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5PSYCHOLOGICAL CULTURE AS A FACTOR OF OVERCOMING INTERPERSONAL CONFLICTS
IN THE ORGANIZATION
Abstract
The relevance of the study is also determined by the fact that the development of psychological culture of employees of the organization as a mechanism for the prevention of interpersonal conflicts in the organizational environment is rarely reflected in experimental studies that could be effectively used to explain and control of organizational conflicts. The article presents the results of an experimental study of psychological culture as a factor in overcoming interpersonal conflicts within the organization. The composition of the study group consisted of 36 people ranging in age from 26 to 45 years old. The general hypothesis of the study was in the statement that overcoming of interpersonal conflicts in organization should be contributed to the appropriate level of psychological culture including a high level of constructive communication, good psychological self-regulation, the ability to know and to assess their personality realistically.
Keywords
psychological culture, interpersonal conflict, organization
AUTHOR
Tatyana Ivanovna Kulikova
PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, Tula State Lev Tolstoy Pedagogical University. 125 Lenina Ave., Tula, 300026, Russia. E-mail:tativkul@gmail.com
Introduction
In modern conditions in the Russian society it has formed a clear need for both fundamental and applied knowledge about the nature, the laws of development and methods of prevention of interpersonal conflicts. The solution of the problem can help to overcome the difficulties, which become apparent in connection with the need for conflict management in the organizational environment.
Conflicts in management systems are discussed in detail in the works of A.Ya. Antsupov, V.G. Zazykin, A.L. Zhuravlev, D.L. Moiseev, A.V. Filippov, A.I. Shipilov and others. The problem of prevention of interpersonal conflicts is essentially deep akmeologic because it is based on the main principles laid of acmeology: activities subject (B.G. Ananiev, K.A. Abulkhanova-Slavskaya, A.V. Brushlinskii, A.A. Derkach, E.A. Klimov, etc.).; potential and actual (S.L. Rubinstein et al.); optimality (V.G. Aseev, V.A. Bokarev, etc.)
Industrial conflicts is a specific form of expression of the contradictions in the relations of production workforce. They occur between people who work together. They are characterized by common goals and interests, internal compartmentalization of functions and roles; they are in direct connection and relationship. For example, employees of the department are competing with each other trying to make a favorable impression on his boss (Denisov, 2000).
Externally relations between employees look as though decently. But in the depths everyone is ready to put another "fatal" blow. The struggle between them is a very veiled,
employees used different techniques: subtle hints, desire in the eyes of others to create the impression of capable and responsible employees, revenge, a manifestation of hostility. The reason for the conflict is the incompatibility of the interests of employees.
Conflicts may arise due to the perception of the behavior of members of the small group as not conforming to the standards accepted in the team. For example, violation of one employee a labor discipline may void the award of all other participants in employment and cause conflict.
Managers should improve their ability to guide the behavior of employees in the way that to achieve the objectives of the organization involving personnel with traits desirable for this task, and at the same time to create a work environment that could conducive to the maintenance of these characteristics (Spivak, 2004).
Currently, to the problem of formation of psychological culture and its component, conflictological culture, is paied more attention because modern society is characterized by increasing levels of competition, and continuous and rapid changes and transformations, which lead to an increased number of conflicts. Recognition of the conflict as an inevitable phenomenon actualizes the problem of the development of specific norms and rules of behavior in conflict situations, as well as individual personal qualities that contribute to a constructive solution of problems. Psychological awareness of personality and its ability to predict, prevent, resolve conflicts make up the concept of psychological culture of personality (Samsonova, 2003).
N.V. Samsonova analyzing the problem of the formation of psychological culture highlights the concept of "conflictological culture of personality" and "conflictological culture of specialist". The "conflictological culture of personality" is expressed in the human aspiration and ability to prevent and resolve social conflicts: interpersonal and inter-ethnic. Psychological culture of specialist is characterized by absorption and the use of professionally oriented psychological knowledge necessary for the perception of conflict-professional environment and further realization of professional features in a professional conflict. Under the "psychological culture of specialist" N.V. Samsonova understands the qualitative characteristics of fashion professional life in the professional environment.
