what manner. The child must be taught how to make decisions, but he must also be allowed to carry them out. That is why parent-child and teacher-child relationships are associated with discipline, control, power, decision making, defining boundaries of behavior, teaching rules, management, leadership, and demonstrating independence.

The Freudian anal stage is comparable to the age-related stage of formation of the need for control (although again one can point to the difference in the psychoanalytic emphasis on the erogenous zone and V. Shutpa’s attention to interaction). The main acquisition of this stage is the child’s ability to influence his parents and his gaining power. The child begins to be taught socially acceptable forms of defecation and urination, and this first introduction of the child into the world of discipline and order will largely determine his future control behavior. At this stage, the need for recognition is also important, but it is relegated to the background compared to the need for control. The need for acceptance is still undeveloped.

Parents have two sure-fire ways to make it difficult for a child to learn to make the right decisions - either to impose their own on him, not allowing him to breathe under guardianship and orders, or to allow him to manage his own life when he is not yet able to do so. Children whose parents constantly supervise them become autocrats, while children of “permissive” parents grow up to be abdicrates.

The ideal relationship between parents and children in the area of ​​control lies between the poles of permissiveness and harsh pressure. Parents allow their children to make decisions about their own lives within the limits of their age and also give their children the right to take responsibility for the decisions they make. It should be recognized that we usually do just the opposite: we decide, and the children pay the price (for example, additional classes foreign language, ballet, sports, music, etc.), or the children make decisions, we pay (the child invited guests, and we clean up after him and his guests; the child got married, and we feed his family and look after his grandchildren We). Delegation and acceptance of responsibility - this type of relationship between parents and children in the area of ​​control leads to the fact that mature children!., feel equally comfortable when they control others, or when they do not; when their | controlled by others, or when they do not feel control. A child who grows up in such a family becomes a democrat.

When a child satisfies his interpersonal needs for recognition and control, the need for acceptance comes to the fore. This area of ​​relationships is associated with manifestations of love, warmth, sympathy, emotional acceptance, as well as emotional rejection and hatred.

The emotional coloring of relationships distinguishes the area of ​​acceptance from recognition. For example, a mother may spend a lot of time raising her child. In addition to the usual cooking, washing, dressing, etc., she does homework with the child, plays music, takes him to the sports section, and studies foreign languages ​​with him. She hopes to raise him into an outstanding person who will become famous and the reflections of his fame will fall on her. But she treats the child as a means of achieving her goals, and not as a person, unemotionally.

Another mother spends the whole day at work and also performs additional tasks at home. The children rarely see her free and do almost everything themselves. But when she has a free minute, she manages to caress the child.

The stage of formation of the need for recognition is parallel to the Freudian phallic and oedipal stages. At this time, sexual and emotional feeling in relation to a specific, very specific, chosen person. This requires greater emotional maturity. The narcissistic sensual focus on oneself stops and “giving” part of oneself to others begins. Personal development presupposes the predominance of acceptance at this age.

Difficulties for children in the area of ​​acceptance arise when their parents “strangle them with love” - “make them fall in love” or do not love them, reject them. Infatuation is showering a child with more love than he can handle. “Nursing mommy” is how such parental behavior is usually described. Overprotective parents mostly focus their efforts on

mgrol, however, it is quite common to meet ite dominance and affection.

An unloved, rejected child becomes an under-accepted adult, and a loved one becomes an over-accepted one.

The ideal relationship between parents and children in the area of ​​acceptance lies between the poles of rejection and excessive love. Parents emotionally accept the child, give him a lot of love, but not more than his capabilities. This type of relationship allows you to grow an accepted person who is able to establish and maintain close, intimate relationships with other people, with a certain person and, at the same time, feel quite comfortable in the absence of such connections.

