Transformative activity. Human social activity

This type of activity can transform various objects: nature, society, humans. The transformation of nature can be not only destructive, as some philosophers emphasize, not only the “remaking” of nature for oneself, but also “The life flow of nature is the movement for a person of the harmonics of all things, which he can disrupt, or can optimize.” During the transformation of society, which can act both in revolutionary destructive forms and in creative ones, social objects change: relationships, institutions, institutions, and the person himself changes. Transformative activity provides conditions common life people, infrastructure corresponding to their quality of life. In terms of transformative activities a person would like to dwell on the case when transformative activity is directed by an individual towards himself, towards his “I”, for the purpose of physical or spiritual improvement. “Human self-development is associated with the discovery of ever-deeper opportunities for understanding oneself and influencing (interacting) with ever-increasing volumes of reality.” The same person appears here both as an object and as a subject.

The main types of transformative activity, due to the difference in its subjects, are, firstly, activities that have an individual character (the work of an individual, sports, etc.), and secondly, activities directly carried out by one or another group (military, collective activity) , thirdly, the activities of society taken as a whole.

Transformative activity can be carried out at two levels, depending on the real or ideal change of the subject. In the first case, there is a real change in existing material existence (practice), in the second case, a change in the object occurs only in the imagination (in the words of K. Marx, “practical-spiritual”).

Transformative activity can act both in the form of production and in the form of consumption. In both cases, the subject takes possession of the object, only the ratio of the destructive and creative sides of human activity is different.

Another plane of differentiation reveals the difference between creative and mechanical activities (productive and reproductive). Creative activity can exist both in the material sphere and in the consciousness of a person, when he activates the physical capabilities of his body, develops spiritual powers, his capabilities. Consumption can also be creative, original, discovering new ways of using production products, and mechanical, passively reproducing existing forms of consumption.

Improving, transforming the world around us, people are building a new reality, breaking through the horizons of existing existence. However, emphasizing the actively transformative beginning of human practical activity, it is necessary to remember that it in a certain way inscribes a person into the material reality that embraces him and always goes beyond the limits of the actual possibilities of its practical development. A person, with all the prospects and possibilities of his active transformative activity, remains within the limits of being and cannot help but conform his activities to its objective laws. Creative constructive possibilities of transformative activity in the real world are always based on the use of objective laws. In other words, the true effectiveness of human activity is not only associated with the satisfaction of subjective interests or needs, but also involves solving problems determined by the internal laws of the reality to which this activity is aimed. Understanding the dialectics of human activity in relation to the world around us and man’s dependence on this world, his inscription in this world, his conditioning by the world is a necessary condition to understand the responsibility of a person in his practical activities to the outside world and to himself arising from this dialectic.

Activity- this is a specifically human activity, regulated by consciousness, generated by needs and aimed at understanding and transforming the external world and the person himself.

The main feature of activity is that its content is not determined entirely by the need that gave rise to it. Need as a motive (motivation) gives impetus to activity, but the very forms and content of activity determined by public goals, requirements and experience.

Distinguish three main activities: play, learning and work. Purpose games is the “activity” itself, and not its results. Human activity aimed at acquiring knowledge, skills and abilities is called teaching. is an activity whose purpose is the production of socially necessary products.

Characteristics of activity

Activity is understood as a specifically human way of actively relating to the world - a process during which a person creatively transforms the world around him, turning himself into an active subject, and the phenomena being mastered into the object of his activity.

Under subject Here we mean the source of activity, the actor. Since it is, as a rule, a person who exhibits activity, most often it is he who is called the subject.

Object call the passive, passive, inert side of the relationship, on which activity is carried out. The object of activity can be a natural material or object (land in agricultural activities), another person (a student as an object of learning) or the subject himself (in the case of self-education, sports training).

To understand an activity, several important characteristics need to be taken into account.

Man and activity are inextricably linked. Activity is an indispensable condition human life: she created man himself, preserved him in history and predetermined the progressive development of culture. Consequently, a person does not exist outside of activity. The opposite is also true: there is no activity without a person. Only man is capable of labor, spiritual and other transformative activities.

Activity is transformation environment. Animals adapt to natural conditions. A person is capable of actively changing these conditions. For example, he is not limited to collecting plants for food, but grows them in the course of agricultural activities.

Activity acts as a creative, constructive activity: Man, in the process of his activity, goes beyond the boundaries of natural possibilities, creating something new that did not previously exist in nature.