N.V. Samsonova and N.V. Kukleva are considering the psychological culture as a kind of professional culture of specialist, which integrates the functions of the other components of professional culture: the communicative culture, informational culture, methodological culture and conflictological culture. Implementing the structural features of the conflict, conflictological culture signals of outbreaks of social tension, expands opportunities for information of organization. It contributes to a deeper understanding of the conflict parties to each other and their problems. It weakens the mental stress and creates intellectual and emotional tension that accompanies collision of different strategies of behavior, prevents destructive conflict and confrontation of conflict participants and unites the members of the staff (Samsonova, 2003).
E.S. Kolmogorova classifies psychological culture as a higher level of psychological preparation, which also includes conflictological levels of literacy and communicative competence. By studying the problem of forming conflictological culture, the author emphasizes the psychological context of this concept. According to research by E.S. Kolmogorova, psychological culture involves maturity not only specific knowledge and practical skills, but also a number of specific skills that are the basis for a better understanding of others and yourself, for self-improvement, self-realization. Based on the definition of the conflict as a confrontation accompanied by negative emotions of the conflicting parties, the author points out the relevance of specific behavioral skills, as well as the inner qualities that provide a constructive solution of problems (Kolmogorova, 1999).
I.S. Pochekaeva shares the view of E.S. Kolmogorova believing that constructive engagement in conflict situations contribute to the personal qualities of the participants of the conflict, which must be developed. I.S. Pochekaeva defines psychological culture as "integral personal formation, features of which determine its leading specific characteristics: awareness of the need to prevent and resolve conflicts constructively, understanding of conflict as a positive value; implementation of the internal regulation of the conflict; the ability to apply this personal formation in practice of prevention and constructive resolution". Based on the determination the author identifies the following structural components of conflictological culture: rational, emotional and behavioral components (Pochekaeva, 2010).
Materials and Methods
Realizing that the level of psychological culture is not always conducive to conflict-free interaction, we conducted a study to examine the psychological culture as a factor in overcoming interpersonal conflicts within the organization.
The study was conducted on the basis of Company "System" in Moscow. The composition of the study group consisted of 36 people ranging in age from 26 to 45 years old. Experimental work carried out in several stages.
The first stage - preparatory. At this stage we studied the psychological literature on the problem of psychological culture and interpersonal conflicts in the organization, we set goals, objectives, developed the hypothesis of the study. We determined the sample of the study.
The second stage - theoretical. At this stage we carried out the study, generalization and systematization of information on the issue of psychological culture, the history of its formation, the problem of implementation of the activities of organizations in terms of psychology, revealed the components and the main components of the psychological culture of the person.
In the scientific literature the numerous studies permit the subject of the problem of conflict, methods and characteristics of their occurrence. In the works of foreign scientists (R. Dahrendorf, M. Deutsch, G. Zimmel, L. Coser, K. Lewin, K. Horney et al.) as well as in the works of Russian researchers (K.A. Abulkhanova-Slavskaya, A.Ya. Antsupov, N.V. Grishina, A.I. Dontsov, F.I. Erina, V.I. Zhuravlev, N.I. Leonov, V.C.Merlin, V.N. Myasischev, V.V. Novikov, N.N. Obozov, L.A. Petrovskaya, B.I. Hasan and A.I. Shipilov et al.) developed the theoretical and methodological approaches to the analysis of interpersonal conflicts, presented different views on the nature of the conflict, its social role, considered ways of preventing and conflict resolution.
The third stage - experimental. At this stage a diagnostic program for studying psychological culture and interpersonal conflict in the organization was developed and implemented. As a hypothesis we have suggested that the appropriate level of psychological culture, assuming a high level of constructive communication; good psychological self-regulation; knowledge of his personality and behavioral traits contribute to overcome interpersonal conflicts in the organization.