Parent-child relationships leading to specific forms of behavior in satisfying basic interpersonal needs are reflected in the table

So, at the very initial stage of a child’s life, his main interpersonal need is recognition, the desire to be singled out and noticed. Naturally, parents satisfy this need, like other interpersonal needs, in an unsplit form - they simultaneously pay attention, control and love (it is quite rare to find mothers who feed their child completely unemotionally). However, during this period of life, the child’s emotions are focused mainly on himself; this is a narcissistic stage; the need for acceptance is generally realized at his own expense. Therefore, at the beginning of life, a person no longer reacts to the lack of love, but to the lack of care. A relationship of acceptance implies greater personal development of both participants, when each can give something, invest something in the other. Acceptance begins to seriously concern a child somewhere from the age of three to five.

The next difficult stage in meeting interpersonal needs is adolescence, separation from parents and establishing relationships with peers. The formation of autonomy begins from the sphere of acceptance, and a truly emotional acceptance of the parents must be formed, since otherwise incorrect gender identification and the resulting feeling of guilt arise. Next, autonomy begins in the sphere of control, most dramatic for both parties in adolescence and early adolescence. In this case, conflicts often arise due to responsibility and displacement from the main role. This continues until each side reconsiders its positions.

Only after children have solved the problems of acceptance and control in relationships with parents do they take on the main problem of autonomy - separation from parents. Often this is perceived by both parties, but primarily by parents, as a problem of acceptance, as a loss, a decrease in the children’s love for them. This is because parents consider frequent contact with children to be a sign of love, when in fact it is a problem of recognition, and until some other evidence of recognition is found, the problem cannot be solved (some people deal with this problem all their lives - husbands who visit their mothers every day after work; mothers-in-law who visit their newlyweds every day, etc.).

Another challenge facing children is integration within the peer group. First - recognition - to be a member of the group. When this need is realized, conflicts arise with parents: “Friends mean more to you than we do.” Next is control. At the same time, quarrels and fights occur in the company, as a result of which a hierarchical group structure is formed. Finally - acceptance, sudden awareness of the sexual differentiation of group members, the emergence of friendship, the beginning of courtship. As we see, conflicts with parents (and teachers) are almost inevitable, since both in the peer group and with their parents, children solve opposing tasks to satisfy basic interpersonal needs.

The next stage of development is the appearance of a person’s own children. This involves each parent resolving their relationships with friends, since they can no longer spend much time in groups - on dates, parties, dancing, walking all night. All this time they are occupied by their own children. This transition is difficult for people, and in our culture, especially for men. Reducing contacts with friends is the first serious test of a family. Next is the change in family roles and responsibilities due to the birth of a child.

INTERPERSONAL CYCLES OF INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT

Now we have the opportunity to appreciate the tremendous work done by parents. They must contact the child often enough to satisfy his need for recognition, but these contacts must also have certain qualitative characteristics that allow the child to feel and believe in his uniqueness and uniqueness. At the same time, parents should practice a reasonable frequency of contacts, since with a lack of contacts - ignoring, the child has difficulties with identification and a less social personality type is formed. When entangled, parents do not let the child out of their sight for a minute (the heart-rending screams of such parents are especially familiar to residents of apartment buildings) and raise the child to have a super-social personality type.

Parents must teach the child to make independent decisions, bear responsibility for them, and they must allow the child to actually make decisions himself and be responsible for them. If parents decide everything for the child and do not even allow him to breathe on his own, then they contribute to the formation of an autocrat. If they allow the child to do whatever he wants, to make any decisions on his own, when he does not yet know how to do this, then an abdicrate is formed. Only when parents allow decisions to be made within the boundaries appropriate to the child’s age, and they must bear responsibility for these decisions, is a democrat formed (it is advisable for parents to keep in mind that the boundaries of independence grow, as does the child himself).

In the area of ​​acceptance, the main importance is not the number of contacts, but their emotional intensity. Falling in love with an adoring mother leads to the formation of an over-accepted person, while rejection and indifference by parents create an under-accepted type. It is only when a child is given as much love as he can handle that an accepting adult is formed.

Thus, we can now determine how princeliness and frogishness manifest themselves in human behavior in the process of realizing his basic interpersonal needs. We can now define the concept of "prince" more clearly. The prince is a person who fully satisfies all interpersonal needs, that is, the prince is at the same time accepted, democrat, social.