Thus, in the process of activity, a person creatively transforms reality, himself and his social connections.

The essence of the activity is revealed in more detail during its structural analysis.

Basic forms of human activity

Human activity is carried out in (industrial, domestic, natural environment).

Activity- active interaction of a person with the environment, the result of which should be its usefulness, requiring from a person high mobility of nervous processes, fast and accurate movements, increased activity of perception, emotional stability.

The study of a person in the process is carried out by ergonomics, the purpose of which is optimization labor activity based on rational consideration of human capabilities.

The whole variety of forms of human activity can be divided into two main groups according to the nature of the functions performed by a person - physical and mental labor.

Physical labor

Physical labor requires significant muscle activity, is characterized by a load on the musculoskeletal system and functional systems of the body (cardiovascular, respiratory, neuromuscular, etc.), and also requires increased energy costs from 17 to 25 mJ (4,000-6,000 kcal) and higher per day.

Mental work

Mental work(intellectual activity) is work that combines work related to the reception and processing of information, requiring intense attention, memory, and activation of thinking processes. Daily energy consumption during mental work is 10-11.7 mJ (2,000-2,400 kcal).

Structure of human activity

The structure of an activity is usually represented in a linear form, with each component following the other in time.

Need → Motive→ Goal→ Means→ Action→ Result

Let's consider all components of the activity one by one.

Need for action

Need- this is need, dissatisfaction, a feeling of lack of something necessary for normal existence. In order for a person to begin to act, it is necessary to understand this need and its nature.

The most developed classification belongs to the American psychologist Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) and is known as the pyramid of needs (Fig. 2.2).

Maslow divided needs into primary, or innate, and secondary, or acquired. These in turn include the needs:

physiological - in food, water, air, clothing, warmth, sleep, cleanliness, shelter, physical rest, etc.;
existential— safety and security, inviolability of personal property, guaranteed employment, confidence in the future, etc.;
social - the desire to belong and be involved in any social group, team, etc. The values of affection, friendship, love are based on these needs;
prestigious - based on the desire for respect, recognition by others of personal achievements, on the values of self-affirmation and leadership;
spiritual - focused on self-expression, self-actualization, creative development and using your skills, abilities and knowledge.
The hierarchy of needs has been changed and supplemented many times various psychologists. Maslow himself, in the later stages of his research, added three additional groups of needs:
educational- in knowledge, skill, understanding, research. This includes the desire to discover new things, curiosity, the desire for self-knowledge;
aesthetic- desire for harmony, order, beauty;
transcending- a selfless desire to help others in spiritual self-improvement, in their desire for self-expression.

According to Maslow, in order to satisfy higher, spiritual needs, it is necessary to first satisfy those needs that occupy a place in the pyramid below them. If the needs of any level are fully satisfied, a person has a natural need to satisfy the needs of a higher level.

Motives for activity

Motive - a need-based conscious impulse that justifies and justifies an activity. A need will become a motive if it is perceived not just as a need, but as a guide to action.

In the process of motive formation, not only needs, but also other motives are involved. As a rule, needs are mediated by interests, traditions, beliefs, social attitudes, etc.

Interest is a specific reason for action that determines. Although all people have the same needs, they are different social groups have their own interests. For example, the interests of workers and factory owners, men and women, youth and pensioners are different. So, innovations are more important for pensioners, traditions are more important for pensioners; Entrepreneurs have rather material interests, while artists have spiritual interests. Each person also has his own personal interests, based on individual inclinations, likes (people listen to different music, engage in different types sports, etc.).

Traditions represent social and cultural heritage passed down from generation to generation. We can talk about religious, professional, corporate, national (for example, French or Russian) traditions, etc. For the sake of some traditions (for example, military ones), a person can limit his primary needs (by replacing safety and security with activities in high-risk conditions).

Beliefs- strong, principled views on the world, based on a person’s ideological ideals and implying a person’s willingness to give up a number of needs (for example, comfort and money) for the sake of what he considers right (for the sake of preserving honor and dignity).

Settings— a person’s predominant orientation towards certain institutions of society, which are superimposed on needs. For example, a person may be focused on religious values, or material enrichment, or public opinion. Accordingly, he will act differently in each case.

IN complex types activity, it is usually possible to identify not one motive, but several. In this case, the main motive is identified, which is considered the driving one.

