Modeling methods in psychology. Modeling as a method of psychological research

Course work

The modeling method and the specifics of its application in psychology

Introduction

psychology pedagogical modeling

Methods of scientific research are those techniques and means by which scientists obtain reliable information that is used further to build scientific theories and develop practical recommendations. The strength of science largely depends on the perfection of research methods, on how valid and reliable they are, how quickly and effectively a given branch of knowledge is able to absorb and use all the newest, most advanced that appears in the methods of other sciences. Where this can be done, there is usually a noticeable breakthrough in the knowledge of the world.

All of the above applies to psychology. Its phenomena are so complex and peculiar, so difficult to study, that throughout the history of this science its success has directly depended on the perfection of the research methods used. Over time, it turned out to be integrated methods of various sciences. These are the methods of philosophy and sociology, mathematics and physics, computer science and cybernetics, physiology and medicine, biology and history, and a number of other sciences.

The universality of modeling as a cognitive method allows us to classify it as a general scientific (and possibly universal) method. But in each field of knowledge where modeling is applied, this method has its own specifics. Therefore, it is important for any science to represent both the general principles of modeling and the particular scientific features of its use.

However, despite the widespread use of modeling in psychology, there is no serious interest in it as a research method. Modeling is applied, but there is no theory of modeling (similar to the theory of experiment, which, by the way, is a particular implementation of modeling). The activity shown by psychologists in the use of modeling does not end with the construction of a complete picture of this method.

The current surge in psychological work on mathematical and computer modeling actualizes this problem.

The relevance of using modeling in psychology as a method of general scientific level is considered. The concepts of "model" and "modeling" are revealed in the context of scientific research in psychology. The features of the modeling method in socio-psychological research are analyzed: the use of a visual, demonstration basis; obtaining new knowledge by inference by analogy; establishing a homomorphism or isomorphism relationship between the model and the original. A variant of the classification of types of modeling in psychology, created on the basis of studying the used modeling tools, is presented.

The relevance of the course workis a description of the modeling method in psychological research. The modeling method is of great cognitive importance; it was used by Democritus and Epicurus, Leonardo da Vinci. It became widespread in the social sciences over a hundred years ago.

Goal of the workreveal the essence of the modeling method in psychological research.

Objectives of the course work- to determine what are the essential characteristics and functions of the method, the typology of models and the main means of modeling, as well as the advantages and limitations of the modeling method in psychology.

Object of study- empirical methods.

Subject of study- modeling method.

Hypothesisof this study is based on the assumption that the modeling method contributes to a better result in the study.

Practical significanceresearch lies in the fact that the results can be used in scientific research to improve the quality of work.

Work structure.The course work consists of an introduction, two chapters, a conclusion, a list of references. The main text is presented on 31 pages of text. The list of references contains 15 names of sources.

1. Theoretical analysis of the literature on the problem of using the modeling method in psychology

1.1 General characteristics of empirical methods

The word 'empirical' literally means 'that which is perceived by the senses'. When this adjective is used in relation to the methods of scientific research, it serves to refer to the methods and methods associated with sensory (sensory) experience. Therefore, empirical methods are said to be based on "hard (irrefutable) data". In addition, empirical research adheres strongly to the scientific method as opposed to other research methodologies such as naturalistic observation, archival research, etc. The most important and necessary premise underlying the methodology of empirical research is that it provides the possibility of its reproduction and confirmation / refutation. The predilection of empirical research for "hard data" requires a high degree of internal consistency and stability in the means of measurement (and measures) of those independent and dependent variables that are used for the purpose of scientific study. Internal consistency is the basic condition for sustainability; means of measurement cannot be high, or at least sufficiently reliable, if these means, which supply raw data for subsequent analysis, will not give high intercorrelations. Failure to meet this requirement introduces error variance into the system and leads to ambiguous or misleading results.

Observation and self-observation make it possible to catch much of what is practically inaccessible to instruments, indescribable with the help of exact mathematical formulas. Self-observation is often used in cases where the researcher wants to obtain information about the sensations, emotional experiences, images, ideas, thoughts that accompany a particular behavioral act directly, and not from the words of other people or from the readings of soulless devices.