Based on the objectives of the study and the results of theoretical analysis of the socio-psychological literature we used the well-known diagnostic methods:
1. Method of "Psychological culture of personality" (O.I. Motkov);
2. Test to assess the level of personality's conflictness (A.V. Morozov);
3. The questionnaire "The style of self-regulation of behavior" (V.I. Morosanova) (Morosanova, 2002);
4. Method "Assessment of ways to respond to the conflict" (K. Thomas).
When selecting methods we tried to take into account the positive assessment of the use and reliability of the method according to a number of foreign and Russian researchers; availability of techniques for participants; the possibility of qualitative and quantitative analysis of the results.
Results
As a result of the method "Psychological culture of personality" it can be seen that on a scale of "A" (the degree of aspiration) that the average level of harmonious psychological culture dominates (55%). It means that the desire to change themselves for the better, to know their inner world, to analyze themselves can be traced quite strongly.
In turn, on the scale of "B" (the degree of aspirations' realization) the low level of psychological culture dominates (40%). Accordingly, it can be concluded that the degree aspirations' realization in this test group does not correspond to their aspirations but rather stands on the lower level. It means that only 40% of this group are already at a high level of implementation of their psychological tendencies.
According to the results of test to assess the level of personality's conflictness, 24% of the examinees revealed a high level and 12% - a very high level of conflictness.
The results of the questionnaire "The style of self-regulation of behavior" suggest that the vast majority of examinees (75%) are able to plan their activities and behavior; capable to realize important conditions for achieving the goals, both in the current situation and the promising future (85%); able to think the ways of their actions and behavior in order to achieve the objectives of developed programs (75%); have developed and adequate self-esteem (85%); demonstrate the plasticity of regulatory processes (85%) and show their independence, flexibility and appropriate responses to changing conditions (80%). However it is revealed a certain number of examinees whose need for conscious planning and programming of their behavior has not been formed, they are more dependent on the situation and the people's opinion.
According to the results of method "Assessment of ways to respond to the conflict" the rank showed a compromise (39%); whereas 26% of the examinees tended to adapt and 14% of the examinees showed a trend to competition. Of the entire sample only 13% of the examinees are willing to cooperate. Life observations show that those who are inclined to stick to the tactics of competition, they relate to the criticism with prejudice. This type of people as if blocked by understanding the needs and aspirations of others, the satisfaction of their claims they put in the first place. Such types are often carriers of conflict (Kulikova, 2013).
Psychological analysis of the process of the conflict situation in view of its nature, objectives and possible trends gives grounds to draw conclusions, the implementation of which in the practices of personnel management of the company or the department gives perspective maintain healthy moral and psychological climate in the collective and prevent social and psychological (interpersonal, intergroup) and business (professional) conflicts.
In order to establish the correlation between the level of psychological culture and constructive communication of employees of the organization, as well as determining the effect of separate components of psychological culture and constructive communication, the criteria pair correlation (r-Pearson) was held on (Picture1).