Activity goals

Target - This is a conscious idea of the result of an activity, an anticipation of the future. Any activity involves goal setting, i.e. ability to independently set goals. Animals, unlike humans, cannot set goals themselves: their program of activity is predetermined and expressed in instincts. A person is able to form his own programs, creating something that has never existed in nature. Since there is no goal-setting in the activity of animals, it is not an activity. Moreover, if an animal never imagines the results of its activity in advance, then a person, starting an activity, keeps in his mind the image of the expected object: before creating something in reality, he creates it in his mind.

However, the goal can be complex and sometimes requires a series of intermediate steps to achieve it. For example, to plant a tree, you need to purchase a seedling, find a suitable place, take a shovel, dig a hole, place the seedling in it, water it, etc. Ideas about intermediate results are called objectives. Thus, the goal is divided into specific tasks: if all these tasks are solved, then the overall goal will be achieved.

Tools used in activities

Means - these are techniques, methods of action, objects, etc. used in the course of activity. For example, to learn social studies, you need lectures, textbooks, and assignments. To be a good specialist, you need to receive professional education, have work experience, constantly practice in your activities, etc.

The means must correspond to the ends in two senses. First, the means must be proportionate to the ends. In other words, they cannot be insufficient (otherwise the activity will be fruitless) or excessive (otherwise energy and resources will be wasted). For example, you cannot build a house if there are not enough materials for it; It also makes no sense to buy materials several times more than are needed for its construction.

Secondly, the means must be moral: immoral means cannot be justified by the nobility of the end. If goals are immoral, then all activities are immoral (in this regard, the hero of F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “The Brothers Karamazov” Ivan asked whether the kingdom of world harmony is worth one tear of a tortured child).

Action

Action - an element of activity that has a relatively independent and conscious task. An activity consists of individual actions. For example, teaching activities consist of preparing and delivering lectures, conducting seminars, preparing assignments, etc.

The German sociologist Max Weber (1865-1920) identified the following types of social actions:

purposeful - actions aimed at achieving a reasonable goal. At the same time, a person clearly calculates all the means and possible obstacles (a general planning a battle; a businessman organizing an enterprise; a teacher preparing a lecture);
value-rational- actions based on beliefs, principles, moral and aesthetic values (for example, a prisoner’s refusal to transfer valuable information to the enemy, saving a drowning man at the risk of his own life);
affective - actions committed under the influence strong feelings— hatred, fear (for example, flight from the enemy or spontaneous aggression);
traditional- actions based on habit, often an automatic reaction developed on the basis of customs, beliefs, patterns, etc. (for example, following certain rituals in a wedding ceremony).

The basis of activity is the actions of the first two types, since only they have a conscious goal and are creative in nature. Affects and traditional actions are only capable of exerting some influence on the course of activity as auxiliary elements.

Special forms of action are: actions - actions that have value-rational, moral significance, and actions - actions that have a high positive social significance. For example, helping a person is an act, winning an important battle is an act. Drinking a glass of water is an ordinary action that is neither an act nor an act. The word "act" is often used in jurisprudence to denote an action or omission that violates legal norms. For example, in legislation “a crime is an unlawful, socially dangerous, guilty act.”

Result of activity

Result- this is the final result, the state in which the need is satisfied (in whole or in part). For example, the result of study can be knowledge, skills and abilities, the result -, the result scientific activity- ideas and inventions. The result of the activity itself can be, since in the course of the activity it develops and changes.

Man is an element of an integral system that includes nature (the world of physical objects) and human society. Outside this system, his existence is impossible, since it is here that he finds everything necessary for his condition. Therefore, a person’s social existence presupposes his interaction with the surrounding world of physical objects (natural or man-made objects and phenomena) and with people. It represents a holistic life activity, which can take the form of objective activity (interaction of the “subject - object” type) and communication (interaction of the “subject - subject” type).

An activity is called human life, aimed at transforming surrounding objects (natural or created by people, material or spiritual). As an example we can name professional activity engineer, driver, surgeon, agronomist, programmer, etc. Activity is an essential characteristic of a person, that is, without it he cannot become and be such. She is extremely important to him.

1. Human social activity is a tool for satisfying his vital needs. Any need presupposes a certain method of satisfaction, which is a system special actions and operations aimed at acquiring the necessary benefits of life.

2. With the help of activity, the transformation of the surrounding world and the creation of material and spiritual benefits are carried out. Everything that surrounds us is either created by activity or bears its imprint.

3. In the process of social activity, there is a subjective recreation of the surrounding reality and the construction of its subjective model. Any image or thought in its content is nothing more than a subjective analogue of the corresponding object, built on the basis of internal activity: preceptive, mnemonic, mental, etc.

