CLASSIFICATION OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS

Abstract

The paper discusses the theoretical basis for the classification of interpersonal relations. An attempt at classifying interpersonal relations basing on a systematic approach is made. Under the principle of the system description, the suggested semantic structure of interpersonal relations is represented by the following areas: perception of themselves and others, psychological perception of time, perception of the relations with the groups as a reflection of affiliative needs, perception and evaluation of communicative style. Each sphere can be coloured emotionally either positively or negatively, so the ratio of the four basic parameters and two functional states can assume the existence of sixteen types of interpersonal relations. The results of the first empirical phase of the study revealed that all sixteen of the expected types do exist. In addition, the main achievement of this phase of the study is that the assumption of the possibility of a typology of interpersonal relations through the semantic structure is confirmed.

Keywords

• interpersonal relations, psychosemantics, implicit model, life purpose orientation, value orientation