However, observational data, and especially self-observation data, almost always require validation and reliability. Where possible, these data should be controlled using other, more objective methods, in particular mathematical calculations. Observation has several options. External observation is a way of collecting data about the psychology and behavior of a person by directly observing him from the side.

Internal observation, or self-observation, is used when a research psychologist sets himself the task of studying a phenomenon of interest to him in the form in which it is directly represented in his mind. Internally perceiving the corresponding phenomenon, the psychologist, as it were, observes it (for example, his images, feelings, thoughts, experiences) or uses similar data communicated to him by other people who themselves conduct introspection on his instructions.

Free observation does not have a predetermined framework, program, procedure for its implementation. It can change the subject or object of observation, its nature in the course of the observation itself, depending on the wishes of the observer.

Standardized observation, in contrast, is predetermined and clearly limited in terms of what is observed. It is carried out according to a certain pre-thought-out program and strictly follows it, regardless of what happens in the process of observation with the object or the observer himself.

When observation is included (it is most often used in general, developmental, pedagogical and social psychology), the researcher acts as a direct participant in the process, the course of which he is observing. For example, a psychologist can solve a problem in his mind while simultaneously observing himself. Another variant of participant observation: when investigating people's relationships, the experimenter can engage himself in communication with the observed people, without stopping at the same time observing the relationships that develop between them and these people. Third-party observation, unlike included observation, does not imply the observer's personal participation in the process he is studying.

Each of these types of observation has its own characteristics and is used where it can give the most reliable results. External observation, for example, is less subjective than self-observation, and is usually used where the features to be observed can be easily isolated and evaluated from the outside. Internal observation is indispensable and often acts as the only available method for collecting psychological data in cases where there are no reliable external signs of the phenomenon of interest to the researcher. Free observation is advisable to carry out in those cases when it is impossible to determine exactly what should be observed, when the signs of the phenomenon under study and its probable course are not known in advance to the researcher. Standardized observation, on the contrary, is best used when the researcher has an accurate and fairly complete list of features related to the phenomenon under study.

Involved observation is useful when a psychologist can give a correct assessment of a phenomenon only by experiencing it for himself. However, if, under the influence of the researcher's personal participation, his perception and understanding of the event can be distorted, then it is better to turn to third-party observation, the use of which allows you to more objectively judge what is being observed.

Tests are specialized methods of psychodiagnostic examination, using which you can get an accurate quantitative or qualitative characteristic of the phenomenon under study. Tests differ from other research methods in that they imply a clear procedure for collecting and processing primary data, as well as the originality of their subsequent interpretation. With the help of tests, you can study and compare the psychology of different people, give differentiated and comparable assessments.

Test options: test questionnaire and test task. The test questionnaire is based on a system of pre-designed, carefully selected and tested questions in terms of their validity and reliability, the answers to which can be used to judge the psychological qualities of the subjects.

The test task involves assessing the psychology and behavior of a person based on what he does. In tests of this type, the subject is offered a series of special tasks, the results of which are used to judge the presence or absence and the degree of development of the quality being studied.

The test questionnaire and the test task are applicable to people of different ages, belonging to different cultures, having different levels of education, different professions and different life experiences. This is their positive side. And the disadvantage is that when using tests, the subject can consciously influence the results at will, especially if he knows in advance how the test works and how his psychology and behavior will be evaluated based on its results. In addition, the test questionnaire and test task are not applicable in cases where psychological properties and characteristics are subject to study, in the existence of which the subject cannot be completely sure, does not realize or consciously does not want to admit their presence. Such characteristics are, for example, many negative personal qualities and behavioral motives.

In these cases, the third type of tests is usually used - projective. Such tests are based on the projection mechanism, according to which a person tends to attribute unconscious personal qualities, especially shortcomings, to other people. Projective tests are designed to study the psychological and behavioral characteristics of people that cause a negative attitude. Using tests of this kind, the psychology of the subject is judged on the basis of how he perceives and evaluates situations, the psychology and behavior of people, what personal properties, motives of a positive or negative nature he ascribes to them.

Using the projective test, the psychologist introduces the subject into an imaginary, plot-indefinite situation that is subject to arbitrary interpretation. Such a situation can be, for example, the search for a certain meaning in the picture, which depicts who knows what kind of people, it is not clear what they are doing. You need to answer questions about who these people are, what they are concerned about, what they think about and what will happen next. Based on the meaningful interpretation of the answers, they judge the own psychology of the respondents.