4. Human social activity acts as a tool for human mental development: his thinking, attention, imagination, etc. Research shows that a child who is not involved in meaningful activities is significantly behind in mental development. In other words, with the help of activity a person transforms not only the world around him, but also himself.

5. Active activity is one of the conditions for the existence of a person as a full-fledged subject and as. Turning him off from activity leads to the gradual destruction of mental functions, abilities, skills and abilities. So, for example, for this reason it is lost professional qualification from specialists, long time not engaged in professional activities.

6. activity is one of the means of self-realization of a person as an individual and a tool for finding the meaning of existence. Depriving a person of his favorite activity can lead to a feeling of loss of the meaning of his existence, which is expressed in difficult internal experiences.

The structure of human social activity. Psychological analysis of activity involves identifying the main structural components in it and establishing the nature of the connection between them. These include motive, goal, conditions for achieving the goal, individual activities, actions and operations.

Motive is an internal psychological source of activity. It motivates a person to activity and at the same time gives it a reasonable personal meaning (for the sake of which it is performed). Without motive, activity is simply impossible. A person is not always aware of the motives of his activities, but this does not mean that they do not exist. Motive is a constitutive element of activity. That is why, depending on the content of the motive, separate types of activities are distinguished. For example, play activity- game motive, educational activity - educational motive, etc.

A goal is a mental or figurative representation of the final or intermediate result of an activity. For example, a turner turning a part on a machine already imagines it in his mind. And this is typical for any activity. Thanks to the goal, activities become orderly and predictable. It seems to concentrate all human efforts and resources in one direction. Without a goal, as well as without a motive, activity is impossible; it turns into a disordered set of individual movements and behavioral acts. Holistic activity consists of a system of individual, relatively independent actions, arranged in a certain time sequence. And all together they lead to the achievement of the goal of all activities. For example, even such a simple and familiar activity as satisfying nutritional needs, includes many individual actions: visiting a store, buying groceries, cooking, setting the table, eating, etc.

An action is an element or stage of activity aimed at achieving a separate independent goal. An action is such only if it has a goal. The latter acts as a fundamental sign (property) of action, therefore psychological analysis action presupposes a characterization of its goal.

The same action can have different motives. However, when the goal changes, the action becomes different in content and essence, even if its motive remains. An action is considered successful and complete when the goal is achieved. During this process, it is objectified (objectified) in the corresponding product or result of an action, that is, what was previously a subjective image now becomes an objective reality.

The implementation of any action is carried out in the context of some objective and subjective factors (circumstances) related to achieving the goal. They are called the conditions for achieving the goal. Conditions may be favorable or unfavorable from the subject's point of view. However, in any case, he must know them well and take them into account when constructing his action. The subject's idea of the conditions for performing an action is called its indicative basis. Depending on the conditions, the methods for carrying out the action are determined. They are called operations. For example, the methods of preparing for the exam will depend on the following circumstances: the volume and complexity of the material, the presence or absence of notes, how successfully and systematically the student studied throughout the semester, whether he has the appropriate abilities, what grade he is applying for, how strict and demanding the teacher is etc. It is these circumstances that will influence the choice of preparation methods: whether it will take place at home or in the library, how much time it will take, whether additional consultations will be needed on some issues, etc.

The same action can be performed using different operations. The success of achieving a goal will depend on how well and completely the subject is oriented in the relevant conditions and how adequate the methods of performing the action chosen by him are. Depending on this, they can be reasonable or unreasonable. A person is not always aware of operations. When performing ordinary and simple actions, operations seem unconscious. They are called automatisms. For example, operations such as writing letters when writing are almost always unconscious. To understand such operations, it is necessary that certain difficulties arise when performing them.

In conclusion, we note that the relationships between the structural components of activity are very dynamic. Under certain conditions they can transform into each other. For example, an action can turn into an independent activity if it itself becomes attractive to a person, that is, it acquires motivational properties. As an action is performed repeatedly, becomes automated, and loses its purpose, it becomes an operation within another action. When deautomated, an operation can become a goal-directed action.

Properties of human activity. The most essential properties of activity include activity, purposefulness, the ability to creatively transform the surrounding reality, instrumentality, awareness, objectivity, duality of form, the ability to develop, the ability to generate mental (spiritual) formations, and sociality.

