The content of human life is largely determined by its relationship with others. The quality of the relationship, in turn, is determined by the psychological characteristics inherent in the individual. Among other things, they include a person’s direct reaction to others. It can be positive or negative. Of particular relevance to others is the work of a psychologist. Effective help is impossible without a sincere interest in a person’s personality and his problems. This is due to the need to provide psychologically comfortable conditions for the development of internal resources when solving urgent issues. In this regard, interests in the social sphere are of particular importance. Let's consider them in detail.
Terminology
The author of the concept of "social interest" is considered to be the Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler. He himself could not give an exact definition of the term. He characterized it as a feeling inherent in man. At the same time, Adler gave him therapeutic value. In his opinion, social interest is a sign of mental health. It acts as the basis for the integration of the individual in the environment and eliminate the feeling of inferiority.
The social interests of society
A man seeks to know everything that can satisfy his needs. Social interest is one of the key driving forces of the life of any individual. It is directly related to needs. Needs are focused on the subject of satisfaction, a specific set of spiritual and material goods. In turn, the social interests of people are directed to conditions that will allow them to be received.
Specificity
The interests of social groups are determined by the presence of an element of matching individuals with each other. Each association has its own needs. Within each of them, participants strive to create certain conditions for their satisfaction. A specific social interest is an integral attribute of an individual's status. It is present in conjunction with concepts such as duties and rights. The nature of his activities will depend on what social interests exist in the association. However, in any case, it will be focused primarily on the preservation or transformation of orders, institutions, norms, on which the process of distribution of goods that satisfy certain needs depends. In this regard, we should talk about differentiation. The manifestation of interest in relation to social reality is different for each individual. Here you can draw an analogy with different income levels, conditions of rest and work, prestige, prospects.
Implementation Features
The category under consideration forms the basis for any manifestations of competition, cooperation, struggle. Familiar social interest is an established institution. It is not subject to discussion and is recognized by all. In accordance with this, he receives legal status. For example, in multinational countries, representatives of different ethnic groups are interested in preserving their culture and language. For this, special classes are created, schools in which appropriate training is conducted. Any attempt to violate such an interest, to prevent its manifestation is regarded as an encroachment on the lifestyle of a social group, community, state. This is confirmed by historical experience. It testifies that social groups do not voluntarily give up their interests. It does not depend on moral and ethical considerations, calls for humanism, taking into account the characteristics of the other side or association. On the contrary, history indicates that each group seeks to consolidate the success achieved in the expansion of its interest. Often this happens due to infringement of the rights of other associations.
Social interests and forms of social interaction
The main types of relationships are cooperation and rivalry. They often manifest the socio-economic interests of individuals. Rivalry is often equated, for example, with competition. Cooperation, in turn, is close in importance to cooperation. It involves participation in one thing and manifests itself in many specific interactions between individuals. This may be a business partnership, political union, friendship, and so on. Cooperation is considered as the basis of unification, manifestations of mutual support and mutual assistance. Rivalry occurs when there is a mismatch or intersection of interests.
Distinctive features of cooperation
First of all, the cooperation of individuals requires a common interest and the implementation of activities to ensure its protection. As a result, several people are united by a single idea, tasks and goals. So social movements, political parties are created. In the framework of such cooperation, all parties are interested in achieving one result. Their goals determine the specifics of the activity. Often, cooperation involves compromise. In this case, the parties independently determine what concessions they are willing to make for the realization of the common interest.
Rivalry
In such a situation, people, pursuing their social interest, oppose each other. One participant tries to surpass the other in order to achieve the goal. Moreover, the interests of the opposite side are considered as obstacles. Often in the framework of competition hostility, envy, and bitterness arise. The strength of their manifestation will depend on the form in which the confrontation is expressed.
Competition
It differs somewhat from the form of interaction considered above. Competition involves recognition of the interests and rights of the opposite side. Moreover, within the framework of such interaction, the “adversary” may not be known. An example is the competition of applicants. In this case, competition is determined by the fact that there are more candidates than the number of places provided by the university. At the same time, applicants usually do not know each other. All their actions are focused on obtaining recognition of their abilities from the selection committee. Competition, therefore, more involves the demonstration of their skills than direct influence on the opponent. However, there are cases when one of the parties to such an interaction may neglect the rules. In such a situation, the participant directly affects competitors to eliminate them. At the same time, rivals try to impose their will on each other, force them to abandon their claims, change their behavior, and so on.
Conflicts
They have long been considered an integral element of social life. A large number of authors addressed the issue of the essence of the conflict. So, for example, Zdravomyslov says that such a confrontation is a form of relations between actual and potential participants in social relations, the motives of which are determined by opposing norms and values, needs and interests. Babosov gives a somewhat expanded definition. The author says that social conflict is an extreme case of contradictions. It is expressed in the variety of methods of struggle between individuals and their associations. The conflict is focused on achieving social, economic, spiritual, political interests and goals, eliminating or neutralizing the alleged rival. Fighting involves creating obstacles to meet the needs of the other side. According to Zaprudsky, the conflict is a latent or explicit state of confrontation of interests, objectively diverging from each other, a special form of historical movement towards a transformed social unity.
findings
What is the combination of the above opinions? Usually one participant has certain intangible and material values. First of all, they are power, authority, prestige, information, money. The other subject either does not have them, or they are, but in insufficient quantity. It is possible, of course, that the possession of certain goods can be imaginary and exist only in the imagination of any of the participants. However, if one of the parties feels impaired in the presence of any values, a conflict state will arise. It involves a specific interaction of individuals or their associations in the framework of a clash of incompatible interests, positions, views - a confrontation over a variety of life support resources.
Benefit and harm
There are two main views on conflict in the literature. Some authors point to its negative side, the second, respectively, to the positive. In fact, we are talking about favorable and unfavorable consequences. They can be integrative or disintegrative. The latter contribute to increased bitterness, the destruction of normal partnerships. They distract subjects from solving topical and priority tasks. Integrative consequences, on the contrary, contribute to strengthening cohesion, a clearer understanding of one’s interests, and an efficient search for a way out of difficult situations.
Analysis
Changes in public relations in modern conditions are accompanied by the expansion of the scope of conflict. This is due to various factors. If we talk about Russia, then the prerequisites for expanding the sphere are the involvement of a large number of social groups and territories in public life. The latter are inhabited by homogeneous ethnic composition and diverse ethnic groups. Interethnic social conflicts cause migration, confessional, territorial and other problems. As experts point out, in modern Russia there are two types of hidden counteraction. The first is the conflict between workers and owners of production assets. It is caused by the need to adapt to new market conditions, significantly different from the previously existing business model. The second conflict involves a poor majority and a rich minority. This confrontation accompanies the accelerated process of stratification of society.