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Social Psychology: Models of Social Interaction and Their Application To Social Skills Training

The document discusses social skills models and social skills training. It summarizes the social skills model proposed by Argyle and Kendon in 1967 which views social interaction as a skilled performance similar to motor skills. It describes the key components of the model including perception, translation, response, and feedback. Revisions to the model are also discussed which incorporate emotion and cognition. Principles of social skills training are outlined involving demonstration, practice, and feedback. Assertiveness training is described as aiming to effectively communicate one's position. Social skills deficits are also briefly discussed.

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52 views33 pages

Social Psychology: Models of Social Interaction and Their Application To Social Skills Training

The document discusses social skills models and social skills training. It summarizes the social skills model proposed by Argyle and Kendon in 1967 which views social interaction as a skilled performance similar to motor skills. It describes the key components of the model including perception, translation, response, and feedback. Revisions to the model are also discussed which incorporate emotion and cognition. Principles of social skills training are outlined involving demonstration, practice, and feedback. Assertiveness training is described as aiming to effectively communicate one's position. Social skills deficits are also briefly discussed.

Uploaded by

shaheen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Social Psychology

Lecture 2
Models of social interaction and
their application to social skills
training
Jane Clarbour
(Spring 2002)

Objectives
Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of social
skill
Identify differences between social behaviour and motor
skills
Give an account of the revision to the social skills model
Describe the application of the social skills model in relation
to social skills training and social deficits
Specify the basic principles of social skills training
Specify the principles of assertiveness training

Social skills model Argyle & Kendon, 1967


Social interaction as a skill
like driving a car or a game of tennis

Much is known about motor skills


processes
this knowledge is transferable to social
interaction

Applications of the social skills


model
A persons behaviour affects other
peoples
Physical proximity
Posture
Language & speech
Patterns of looking at other people
Bodily movements
Facial expression

Skills in social interaction


Knowledge that actions are related to
consequences
Watch for signs of emotional disturbance
This might signal signs of argument

Watch for signs of appropriate action


Time to talk, or time to listen

Apply appropriate tone of voice/choice of words


Make appropriate gestures

Similarities between social interaction & motor skills

Distinctive goals
Motor Skills
Motor skill operator has
main goals and subgoals

Social Skills
Social skills model also
uses main goals and
sub-goals

Driving:
Main goal

Interviewing:
Main goal

getting somewhere

Sub-goal
Steering
Changing gear etc

Gathering information

Sub-goal
Establishing rapport in
order to obtain that goal

Similarities between social interaction & motor skills

Identification of relevant cues


Motorists:
concentration on movement of traffic & edge of road
(not admiring view!)

Social interaction:
selective attention of cues relevant to intended goal,
such as making friends
Identification of irrelevant cues

Psychiatric disorders:
Some people particularly bad at selecting social
information.
Depressives selectively attend to negative feedback about
themselves making depression worse (Trower, 1981).

Similarities between social interaction & motor skills

Central translation processes (planning)


Translation of Perceptual Processes
Motor skill:
Translation of information relating to car and the kerb
into appropriate steering response.
Social skill:
People learn certain behavioural strategies in response
to social situations.
Forward planning prospective cognition

Similarities between social interaction & motor skills

Motor responses
This refers to the actual behaviour.
Motor skill:
Initially very awkward (like driving a car each action
requires much practice, but then becomes
automated)

Social skill:
Initially difficult or awkward but like driving, with
practice becomes more automated.
Artificial
behaviour

natural
behaviour

Similarities between social interaction & motor skills

Feedback & corrective action


Motor skill: Skilled performer uses perceptual
cues to take corrective action (e.g. steering a car.
Social Skill: Skilled performer corrects
performance in relation to social feedback from
others.
(Note importance of non-verbal feedback).

Both rely on timing of respective contribution

Application of motor performance to social


skills model (cited in Hargie, 1997)
Motivation
Sitting in a rather warm room

Goal
Desire to cool down

Translation
Devise plans of action (i.e. open window/take off coat/turn
down heating)

Response
Carry out chosen plan

Perception
Monitor change

Argyles social skills model


(Argyle & Kendon, 1967)

Feedback loop

Perception

Motivation,
goal

Translation

Motor
responses

Changes in
outside
world

Perceptual processes
Perceptual processes are selective.
Skilled performers know what they can ignore.

Perceptual cues vary according to each


situation
Varies according to cooperative or competitive
interaction

Skilled performance is related to accurate


perception of relevant features of specific
situation

Translation processes
Skilled translation
entails adequate interpretation of perceived
cues as requiring specific action
May become automated as relevant social
schemata, or translations.
Skilled performers require vast repertoire
of translations

Actions/motor responses
Hierarchical basis of behaviour
General level (plan)
Contains many sub-plans of behavioural

Sub-plans (activities)
Different ways might obtain same outcome

Fine details
Body posture, proximity, utterances,

Social skills may be analysed at any level

Application of SSM to social context


Person A meets person B
A is attracted to B (motivation)
A wants to know Bs name (immediate goal)

Person A translates social context


A devises plans of action & considers consequences
of various alternative plans
Give own name and pause
Ask directly

A carries out plan


A gets response from B

Person A perceives Bs response


Person A translates social context.etc.