Human social activity is not a system of reactions to external stimuli, but an initially active process. The sources of this activity are not outside, but inside a person. These are needs and motives. They not only encourage activity, but also act as sources of energy necessary to carry out the activity. It is through activity that the subject comes into real contact with the surrounding world and obtains the conditions necessary for its existence.

Human activity is always subordinated to a specific goal, which sets its direction quite clearly, subordinates and organizes its constituent actions, movements and operations, making it stable and supra-situational. This differs from the behavior of animals, which, as noted earlier, is characterized by impulsiveness and increased dependence on a specific situation (situationalism). This property activity contradicts the well-known law of physical determinism. Science still does not understand how a goal, as a subjective and non-physical formation, affects real practical activity that has signs of a physical phenomenon.

In the process of human social activity, a creative transformation of the surrounding reality occurs in accordance with the needs, motives and goals of a person. He does not so much adapt to reality as adapt it for himself. This human activity differs from animal behavior, which is purely adaptive in nature. Modern man lives not in a natural, but in an artificial world created by himself. Even nature bears the mark of anthropogenic influence. To transform the objects of his activity, a person uses not only his own natural (individual) organs (arms, fingers, legs, torso, etc.), but also specially made tools or implements. Therefore, human activity is not direct, but indirect, instrumental, which also distinguishes it from the behavior of animals.

One of the most important properties of social activity is awareness. It is expressed in a person’s ability to subjectively distinguish the activity he performs as something relatively independent and separate from himself as a subject and from the object to which it is directed. At a high level of development of activity, the subject is aware of its motives, components of actions, conditions and operations. Thanks to awareness, activity becomes voluntary and volitional.

The next important property of activity is objectivity. It lies in the peculiar sensitivity of activity to its object and in the ability to obey and become likened to its properties and characteristics. Thanks to this property, activity recreates them in itself. This manifests itself well in any objective actions. For example, when a person picks up an object, the form and nature of the action, as well as the movements included in it, reproduce the shape, size, weight, material and other properties of this object. The characteristics of the action will be different depending on how it turns out: light or heavy, voluminous or flat, slippery or rough, hot or cool, etc. When performing this or that activity, a person moves towards the intended goal not blindly or straightforwardly, but very intelligently and flexibly. With each of his actions, he seems to probe the objective reality, correlates with it and recreates it. This is especially evident when mastering new actions or when performing activities in unusual and unfamiliar conditions.

An essential and rather mysterious property of human social activity is the initial duality of its form. It appears both externally physical and internally mental process, both an objective and subjective phenomenon. From the outside, it looks like a process of real physical interaction between a subject and a physical object. In this case, a person, using his body (arms, legs, torso) as a natural physical tool, as well as other necessary tools and instruments, carries out a physical transformation of the object and receives some material product that corresponds to the original plan. For example, a tailor sews a suit from fabric, a cook prepares a dish from ingredients, a designer decorates a hall, etc.

How physical process activities consist of specific practical actions and movements performed in a certain space and time, that is, it has spatio-temporal coordinates and is completely accessible to perception. In this regard, it is not much different from many natural phenomena and processes: chemical reaction, plant development, water boiling, etc.

However, every activity also has an internal side, hidden from external observation, without which it ceases to be such. For example, it cannot exist and be implemented without motive and purpose, which seem to be purely mental phenomena that form the inner subjective (mental) world of a person. When performing complex and vital activities, the need arises for many other internal mental components: emotional experiences, thoughts, volitional effort, assessment of one’s capabilities, knowledge, etc. Moreover, their presence becomes simply obvious. In order to be convinced of this, it is enough to recall a few examples from your own life experience. We can say that the entire mental life of a person - his psyche, is an internal component of his activity, his social existence. It should be emphasized that internal components do not simply accompany the external side of the activity, but appear to be functionally necessary for it. Without them, its existence is simply impossible. In this regard, the activity does not have any physical characteristics and certain spatio-temporal coordinates, that is, its ontological nature and location are unclear.

Activity is a holistic process that combines external physical (objective) and internal mental (subjective) components in an indissoluble unity. In essence, they seem completely different and incompatible. Modern science still cannot explain the psychological nature and mechanism of their connection. External and internal components of activity have functional specialization. On the basis of external components, real contacts of a person with objects and phenomena of the surrounding world, their transformation, recreation of their properties, as well as the generation and development of mental (subjective) phenomena are carried out. The internal components of activity perform the functions of motivation, goal setting, planning, orientation (cognition), decision making, regulation, control and evaluation.

