Mastering Social Skills: Behavior and Business

Social Skills

A social skill is any skill facilitating interaction and communication with others. Social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in verbal and nonverbal ways. The process of learning such skills is called socialization. The rationale for this type of treatment is that people meet a variety of social problems and can reduce stress and punishment from encounters, as well as increase reinforcement by having the correct skills.^[1]

Contents

• 1 In Behavior Therapy
• 2 Business Social Skills
• 3 Controversies
  • 3.1 Organizations
• 4 See Also
• 5 References
• 6 External Links

In Behavior Therapy

To behaviorists, social skills are learned behaviors that allow people to achieve social reinforcement. According to Schneider & Bryne (1985), who conducted a meta-analysis of social skills training procedures (51 studies), operant conditioning procedures for training social skills had the largest effect size, followed by modeling, coaching, and social cognitive techniques.^[2] Behavior analysts prefer to use the term behavioral skills to social skills.^[3] Behavioral skills training to build social and other skills is used with a variety of populations, including in packages to treat addictions as in the community reinforcement and family training approach.^[4] Training of behavioral skills is also used for people who suffer from borderline personality disorder,^[5] depression,^[6] and developmental disabilities.^{[7, 8]} Typically, behaviorists try to develop what are considered cusp skills,^[9] which are critical skills to open access to a variety of environments.

"Social skills can be measured on how you treat other people and how you react to them. It's a matter of dealing with the people around you. Different tests will help you to provide and tell what kind of personality you have towards others. If you are in doubt of your behavior, then you may be in touch with this kind of test. This would not help you totally, but this would serve as your guide in handling your personality towards the people whom you're reacting with." (Ledesma, 2009)^[specify]

Business Social Skills

Five skills have been awarded special status as 'Business Social Skills' due to the fact that these skills are essential for management in organizations. These five skills are:

1. Delegation
2. Conflict Management
3. Employee Counseling
4. Presentation Skills
5. Dealing with Diversity^[10]

Controversies

Recently, the concept of social skills has been questioned.^[11] The question is whether one response is needed or whether any response tailored in a context will meet the requirements. Ramanczyk laid out a model of social acquisition for children with autism.^{[clarification needed]}

Organizations

Social skills training is a well-recognized behavior therapy. It is evidence-based for several psychological disorders. Many organizations exist for behavior therapists around the world. The World Association for Behavior Analysis offers a certification in behavior therapy, which covers social skills training techniques.^[7] In the United States, the American Psychological Association's Division 25 is the division for behavior.^[12]