The presence of problems in satisfying at least one of the interpersonal needs produces a frog. Naturally, a frog can have problems not only in one, but in two or even three areas, although this is less common. In addition, the frog can try to cope with the problem in an active way - oversocial, autocratic, overaccepting, as well as in a passive way - undersocial, abdicrate, underaccepting. This gives us, in addition to the three types of frogs already discussed - green, gray, brown, another twenty-six varieties of each type. All this again provides excellent opportunities for differentiated fine-grained analysis, however, in real practice, it is quite sufficient to distinguish three types of frogs and divide green frogs, as the most common ones, into subspecies - active and passive with a problem in any one area.

Let us dwell on how interpersonal needs manifest themselves in a person’s behavior in a group. At each stage of a group's development, one tendency predominates. First, the problem of recognition is solved. For each specific member of the group, this is formulated as the question “To be in this group or to be outside it?” This is followed by a phase in which satisfying the need for control is of greatest importance. For a group member, the question is: “What place in the hierarchy should I take? To be above or below? Finally, the acceptance phase begins. Here the question is formulated as follows: “Be emotionally distant or close to each specific group member and by how much?”

Within successive phases, a group member first determines his relationship with the leader, and then with the rest of the members.

The recognition phase begins from the moment the group is formed. Each of the people forming a group determines for himself how attractive this group is to him and whether he wants to be a member of it. The behavior strategy here is as follows - a person demonstrates his traits and carefully observes whether they pay attention to him or not. If he has difficulties in the area of ​​recognition, then I-centered behavior usually manifests itself - the person talks too much and too openly about himself, tells his biography and experience of communication in other groups.

Everyone decides about the level of their involvement in this group, in its affairs. For example: “How much of myself can I devote to this group? How significant will I be in it? Will the group accept me for who I am, or will I have to change? Will I mix with other members of the group?

This is an identification problem. A person’s first decision about a group is how many contacts, interactions, and communications he will have here.

The main task of the recognition phase is to determine membership in the group, connection with it and the level of inclusion in its life. To solve it, special procedures are used, the so-called. pastime. These are seemingly meaningless conversations about the weather, movies watched, clothes, fights, love stories, conversations about car brands - the topic, in principle, is not very important. The main purpose of such procedures is to show your qualities and look at others. You can observe who treats you and how and find out the attitude of the group leader towards you.

Each group member examines with special attention the leader’s attitude towards himself, as well as his attitude towards the group as a whole. If the leader does not show interest in something, then other group members feel that they do not need to care about it. It's hard to become seriously interested in being part of a group if the leader doesn't pay any attention to you.

Another important aspect of a leader's activity, which is most carefully observed by group members, is how fully the leader gives his energy to the group, how much time he devotes to it - this affects the members' sense of security in the group. The leader's lack of interest in the group requires its members to make their own efforts to ensure safety, which reduces the attractiveness of group membership.

After making a satisfactory, but necessarily final, decision about the relationship with the leader, attention shifts to relationships with group members. Lateness, absence of classmates, the degree of their participation in the affairs of the team, and activity in the activities of other groups are carefully recorded. In this way, “quiet” members and those who need to be “kept an eye” are identified.

After the need for recognition has been realized and the feeling of “we” has emerged, the problems of decision-making, distribution of responsibility and division of power come first.

Characteristics of the group at this stage are:

■ struggle for leadership;

■ discussions about decision making;

■ distribution of responsibility.

Anxiety centers around the question: “How much influence and responsibility do I need?” Each group member strives to arrange himself in such a way as to obtain an optimal level of power and dependence for himself.

During the control phase, the struggle for power, influence, and management begins, first of all, with the leader. This struggle involves action in two directions at once:

1. Depriving the leader of some leadership functions so that he can be controlled to a certain extent;

2. Attributing additional responsibility to the leader for any aspects of the group’s activities.

At this stage, hostility towards the leader may be expressed in attempts to either remove or quiet him. Disappointment is often expressed in the leadership methods used by the leader, as well as in the leader's ability to fully realize his functions.