In real activities, the ratio of internal and external components may be different. Depending on this, two types of activity are distinguished: external (practical) and internal (mental). Example external activities Any physical labor can serve. Educational activities is an example of internal activity. However we're talking about only about the relative predominance of certain components. In their “pure” form, their existence in humans is impossible. However, we assume that under certain circumstances, in particular after the physical death of a person, the internal (mental) components of activity are capable of independent existence. At least, there are no facts contradicting this assumption.

Human activity has the ability to develop. It is expressed in the fact that with exercise and training, the activity becomes more perfect, the time it takes to complete it decreases, energy costs are reduced, the structure is transformed, the number of erroneous actions is reduced, their sequence and optimality change. At the same time, there is a change in the ratio of external and internal components of activity: external components are reduced and reduced while the share of internal components increases. There is a kind of transformation of activity in form. From external, practical and expanded in time and space, it becomes internal, mental and abbreviated (collapsed). This process in psychology is called internalization. This is exactly how the psyche is generated and developed - on the basis of the transformation of activity. However internal activities represents only a component of a holistic activity, its side. Therefore, it is easily transformed and expressed in external components. The transition of internal components of activity to external ones is called exteriorization. This process is an integral attribute of any practical activity. For example, a thought, as a mental formation, can easily be transformed into practical action. Thanks to exteriorization, we can observe through the external components of activity any mental phenomena (processes, properties, state): intentions, goals, motives, various cognitive processes, emotional experiences, character traits, etc. But for this you need to have a very high level psychological culture.

In its origin and essence, activity is not an innate, but an educated function of a person. In other words, he does not receive it as a given according to the laws of genetics, but masters it in the process of training and upbringing. All human (not individual) forms of behavior are social in origin. The child does not invent them, but assimilates them. Under the guidance of adults, he learns to use objects, behave correctly in certain life situations, satisfy his own in a socially accepted way, etc. It is in the course of mastering various things that he himself develops as a subject and as a person. The sociality of objective activity is also expressed in functional terms. When performing it, a person directly or indirectly relates to other people who act as its creators and accomplices. This can be seen especially clearly and clearly in conditions of joint activity, where the functions of its participants are distributed in a certain way. Considering that in objective activity another person is always co-present, it can be called co-activity.

Concept and structure of human activity. Activity approach in psychology.

The psyche is cognized and manifested in activity. A person acts in life, first of all, as a doer, creator and creator, regardless of what type of work he is engaged in.

Activity- this is a specifically human activity, regulated by consciousness, generated by needs and aimed at understanding and transforming the external world and the person himself.

In the process of activity, a person learns about the world around him. Activity creates the material conditions of human life, without which he cannot exist - food, clothing, housing. In the process of activity, spiritual products are created: science, literature, music, painting. In the process of activity, a person changes the surrounding reality, and through his work transforms the world around him.

Distinguish three main activities: play, learning and work. Purpose games is the “activity” itself, and not its results. Human activity aimed at acquiring knowledge, skills and abilities is called teaching. Labor is an activity whose purpose is the production of socially necessary products.

Every human activity has external and internal components.

To understand the activity, one should take into account some her important characteristics.

Man and activity are inextricably linked. Activity is an indispensable condition of human life: it created man himself, preserved him in history and predetermined the progressive development of culture. Consequently, a person does not exist outside of activity. The opposite is also true: there is no activity without a person. Only man is capable of labor, spiritual and other transformative activities.

Activity is a transformation of the environment. Animals adapt to natural conditions. A person is capable of actively changing these conditions. For example, he is not limited to collecting plants for food, but grows them in the course of agricultural activities.

Activity acts as a creative, constructive activity: a person in the process of his activity goes beyond the boundaries of natural possibilities, creating something new that did not previously exist in nature.

Thus, in the process of activity, a person creatively transforms reality, himself and his social connections.

Activity structure usually represented in a linear form, with each component following the other in time.

Need → Motive→ Goal→ Means→ Action→ Result

Let's consider all components of the activity one by one.

Need for action

Need- this is need, dissatisfaction, a feeling of lack of something necessary for normal existence. In order for a person to begin to act, it is necessary to understand this need and its nature.

The most developed classification of human needs belongs to the American psychologist Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) and is known as the pyramid of needs (Fig. 2.2).

