1-10. Flashcards
(10 cards)
The subject and tasks of Business Psychology.
Business Psychology studies how psychological principles influence behavior in the workplace, focusing on relationships, communication, motivation, and decision-making. It pays special attention to how we interact with others based on both our personality and our understanding of theirs. Since a manager spends up to 90% of their time communicating, improving communication is key. The main tasks include enhancing leadership, team dynamics, and so on.
The notion of personality. Personality theories
Personality is a stable set of psychological qualities that define an individual’s uniqueness and behavior across time. It’s an active, dynamic system interacting with reality—external influences are filtered through internal traits, making each person react differently. Key components include orientation (values, motives), knowledge and skills, and individual-typological features like temperament and character. Theories vary: Leontiev saw personality as a system of motives, Anan’ev emphasized its role in activity and society, while Myasishchev defined it as a system of relationships.
Personality traits and professional behavior
Personality traits like responsibility, emotional stability, openness, and self-control directly affect how a person behaves at work. They influence communication style, teamwork, leadership potential, and stress management. For example, a conscientious employee tends to be organized and reliable, while high emotional intelligence improves conflict resolution and cooperation. Understanding these traits helps match people to roles where they’ll thrive and perform best.
The concept of social attitudes. Attitudes and behavior.
Social attitudes are stable mental states that reflect how we feel, think, and are ready to act toward people, objects, or situations. They include three components: cognitive (beliefs), emotional (feelings), and behavioral (tendency to act). These attitudes influence behavior, but not always directly—external factors and internal conflicts can change the outcome. For example, someone might value honesty (attitude), but still lie under pressure (behavior).
Theory of cognitive dissonance and balance. Stability and change of social attitudes.
Cognitive dissonance theory, by Leon Festinger, explains the mental discomfort we feel when our attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors conflict. To reduce this tension, we either change our attitude, adjust behavior, or justify the contradiction. Balance theory (Heider) suggests we seek harmony in our relationships and opinions—imbalanced systems push us toward change. Social attitudes are mostly stable, but strong dissonance, persuasive communication, or significant life events can shift them.
The psychology of groups. Types of groups. Group roles. Social norms and conformity. Group dynamics.
Group psychology studies how people think, feel, and act in group settings. Groups can be formal (like work teams) or informal (like friend circles), primary (close, personal) or secondary (goal-oriented). Within them, people take on roles—leader, mediator, outsider—that influence behavior. Social norms guide what’s acceptable, and conformity is when individuals adapt to fit in. Group dynamics refer to how groups form, function, and evolve—shaping everything from decision-making to conflict.
The role of communication in business. Types of communication.
Communication is the backbone of business—it drives coordination, builds relationships, and ensures goals are understood and met. It can be verbal or non-verbal, formal or informal, written or spoken, vertical (across hierarchy) or horizontal (between equals). Effective communication improves teamwork, prevents conflict, and increases efficiency, while poor communication is one of the main reasons for failure in business operations
The model of the communication process. Barriers to effective communication.
The communication process includes a sender, message, channel, receiver, and feedback—plus the vital context and potential noise. Barriers like language differences, poor listening, emotions, status gaps, or unclear messaging can distort understanding. Even physical or psychological noise—like stress or distractions—can break the flow. Recognizing these barriers is key to creating clear, powerful, and impactful communication in business.
Means of communication. Verbal and non-verbal communication
Communication happens through verbal means—spoken or written language—and non-verbal cues like tone, gestures, facial expressions, posture, and eye contact. Verbal communication delivers clear information, while non-verbal signals reveal emotions, attitudes, and truth behind the words. In business, mastering both is crucial—what you say matters, but how you say it often matters more. Misalignment between the two can lead to misunderstanding or mistrust.
Positions in communication
Positions in communication refer to the roles people take during interaction—like sender, receiver, mediator, or observer. Each position carries different responsibilities and power, affecting how messages are sent, received, and interpreted. For example, a manager (sender) influences decisions, while an employee (receiver) responds or acts. Understanding these roles helps control dialogue flow and prevents misunderstandings.