Projective-type tests impose increased requirements on the level of education and intellectual maturity of the subjects, and this is the main practical limitation of their applicability. In addition, such tests require a lot of special training and high professional qualifications on the part of the psychologist himself.

The specificity of the experiment as a method of psychological research lies in the fact that it purposefully and thoughtfully creates an artificial situation in which the studied property is distinguished, manifested and evaluated in the best way. The main advantage of the experiment is that it allows more reliable than all other methods to draw conclusions about the cause-and-effect relationships of the phenomenon under study with other phenomena, to scientifically explain the origin of the phenomenon and development. However, it is not easy to organize and conduct a real psychological experiment that meets all the requirements in practice, therefore it is less common in scientific research than other methods.

There are two main types of experiment: natural and laboratory. They differ from each other in that they allow studying the psychology and behavior of people in conditions that are remote or close to reality. A natural experiment is organized and carried out in ordinary life conditions, where the experimenter practically does not interfere in the course of events, fixing them in the form in which they unfold on their own. A laboratory experiment involves creating some artificial situation in which the property under study can be best studied.

The data obtained in a natural experiment best of all correspond to the typical life behavior of an individual, the real psychology of people, but are not always accurate due to the experimenter's lack of the ability to strictly control the influence of various factors on the property being studied. The results of a laboratory experiment, on the contrary, win in accuracy, but they are inferior in the degree of naturalness - correspondence to life.

Modeling as a method is used when the study of a phenomenon of interest to a scientist through simple observation, questioning, test or experiment is difficult or impossible due to complexity or inaccessibility. Then they resort to creating an artificial model of the phenomenon under study, repeating its main parameters and expected properties. This model is used to study this phenomenon in detail and draw conclusions about its nature.

Models can be technical, logical, mathematical, cybernetic. A mathematical model is an expression or formula that includes variables and relationships between them, reproducing elements and relationships in the phenomenon under study. Technical modeling involves the creation of a device or device that, in its action, resembles what is being studied. Cybernetic modeling is based on the use of concepts from the field of informatics and cybernetics as elements of the model. Logic modeling is based on the ideas and symbolism used in mathematical logic.

The most famous examples of mathematical modeling in psychology are formulas that express the laws of Bouguer - Weber, Weber - Fechner and Stevens. Logic modeling is widely used in the study of human thinking and its comparison with the solution of problems by a computer. We meet with many different examples of technical modeling in scientific research devoted to the study of human perception and memory. These are attempts to build perceptrons - machines capable, like a person, of perceiving and processing sensory information, memorizing and reproducing it. An illustration of cybernetic modeling is the use in psychology of the ideas of mathematical programming on a computer. This led to attempts to represent and describe human behavior, his psychology by analogy with the operation of electronic computing devices. The pioneers in this regard in psychology were the well-known American scientists D. Miller, Y. Galanter, K. Pribram. Noting the presence in the body of the same complex, hierarchically built system of behavior regulation that characterizes the structure and functioning of computer programs, they concluded that human behavior can be described in a similar way.

1.2 The concepts of "model" and "modeling" in psychology

In modern science, the concept of "model" is interpreted in different ways, and such ambiguity of this concept makes it difficult to determine its features and create a unified classification of models. It is advisable to consider the main interpretations of the concept of "model" in science in general and in psychology in particular.

The term "model" (from the Latin "modelium" - measure, image, method) is used to denote an image (prototype) or a thing that is similar in some respect to another thing. As a consequence, the term "model" in the context of scientific research is used to refer to an analogue of any object, phenomenon or system that is the original when using the modeling method. A model is understood as a mentally represented or materially realized system that displays or reproduces a set of essential properties and is capable of replacing an object in the process of cognition.

In accordance with the general scientific interpretation of this term, in psychology we understand a model as a natural or artificially created phenomenon intended for the study of socio-psychological phenomena.