Maslow divided needs into primary, or innate, and secondary, or acquired. These in turn include the needs:

· physiological - in food, water, air, clothing, warmth, sleep, cleanliness, shelter, physical rest, etc.;

· existential- safety and security, inviolability of personal property, guaranteed employment, confidence in the future, etc.;

· social - the desire to belong and be involved in any social group, team, etc. The values of affection, friendship, love are based on these needs;

· prestigious - based on the desire for respect, recognition by others of personal achievements, on the values of self-affirmation and leadership;

· spiritual - focused on self-expression, self-actualization, creative development and use of one’s skills, abilities and knowledge.

· The hierarchy of needs has been changed many times and supplemented by various psychologists. Maslow himself, in the later stages of his research, added three additional groups of needs:

· educational- in knowledge, skill, understanding, research. This includes the desire to discover new things, curiosity, the desire for self-knowledge;

· aesthetic- desire for harmony, order, beauty;

· transcending- a selfless desire to help others in spiritual self-improvement, in their desire for self-expression.

Motives for activity.

Motive - a need-based conscious impulse that justifies and justifies an activity. A need will become a motive if it is perceived not just as a need, but as a guide to action.

In the process of motive formation, not only needs, but also other motives are involved. As a rule, needs are mediated by interests, traditions, beliefs, social attitudes, etc.

Interest is called a specific reason for action that determines social behavior. Although all people have the same needs, different social groups have their own interests. For example, the interests of workers and factory owners, men and women, youth and pensioners are different. Thus, innovations are more important for young people, traditions are more important for pensioners; Entrepreneurs' interests are rather material, while artists' interests are spiritual. Each person also has his own personal interests, based on individual inclinations and likes (people listen to different music, play different sports, etc.).

Traditions represent a social and cultural heritage passed on from generation to generation. We can talk about religious, professional, corporate, national (for example, French or Russian) traditions, etc. For the sake of some traditions (for example, military ones), a person can limit his primary needs (by replacing safety and security with activities in high-risk conditions).

Settings- preferential orientations of a person towards certain institutions of society, which are superimposed on needs. For example, a person may be focused on religious values, or material enrichment, or public opinion. Accordingly, he will act differently in each case.

In complex activities, it is usually possible to identify not one motive, but several. In this case, the main motive is identified, which is considered the driving one.

Activity goals

Tools used in activities. Means - these are techniques, methods of action, objects, etc. used in the course of activity. For example, to learn social studies, you need lectures, textbooks, and assignments. To be a good specialist, you need to receive professional education, have work experience, constantly practice in your activities, etc.

The means must correspond to the ends in two senses.

Firstly, the means must be proportionate to the ends. In other words, they cannot be insufficient (otherwise the activity will be fruitless) or excessive (otherwise energy and resources will be wasted). For example, you cannot build a house if there are not enough materials for it; It also makes no sense to buy materials several times more than are needed for its construction.

The German sociologist Max Weber (1865-1920) identified the following types of social actions:

· purposeful - actions aimed at achieving a reasonable goal. At the same time, a person clearly calculates all the means and possible obstacles (a general planning a battle; a businessman organizing an enterprise; a teacher preparing a lecture);

· value-rational- actions based on beliefs, principles, moral and aesthetic values (for example, a prisoner’s refusal to transfer valuable information to the enemy, saving a drowning man at the risk of his own life);

· affective - actions committed under the influence of strong feelings - hatred, fear (for example, flight from an enemy or spontaneous aggression);

· traditional- actions based on habit, often an automatic reaction developed on the basis of customs, beliefs, patterns, etc. (for example, following certain rituals in a wedding ceremony).

The result of the activity. Result- this is the final result, the state in which the need is satisfied (in whole or in part). For example, the result of study can be knowledge, skills and abilities, the result of labor - goods, the result of scientific activity - ideas and inventions. The result of an activity can be the person himself, since in the course of the activity he develops and changes.

ACTIVITY APPROACH in psychology (English activity approach) - a set of theoretical, methodological and concrete empirical studies in which the psyche and consciousness, their formation and development are studied in various forms objective activity of the subject, and some representatives of the activity approach view the psyche and consciousness as special forms (types) of this activity, derived from its externally practical forms.

In the 1930s two of the most developed variants of the activity approach are emerging, represented by the research of the psychological schools of S. L. Rubinstein, on the one hand, and A. N. Leontiev, on the other. Currently, both variants of the activity approach are being developed by their followers not only in our country, but also in countries Western Europe, as well as in the USA, Japan and Latin American countries.