When the issues of relationships with the leader in the control phase are resolved, attention shifts to other members of the group. A struggle begins for the leader’s attention and approval and a special relationship with him. This is a struggle to change the hierarchy in a group, a struggle for influence with one’s group (with the exception of the leader), a struggle for the right to be the leader’s “first assistant”. At the heart of all this is a repressed or subconscious desire for the stability of the group - so that no one will ever be able to replace the existing leader (it is unknown what the new one will be and how this will affect me and the group as a whole) and the hope that he will always have the upper hand in everything.

The control phase gives way to the acceptance phase, when emotional integration begins. It is characterized, first of all, by the emotional element of the relationship - steaming, the open manifestation of positive feelings, as well as hostility and jealousy. Anxiety focuses on the fear of not being liked, the main question being: “Being too close or too far to a certain group member?”

During this phase, each group member struggles for the most comfortable position in receiving and giving acceptance. Like Schopenhaur's porcupines, group members oscillate between the desire for a warm relationship and the pain of the actions of others.

First of all, the question becomes clear: “Does the leader like me and does he like me?” Jealousy, unrequited love, exchange of emotions, and sexual attractiveness come to the fore. Every action, glance, even the leader’s grimace, random word is interpreted on a personal level.

Then feelings towards each group member are clarified. There is a division into friendly and loving couples. Intimacy, warmth, and tenderness towards each other grow in the group. Not every member of the group necessarily loves everyone, but the relationship becomes more emotionally deep and adequate.

In the life of any human group, all of the listed phases of its development are necessarily represented. However, the severity of these phases may vary. In addition, the movement of individual group members in the process of satisfying basic basal interpersonal needs sometimes does not coincide with the movement of the group as a whole. For some team members, it may be a problem to satisfy certain needs and they seem to linger in this phase. Usually such “retardants” are easily distinguishable in a group.

One more aspect of group dynamics should be taken into account - the passage of one or another phase does not at all mean that the problem has been completely resolved. The group returns to it, but on a new level. However, if at the previous stages in some phase the needs were not fully satisfied and difficulties arose, then this deforms the relationships in the group and significantly complicates its development.

Consumption motivation and consumer motivation

To be a successful manufacturer, you need to produce a product that someone will need. To be a successful advertiser, you need to know why this product will be needed. And here everything is far from being as simple as it might seem at first glance. After all, even the consumer himself sometimes does not realize why he actually buys bottled beer or a beautiful car. What can we say about marketers and creatives, who must not only guess about the true motives driving the consumer, but also build advertising communications based on them.


Typology of motives

The literature describing consumer behavior highlights a large number of needs that are satisfied through the purchase and consumption of goods. There are also various ways their classifications. However, it is quite possible to combine all the diversity of needs into four main categories.

The first pair of opposing needs: hedonic and utilitarian.

Hedonic needs.

Many foods are consumed for their capabilities in stimulating the senses - i.e. thanks to taste, aroma, color, surface relief, in general, the feelings they evoke. The benefits from their consumption can be minimal, and sometimes even negative (as, for example, from chocolate or alcohol). But a person needs pleasure no less than health and is often forced to pay for it, trying either to expand the boundaries of sensations, or to feel some new, subtle shades in irritation of the senses. There are even hedonistic consumers who, in any complex product, look primarily for opportunities to satisfy their taste.

Utilitarian needs.

Products and services solve problems, make life easier and allow consumers to experience fewer problems in Everyday life. Consumers need: healthy and high-calorie food, convenient and compact Appliances, fast and reliable transport. A person cannot immediately, directly understand how these products meet his needs. Consequently, he seeks to understand the mechanism of their functioning and tries to predict their effectiveness. Such consumption at the psychological level brings satisfaction only to the cognitive and self-esteem motives of the individual - she is proud of herself and rejoices from the small discoveries that she makes from purchase to purchase.

Some authors identify such a category as cognitive needs. Informational books, magazines, newspapers, television news programs and documentaries all appeal to the desire of many consumers to learn, explore, and discover. Most likely, these needs need to be considered together with utilitarian ones. You can explore the world and get satisfaction from it in different ways: both own experience, and through books.