Figure 1. Correlation between the level of psychological culture and constructive communication of employees of the organization (Note. In the figure the following symbols: SR - self-regulation, CM - Compromise, CP - Competition, KP - Knowledge of personality, CoP - Cooperation)
The analysis of the statistical processing of the results of pair correlation allows us to state the following:
1) there is a positively directed relationship between the level of psychological culture and constructive communication. The correlation coefficient in this case was r = 0.73, (by the level of significance p=0.05), which indicates moderate correlation;
2) there is a positively directed relationship between the level of psychological culture and SR. The correlation coefficient in this case was r = 0.69, (by the level of significance p=0.05), which indicates moderate correlation;
3) there is a positively directed relationship between the level of psychological culture and SM. The correlation coefficient in this case was r = 0.71, (by the level of significance p=0.05), which indicates moderate correlation;
4) there is a positively directed relationship between the level of psychological culture and KP. The correlation coefficient in this case was r = 0.71, (by the level of significance p=0.05), which indicates strong correlation;
5) there is a positively directed relationship between the level of psychological culture and CoP. The correlation coefficient in this case was r = 0.69, (by the level of significance p=0.05), which indicates strong correlation;
6) there is a positively directed relationship between constructive communication and CoP. The correlation coefficient in this case was r = 0.71, (by the level of significance p=0.05), which indicates strong correlation;
7) there is a positively directed relationship between constructive communication and KP. The correlation coefficient in this case was r = 0.69, (by the level of significance p=0.05), which indicates strong correlation;
8) there is a positively directed relationship between constructive communication and CM. The correlation coefficient in this case was r = 0.73, (by the level of significance p=0.05), which indicates strong correlation;
9) there is an inverse relationship between the level of psychological culture and CP. The correlation coefficient in this case was r = - 0.81 (by the level of significance p=0.05), which indicates strong correlation;
10) there is an inverse relationship between constructive communication and CP. The correlation coefficient in this case was r = - 0.81 (by the level of significance p=0.05), which indicates strong correlation.
It is necessary to bear in mind that presence of correlation relationship does not establish relationship of the sequence between the reason and the consequence but only indicates that two variables are interrelated to a greater extent than we can expect by random coincidence.
Discussions
The basis of the conflict situations in the group between individuals is a clash between the oppositely directed interests, opinions, objectives, different ideas about how to achieve them.
Personality traits are a strong factor for success in the work. These individual physiological qualities of a man, manifested in features of temperament, self-assessment, in the way to respond to the words and deeds of people. It follows that in the conflict situation or in dealing with a difficult person, we should try to see in him not only a friend, but also his other qualities. As we cannot change his system of attitudes and values, his psychological features, i.e. you need to pick up for him a "key" and not to complicate the situation and not to bring the person to the stress.
Conflict resolution contributes to everything that ensures the preservation of normal business relations, enhance mutual trust and respect (Puzikova, 2003). Conflict resolution is, first of all, co-operation of its members and aimed at ending its counteraction and solve the problem that led to the collision. Resolution involves the activity of both parties to transform the environment in which they interact, to eliminate the causes of the conflict.
The most promising is the prevention of conflicts at the early stages of development and, above all, at the stage of its inception. The decisive condition for conflict prevention is a healthy moral and psychological climate in the team. It is characterized by respect for human dignity, self-criticism, of benevolence, the planned working rhythm, the supreme authority of the head. To maintain emotional stability, professional competence and human dignity of every employee, partner, customer means to avoid many conflicts and keep the focus of the team, the department to address the major problems of activity (Morosanova, 2002).
Preventing of conflicts requires not only knowledge of ways to influence on the collective, group psychology, but also the knowledge of individual psychology, the ability to influence on the behavior of individuals.
General recommendations were made to all participants of the study.
1. Correctly assess the situation and act according to the situation.
2. Show attention to the interlocutor and patiently listen to him.
3. Find out and use the information that allows you to judge the individual characteristics of people.
4. Prevent and resolve effectively the conflict situations, find the ways to constructively out of difficult situations.
Conclusion
The present study investigates the psychological culture as a factor in overcoming interpersonal conflicts within the organization. The decisive condition for the prevention of conflicts is the level of psychological culture of employees of the organization. The indicators of psychological culture are the following: a high level of constructive communication; good psychological self-regulation; knowledge of personality and behavioral traits. A central place among the control actions in relation to the conflict occupies its permission. Conflict solution is the elimination in whole or in part the causes of the conflict or change objectives to the conflict. Conflict management is the purposeful action to address the causes of conflict or to correct the behavior of participants in the conflict situation.
The theoretical significance of our study is to identify the main approaches to the definition of psychological culture and understanding of the conflict as a socio-psychological phenomenon in the works of foreign and Russian psychologists; development of methodological support for research of the problem: the compilation of diagnostic technics, drafting correctional and development program for the development of psychological culture. The practical significance of this work is determined by the ability to use the research results in practice of psychologists in the workforce, as well as the heads of the various organizations and departments for the prevention of interpersonal conflicts.