The disputes concerned the relationship between external practical activity itself and consciousness. According to Rubinstein, one cannot talk about the formation of “internal” mental activity from “external” practical activity through interiorization: before any interiorization, the internal (mental) plan is already present. Leontyev believed that the internal plane of consciousness is formed precisely in the process of interiorization of initially practical actions that connect a person with the world of human objects.

The main achievement of the activity approach is that within its framework a productive direction has been formed - the psychology of action, which represents the quintessence of the activity approach. Sensory, perceptual, objective, performing, mnemonic, mental, affective and other actions, as well as their structural components: motives, goals, objectives, methods of implementation and conditions for implementation.

§ 1 Features of practical and spiritual activity

From birth, a person actively transforms the world around him, that is, he is engaged in activity. Activity is the process of a person’s conscious and purposeful change of the world and himself. It is in it that a person can show his abilities and develop as a person.

The activities of people have changed the world around us, society beyond recognition, and improved humanity itself. It affects different spheres of society and is very diverse. Scientists identify several classifications of activities. According to the method of implementation, activities are divided into practical and spiritual.

In practical activity, the object of transformation is nature and society; it is divided into material-production and social-transformative. Activities whose object is nature and whose result is material wealth are called material production. And the activity, the object of which is society, and the result is a change in social relations, is called social-transformative. Spiritual activity shapes human consciousness. Its subtypes include: cognitive (the result of which is knowledge), value-oriented (as a result of which a person’s worldview is formed) and prognostic (planning or anticipating possible changes in reality).

These activities are interconnected. For example, the results of spiritual activity (music, scientific achievements etc.) are captured through practical activities (printing notes, publishing books). In turn, practical activity is impossible without initial spiritual activity - a certain idea.

§ 2 Work, play, learning as the main activities

Another classification of activities is based on the way a person is formed as an individual. Scientists who adhere to this typology include the following types of activities: work, play, learning, creativity, communication.

Labor is the interaction of a person with the outside world, aimed at producing a socially useful product. The components of labor are the knowledge and skills of a person, as well as his skill. Labor is carried out out of necessity, but at the same time transforms the world around us. It is aimed at obtaining a practically useful result, in contrast to a game in which the main thing is the process.

A game is an activity during which, through imitation of reality, knowledge of the surrounding world is carried out. The game is conditional in nature, that is, it offers a solution to an imaginary situation; it is based on execution certain rules and normal. In it, a person plays a predetermined role. This is the only type of activity that is characteristic not only of people, but also of animals.

The process of cognition is carried out not only during the game. IN to a greater extent a person learns new things through training.

Learning is an activity aimed at acquiring different knowledge, skills and abilities. It uses specific means (textbooks, books, computers, etc.), it may not necessarily be purposeful, a person sometimes acquires them spontaneously. For example, new knowledge is acquired from books, films, television shows, and the Internet. Learning involves the interaction of two parties - the teacher and the student, and is reproductive in nature, since the student does not create knowledge, but masters what already exists. The latter does not exclude elements of creativity in teaching.

§ 3 Features of creativity and communication as types of activity

Creativity is an activity aimed at creating a qualitatively new result. It is distinguished by originality, uniqueness and originality of ideas. For creativity, important components are intuition (anticipation of the result), imagination and fantasy.

Creativity is included in almost all types of human activity, as well as communication - an activity aimed at exchanging information, emotions, feelings, assessments and specific actions. The features of this type of activity include the mandatory presence of a partner - an equal subject of communication, and the use of speech (language) in the process of this activity.

Communication forms an emotional community, mutual understanding of subjects that complement each other’s positions. Communication fulfills important social functions: communicative (information exchange), regulatory (management joint activities), compensatory (comforting) and educational (personal socialization).

Different types of activities cover the entire social reality. A person changes the world around him, his needs increase, and after this his transformative activity increases.

§ 4 Brief summary of the lesson topic

Human activity transforms the world around us. According to the method of implementation, activities are divided into practical and spiritual. In practical activities, the object of transformation is nature and society. Spiritual activity shapes human consciousness. The types of activities according to the way a person is formed include work, play, learning, creativity, and communication. Work is aimed at obtaining a practically useful result, in contrast to a game in which the main thing is the process. The game is conditional in nature, it is based on following rules, and is characteristic not only of people, but also of animals. Teaching involves interaction between teacher and student, is reproductive in nature, and can be carried out spontaneously. Almost all types of human activity include creativity and communication. The features of the latter include the mandatory presence of a partner - an equal subject of communication, the use of speech (language) in the process of activity.

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