A. Maslow combined hedonic and utilitarian needs and classified them as a physiological group. And he was probably not entirely right. After all, by satisfying our physiological needs, we quite often achieve two different goals - we enjoy the taste and at the same time take care of our health. At the same time, healthy food is not always tasty, and tasty food is not always healthy. Of course, when trying to find the perfect combination, we prefer tasty and healthy food, aesthetic and efficient household appliances, but there is no golden mean in nature - it was invented by people themselves, because they love to mythologize gaps in knowledge. Following the logic, it is necessary to separate two categories of goods that satisfy one need to the detriment of another, and also to separate two types of properties in complex goods, allowing them to satisfy both needs, but in different proportions(products that provide more benefit than pleasure and vice versa).

The next pair in our model: interpersonal and image needs.

Interpersonal (affiliation, emotional) needs.

The need for friendship or sex, to influence other people or to satisfy aggressive instincts is often used in advertising of goods with completely different functional purposes (from mobile phones to perfumes). However, there are also products that are directly related to this area: contraceptives, breath fresheners, flowers, cards and much more. Often social needs are satisfied indirectly, through observing other people, their experiences, or simply appearing on a screen. Attending concerts, participating in sports and holiday events, watching films and videos, reading fiction- all this can saturate a person’s life poor in relationships, and also allow him to feel like part of a crowd, a group of people similar to him.

Image (self-actualization, intuitive) needs.

A consumer may purchase goods and services to express himself, to tell other people what he believes and what he likes, who he is or who he would like to appear to be. Products (clothing, cars, accessories and many others) act as symbols of self-esteem. In this way, the need to demonstrate success, achievement, and power is satisfied. Presenting oneself to others can be done by expressing one's membership in a social class or group or by conveying information about the consumer's social connections. Some products of the entertainment industry also help the consumer to put on this or that mask, in which he plays an active, although atypical role for himself. For example, gambling and computer role-playing games. All products included in a consumer's hobby, game, or collecting activity are considered within this category.

This pair of needs relates to relationships with other people. Products in this case serve as means that facilitate or improve social contact. Interpersonal needs push a person to get closer to people he is interested in; image needs force him to interest other people in his personality and appearance. In the first case, other people are considered as targets, and in the second case, other people themselves set the criteria for attractiveness, and the person adapts to them, trying to become someone else's target. Interpersonal and image needs are often confused. And indeed, they are very similar. However, the desire to achieve intimacy with other people should be viewed as a long-term (often hidden) goal to which the product has an indirect or secondary relationship. Success there depends to a large extent on a person’s behavior, on how he can express his feelings. But the desire for self-expression is directly realized in the product (and is also directly declared by the consumer). The uniquely perceived properties of a product are guaranteed to create one image or another, and little depends on the person, as if he simply pulled on a mask with the image of another person’s face. In the course of closer interaction, the mask may come off, and everyone will understand who its owner really is. But while there is a mutual demonstration (carnival), each is ready to recognize the other’s right to imitation, to mislead, to play. There is an unspoken law according to which people tactfully do not notice situations of accidental deviation from the formed image, hoping that their mistakes will remain “unnoticed.” These oversights often reveal our interpersonal needs. They are often directly opposite to image ones: our most intimate and bestial desires are hidden behind the image of a decent, restrained person.


Unity and struggle of needs

It would seem that having classified the basic needs, connecting them with the promoted product is a piece of cake. However, the process of diagnosing the most important motives that guide a person when making purchases is not as obvious as it might seem at first glance.

The main problem is that when purchasing a product, a person is rarely guided by only one motive. Of course, it would be much easier to assume that the buyer is driven to purchase an expensive car only by the need for self-esteem (image need), the desire to increase the chances of achieving sexual goals (interpersonal need) or to exclusively use it as a vehicle(utilitarian). But, unfortunately, this is not the case. Needs overcome a person in a complex, it’s just that some are more important, others less.