Weakness of the SSM


Emphasis on the individual within the
interaction
Ignores feedback from external sources
Cognitive bias
ignores role of emotion

Revisions to social skills model


(Hargie & Marshall, 1986)

New model accounts for goals of both


interactors
Feedback from self & other
Replace central translation processes
with

Inclusion of emotion and retrospective


cognition relating to action
Interpretation of the model within person-situation
context

Summary of social skills model


Social interaction likened to motor skill acquisition through
the social skills model (SSM).
SSM sees interaction as
skilled performance
A matching process
Behaviour is directed and adaptive,
Social inputs are translated (non-verbal behaviour, proximity,
language etc) and matched with actions related to
consequences
Revised social skills model includes emotion and cognition
instead of central translation processes interpreting the
model within the person-situation context.

Social Skills Training


Research into the SSM has highlighted fine details
of social interaction making it easier for people to
learn to change their own behaviour
Interventions and training can even change how
people think
But Social Skills Training and Assertiveness
Training are designed to change how people
communicate

Social competence
Establishing and maintaining friendly
relationships
Being cooperative and helpful
Clear communication
Persuasive
Perceptual sensitivity
Warmth
Flexibility

Social Skills Training


Social skills training is based on the
assumption that communication is a form of
skill that can be learned and improved like
any other
Based on principles of:
Demonstration
Practice
Feedback

Procedures in social skills training


Social skills training is based on the SSM of
demonstration, practice and feedback.
1. Demonstration A tennis coach when instructing
2.

a pupil to serve might demonstrate what to do


herself first
Practice She might then get the pupil to practice
a few times

3. Feedback She would probably then give


feedback on the pupils performance
verbal, or video feedback

Explicit vs. Implicit feedback


Implicit feedback (I think you could do a little better)
Ineffective because unclear to which behaviour
referring.

Explicit feedback (you need to maintain more eye


contact)
Effective as the client is explicitly told of good or bad
performance, and why the performance has improved

Emphasis on feedback should be explicit!

Effective feedback
Effective feedback may be
Verbal
A tape recoding
A videotape recording

Most effective feedback is

Immediate
Not enjoyed!
Acceptable
Essential for learning

Assertiveness Training
Aims to:
Effectively communicate own position
provide feedback to other person about how
they should behave in future
Be firm, clear, and convincing

Assertiveness is not aggression!


Aggression involves and may invoke hostility
(not the purpose of assertiveness

Assertiveness Training is

Direct stating explicitly what the problem


is.
Specific an assertion should be clear &
focused (avoid generalisation).
Respectful avoid blame, attack and not
demeaning.

(RAKOS, 1990)

Refusal Assertion (Kelly, 1982)


Poor refusal assertion may lead to:
feelings of helplessness
loss of control
low self-esteem
Depression
Skilled refusal assertion may lead to:
Changes in the behaviour of others
Increased perception of self-efficacy
Higher self-esteem

Application of Refusal Assertion


Socially passive/unassertive individuals
Highly aggressive/violent individuals
(lack of skills necessary for anger and
aggression control)

Refusal Assertion Training

Minimal Effect Response


(Rimm & Masters, 1987)

Use least amount of effort to obtain objective


e.g. apologise (as violation of an individuals rights may
be unintended/accidental
Excessive assertion may be counter-productive
(producing hostility rather than compliance)

Be persistent
Sometimes the minimal response may be
insufficient.
Incremental increase in degree of assertion.

Social skills deficits (Franzoi, 2000)


Social anxiety
An emotion experienced due to concern with
interpersonal evaluation (Leary & Kowalski, 1995)
Self-oriented concern

Fear of negative reaction from others invokes selffulfilling prophecy (Pozo et al, 1991)
Avoidance of eye contact
Appearing nervous or jittery

Loneliness (Jones et al, 1982)


Lonely people spend more time talking about themselves
Show less interest in others
Expectation of failure in social interaction

Poor social skills and mental disorder


Poor social skills may lead to mental
disorder (Argyle & Kendon, 1967)
Social failure may lead to social rejection
and failure to cope
Poor coping skills and rejection may lead
to anxiety disorders

Conclusions
Emphasis on learned behaviour
Links between social skills training and the
social skills model
Considered social skills training for:
Interview techniques
Assertiveness training
Refusal assertion

Shown to be effective and long lasting


May be beneficial in raising self-esteem

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