Analysis of conflict researches in psychology and allied sciences lets say that the practical aspects of working with conflicts is increasingly coming to the forefront in the field of organizational psychology. Psychological culture is seen as a part of the organizational culture which is understood as a set of rules, regulations, customs and traditions, shared and adopted by employees of the organization. It is obvious that if the culture of the organization is in line with its overall goal, it can be an important factor in organizational effectiveness. Moreover, the corporate culture is one of the essential elements of the company's image (Kulikova, 2017).
Thus, the need for formation of psychological culture in the organization determines, in our view, a promising direction for further research - development of the concept of psychological culture of the head and its structural and functional model.
REFERENCES
Denisov, O.I. (2000). Conflict competence of the Head: the experience of empirical research and akmeological model. Moscow. 52 p.
Kolmogorova, E.S. (1999). Formation of psychological culture. Questions of psychology. 1. Pp. 83-91.
Kulikova, T.I. (2013). Organizational behavior. Moscow. Institute of professional innovations. P.94.
Kulikova, T.I. (2017). The corporate image of the organization. Tula: Image Print. Pp.31 -33.
Morosanova, V.I. (2002). Personal aspects of self-regulation of man's activity. Psychological Journal. 6. Pp. 5-17.
Pochekaeva, I.S. (2010). Education of conflictological culture of senior pupils (Candidate dissertation). Udmurt State University. Izhevsk. P. 14.
Puzikova, O.V. (2003). Psychological culture as the factor of self-actualization of personality (the example of the teacher's personality) (Candidate dissertation). Khabarovsk. 210 p.
Samsonova, N.V. (2003). Formation of conflictological culture of specialist (Doctor dissertation). Russian State Immanuel Kant University. Kaliningrad. P.18.
49 Modern European Researches No 1 / 2017 Spivak, V.A. (2004). Organizational culture. Saint-Petersburg: Neva. 224p.
FORMATION OF PRESCHOOLERS' CONSTRUCTIVE ABILITIES BY MEANS OF THE LEGO CONSTRUCTOR
Abstract
The relevance of the problem is caused by the developed need to expand the maintenance of preschool education, develop methodical providing for organization preschoolers' Lego design, which would conform to requirements of the innovative and socially adapted orientation of educational activity in kindergartens. The purpose of the paper is to justify the technique of formation constructive abilities among advanced preschoolers, when using the LEGO designer both at the lessons, and in free children's activity. The leading approaches to the research are system-activity, integrative and competence-based approaches. The author presents the developed technique for constructive abilities formation among 5-7 year-old children when using LEGO and the pedagogical conditions for its realization. The materials of the paper can be useful to optimize the process of Lego design organization for children at preschool educational organizations.
Keywords
LEGO design, constructive abilities, LEGO constructor, advanced preschoolers, preschool education organization
AUTHOR
Liliya Luttovna Lashkova
PhD, Professor, Theory and Technique of Preschool and Primary Education Department, Surgut State Pedagogical University. 10/2, 50 VLKSM Str, Surgut, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District, 628417, Russia. E-mail: lashkovall@rambler.ru
Introduction
1.1. Statement of a problem
The statement and introduction of the Federal State Educational Standard (The order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation of 17.10.2013 No. 1155) put in front of preschool teachers a problem of revision of the content on children's construction, considering the modern principles of preschool education. Special attention should be paid to such principles, as assistance and cooperation of children and adults; recognition of a child as a full-fledged participant (subject) of educational relations; support of children's initiative in different activity types; formation of cognitive interests and informative actions of a child in activity different types (The federal state educational standard of preschool education, 2016).
Preschooler actively aspires to know the world around, shows interest to everything unknown, asks many questions. The unique tool to develop children's cognitive interest is LEGO constructor, by means of which it is possible to build models and thus to be trained,