The most complete and complex model of consumer motives implies the presence of a hierarchy of these motives. Due to which the product is analyzed separately for each criterion corresponding to a particular need. The most important criterion (for example, taste) is tested first, and if the score turns out to be higher than the minimum acceptable (better than tasteless), then the consumer chooses this particular product, even if it loses to others according to other criteria (for example, usefulness). It is assumed that the remaining products did not force the minimum level of the main criterion. A typical example in this sense is the breakfast cereal market. Manufacturers, meeting consumers' desire to buy healthier foods, are reducing the amount of oil and salt in these products. But if there are too few of these ingredients, it degrades the taste of the breakfast cereal and turns consumers off. As Dwight Risky, a psychologist and vice president of market research at Frito-Lay, said: “Consumers are not willing to sacrifice the taste of breakfast cereal for health.”

It is interesting that this model actually works in the same way as the one based on the assumption of the “main and only need” - that is, it simplifies reality, which, of course, makes life easier for the researcher, but does not reflect the realities of life in all their diversity. For example, it leads to a dead end if you imagine that several products at once exceeded the minimum level of the main criterion (both of them are delicious). Obviously, in this case they are compared according to the next criterion in the hierarchy, but the “technology” of this comparison is difficult to describe. The hierarchical model cannot be applied in the case when the consumer’s ability to choose goods is limited, for example, by the available assortment or available financial resources. In this case, the so-called compensatory decision-making model works, in which disadvantages in some indicators are compensated by advantages in others (or vice versa - the sum of advantages allows one to clearly distinguish a product from the analyzed group). However, it is obvious that an attempt to describe quantitatively which factors and to what extent are compensated or, on the contrary, are summed up when choosing specific product will turn out to be a very non-trivial task.


It is not easy to determine the motives driving the consumer also because they do not always correspond to the tasks that the purchased product is formally intended to solve. For example, if a toothbrush is intended for cleaning teeth and maintaining them in normal condition, this does not mean that the buyer during this hygienic process (and, accordingly, when purchasing a brush) is thinking about health, and not about fresh breath, for example. Great value There is also the factor of publicity of consumption. He can make almost any utilitarian or hedonistic product into an image or a means to win someone's heart. For example, a hedonic product such as wine may be considered in its “own” category if it is purchased for oneself. If wine is purchased for guests or ordered in a restaurant (its consumption becomes public), then the wine brand can be used to shape the consumer’s image. Thus, the needs satisfied by a product may vary depending on the context. If chocolate candies If a person buys for himself, then he is most likely driven by hedonic needs. But the buyer can purchase sweets with the aim of pampering their loved ones with them. Obviously, in this case, he is guided by interpersonal motives.

The magazine “Advertising and Life” decided to get rid of cognitive dissonance and demonstrate such a discrepancy between theory and practice, for which, together with the International Institute of Advertising, a special study of consumer motivation was conducted in several of the most typical product categories.

The survey used two types of questionnaires. The purpose of the first type of questionnaire was to study the needs associated with the product brand; the purpose of the second type of questionnaire was to study the needs associated with the product category. Questionnaires of the first type were distributed to some respondents, questionnaires of the second type - to others. 65 women and 19 men responded to the first type of questionnaire; 2 did not indicate their gender (86 people in total). 56 women and 26 men responded to the second type of questionnaire; 1 did not indicate their gender (83 people in total). 53 people have higher education in the 1st group of respondents and 27 - secondary (6 people did not indicate education). 51 people have higher education in group 1 and 24 have secondary education (8 people did not indicate their education)... To more clearly demonstrate the patterns, a filter was introduced based on the criterion of the importance of a given product for respondents. The final results are presented only on the basis of the testimony of those respondents for whom the importance of the tested category and brand is either very important or rather important.


Perfumery

This picture clearly demonstrates the differences that determine consumer motivation. When he selects a product category, he is guided by the main purpose of this product. The motive in this case is similar for most interested consumers (in this case, comfort). Consequently, perfume is a hedonistic product. When a person makes a choice between brands of goods, he is freer from the purpose of the product and can express his individual characteristics in the choice of criteria (either comfort or individuality).


