Foundational Concepts in Behavioral and Social Psychology

Social Skills: Foundations of Effective Interaction

Defining Social Skills

Social Skills: A set of behaviors that enable individuals to act more effectively in their relationships.

Components of Communication

• Verbal Components

  Elements of speech and its content.

• Nonverbal Components

  Uses the body, movement, and sounds (rather than words) to convey information and support verbal messages.

  Types of Nonverbal Communication Functions:

  • Secure
  • Replace
  • Emphasize
  • Contradict
  • Regulate interaction

• Paralinguistic Components

  Vocal elements of communication, regardless of verbal content.

  Types of Paralinguistic Elements:

  • Voice volume
  • Intonation
  • Fluency
  • Speech speed
  • Clarity
  • Speech timing

Key Concepts in Nonverbal Communication

• Kinesics

  The study of body movements.

  Types of Kinesic Behaviors:

  • Gaze
  • Facial expressions
  • Smile
  • Gestures
  • Posture

• Proxemics

  Refers to the use of personal space and approach distances.

  Types of Personal Distances:

  • Public
  • Social
  • Personal
  • Intimate

Assessing Social Skills

Assessment Tools:

• Personal interviews
• Observation
• Self-reports
• Reports from other people

Understanding Conflict and Behavioral Concepts

Conflict Situations

Occur when two or more people have incompatible positions or disagreements.

Conflict Resolution Skills:

• Negotiation
• Mediation

Key Behavioral and Emotional Concepts

• Discomfort and Anxiety

  A diffuse fear of reaction, often experienced when a person perceives a potential threat.

  Types of Stressors:

  • Personal
  • Interpersonal
  • Financial
  • Physical

• Depressive States

  Continuing situations of extreme sadness, often manifested by a loss of pleasure in formerly enjoyable activities.

• Aggressive Behavior

  Characterized by significant violence with intent to destroy objects or cause physical or mental harm to others.

• Disinterest and Inactivity

  Often the outcome of situations involving dependence, isolation, and loneliness.

• Agitation

  An unpleasant emotional state characterized by intense excitement, restlessness, and irritability.

• Ambulation

  Continuous walking from one side to another without apparent reason or purpose.

Sleep Disorders

Common types include:

• Insomnia
• Sleep Apnea Syndrome
• Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome
• Hypersomnia

Cognitive Processes and Distortions

Cognitive Restructuring Techniques

Involve identifying and changing distorted thought patterns to foster more suitable emotions.

Common Cognitive Distortions

Irrational ideas that can significantly influence a person's behavior:

• Arbitrary Inference

  Drawing a specific conclusion without sufficient evidence or even contrary evidence.

• Selective Abstraction

  Focusing exclusively on a detail taken out of context, ignoring more salient features of the situation.

• Overgeneralization

  Drawing a sweeping conclusion based on a single event or a small set of events.

• Magnification and Minimization

  Distorting the importance of an event, either by exaggerating or downplaying it.

• Personalization

  Attributing external events to oneself without sufficient evidence.

• Disqualification of the Positive

  Rejecting positive experiences by insisting they 'don't count' for some reason.

Additional Concepts and Considerations

• Self-Assessment

  The process of evaluating one's own behavior, thoughts, or feelings. Can sometimes be an interpersonal stressor.

• Locus of Control

  Refers to the extent to which individuals believe they can control events affecting them.

• Behavioral Social Skills

  Specific learned behaviors used in social interactions.

• Family Environment Interventions

  Interventions in a family setting that may be less spontaneous.

• Cognitive Function

  Mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and understanding. Some conditions may not alter it.

• Sleep Hygiene Note

  Sleeping half an hour after dinner is often not recommended for good sleep hygiene.