Gum


The ability to clean and freshen the oral cavity for people who give importance this product, is dominant when choosing a product category, but shares the palm with another need (taste) when choosing a product brand. It is safe to say that chewing gum is not a hedonistic product, but a utilitarian one!


Beer

This product is assessed by a significant majority of respondents as insignificant or of little significance, and its adherents (19 people out of 86 in the first group and 17 people out of 83 in the second) do not recognize anything other than taste and alcohol sensations as a motive for choice.



Chocolate


Perhaps chocolate is a purely hedonic product category. And attempts to advertise some chocolate products as a utilitarian product are not so adequate to the consumer’s psychology that he could choose nutritious chocolate over simply tasty one. On the other hand, with more thorough research, there is a possibility of identifying a segment for which the ability of chocolate to nourish is not some kind of rationalization, not an excuse for their weakness in front of its taste characteristics, but an independent value.


Mobile phone


A mobile phone is a utilitarian product category, although when choosing a specific brand, there are options for individual needs: communication and problem solving.


Automobile


Hedonic need tends, albeit slightly (1.5 times), to dominate in the issue of product category. In the problem of choosing a product brand, hedonic and utilitarian needs are almost equalized due to the individual differences of consumers. The fact that the need for image is not so strongly developed compared to others may indicate the average level of material security of the respondents. On the other hand, utilitarianism in the selection of a product category may indicate a typically masculine approach to the operation of machinery.

This category of goods has a stronger tendency towards hedonism among the female consumers. Whereas the choice of a product brand is based on various needs, both hedonic and utilitarian. For women, a car is a more hedonistic product category than for men!


The research results allowed us to draw several unexpected conclusions:

1. The needs for the product brand and the product category do not coincide. Understanding this can be useful in cases where it is not the product itself that is being advertised, but the entire product category. For example, advertising is created to attract new consumers who have not previously tried the product (the company operates in a low-competitive market or is its clear leader).
2. The discrepancy between the stereotypical perception of motives for consuming a product and the true needs of the buyer can lead to the creation of ineffective advertising based on values ​​that are irrelevant to the consumer (see chocolate).
3. Needs can vary greatly depending on the socio-demographic characteristics of the audience (see car). This means that this makes it possible to identify needs as narrowly as desired. target audience both in relation to the product category and to the brands of goods.


How to motivate

Having understood the expectations of the target audience, it is possible to build more adequate advertising communications that will meet the most important needs for the buyer - in the context of a given product. Let's consider the features of advertising product groups in accordance with the classification of needs discussed in the article.

"Hedonic" products. Foods that are consumed for their capabilities in stimulating the senses - i.e. thanks to the taste, aroma, the feelings they evoke - you can check before making a purchase. In this case, the consumer’s conviction cannot replace his own senses. There is no point in telling him how sweet or bright the product is. Although such information appears in advertising, is written on the packaging, and is reported by the seller, it cannot be classified as “psychology of influence” - the risk that the consumer sees, feels, hears everything differently is too dangerous. It is much easier for him to perceive information that a taste that is unpleasant or so far neutral for him can bring pleasure. This influence is called criterial. This is often depicted in advertising rather than spoken out: the hero smiles, beams with happiness, screams with joy, or hums and closes his eyes. However, it is still much more effective to let the consumer try the product (for example, during a promotional event). Then he is able to accurately determine how this product will delight him after purchase.

"Utilitarian" goods. Products and services that solve problems, make life easier and allow consumers to experience fewer problems in their daily lives. The capabilities of these products are often demonstrated upon purchase, but no one will be able to check before purchasing how, for example, they will actually behave. washing machine when trying to clean specific clothes that have been stained with specific dirt by a specific family member. Advertising should convey this, and persuasive communication should be built on this when it comes to any household appliance. If a consumer cannot determine the product's ability to solve his problems before purchasing, he will be most receptive to information about these capabilities. We will call such influence factual, since it informs the consumer about facts that are inaccessible to him. empirical knowledge before the consumption process begins. The same applies to informational books, magazines, newspapers, television news programs and documentaries. The consumer can read the table of contents, annotation and review, but he will not be able to know for sure whether the information contained in this source will be informative and useful for him.