The term "modeling" is used to denote the scientific method, which consists in the implementation of various procedures associated with the model (creation, transformation, interpretation), and for its disclosure such categories as "imitation", "reproduction", "analogy", "reflection" are used. Universal, fully revealing the meaning of this concept, in our opinion, is the following formulation. “Modeling is an indirect practical and theoretical study of an object, in which not the object of interest to us is directly studied, but some auxiliary artificial or natural system (model): a) which is in some objective correspondence with the object being known; b) capable of replacing it at certain stages of cognition, and c) ultimately giving information about the modeled object itself during the study.

In psychology, from the whole variety of definitions of the term “modeling”, the following most frequently encountered definitions can be distinguished, which maximally reflect the whole versatility of this concept. First, modeling as a form of cognitive activity, including thinking and imagination. Secondly, modeling as a method of cognition of objects and phenomena through their models. Thirdly, modeling as a process of direct creation and improvement of any models.

Accordingly, in psychology, under the modeling method we mean an indirect practical and theoretical study of a socio-psychological phenomenon (subject, process, etc.) with the help of some artificially or naturally created system (model).

Based on the analysis of the use of the modeling method, its features were identified as a method of cognition, including as a method of cognition of socio-psychological phenomena:

)use of a visual, demonstration basis;

)obtaining new knowledge by inference by analogy;

)establishing a homomorphism or isomorphism relationship between the model and the original.

The main results of the analysis of approaches to the use of the modeling method in psychology can be presented as follows.

The first feature of the modeling method in psychology is the presence of a visual, demonstration basis. In models of socio-psychological phenomena, geometric shapes and graphic schemes are used for clarity. Thus, the basis of A. Maslow's model of motivation is the "pyramid of needs", in the model of the cognitive balance of interpersonal relations P-O-X, proposed by F. Haider to describe the processes of perception and interpersonal relations, the "triangle of interpersonal relations" is used, and in the models of managing interpersonal relations G. Kelly, J. Thiebaud, "interdependence matrices" are used.

A visual basis for modeling cognitive processes are cognitive maps (within the framework of the general psychological approach), which, within the framework of the general psychological approach, are a technology for the work of subjects with information and visualize the image of the spatial organization of the external world. In psychology, a variant of cognitive maps is used - "mental maps" as a technique for stimulating group creative thinking and creativity.

Another version of the cognitive map is a graph used in various areas of socio-psychological research. For the first time, graph theory for studying objects of psychology was used in the school of K. Levin, in which the key category "dynamic field" was considered as an integral self-organizing system. Graphs were used to study the structure of a dynamic field through the representation of relationships between individuals within a group and the dynamics of their changes. Later, graph theory was used by social psychologists in the study of interpersonal relationships in small groups through a graphical representation of the results of sociometry and referentometry studies. In domestic psychology, graphs are used in the stratometric concept of small groups by A.V. Petrovsky to represent the structural levels of interpersonal relationships.

The second feature of the modeling method in psychology is the acquisition of new knowledge about any object by inference by analogy. Inference by analogy is the logical basis of the modeling method. The legitimacy of the conclusion made on this basis depends on the researcher's understanding of the nature of similar relationships, their significance in the modeled system. Understood in this context, modeling is associated with generalization, the abstraction of the researcher from some properties of the prototype. However, with this option, the ascent to the abstract will inevitably be associated with the simplification and coarsening of the prototype in some respects, which are used in its modeling.

One of the forms of analogy is metaphor, which was the very first sensory-visual basis of the modeling method. Thus, when analyzing various types of organization, G. Morgan uses the scientific metaphors of “machine”, “organism”, “brain” and “culture” (“bureaucratic organization as a machine”, “self-developing organization as a living system”, “self-learning organization as a brain”, “organization as a cultural system”). Symbolic interactionism refers to a "dramatic" metaphor ("the theater as an analogue of life"). In particular, I. Hoffman, considering the social role interaction of people in line with "dramatology", uses precisely theatrical terminology.

The third feature of the modeling method in psychology is the establishment of isomorphism and homomorphism relations between the model and the original.

Modeling with the establishment of relations of isomorphism and homomorphism is a rarer method in psychology, since its use is based on the application of a mathematical apparatus.

Systems are recognized as isomorphic if a one-to-one correspondence exists or can be established between their elements, functions, properties and relationships. An example of an isomorphic model is the structure of integral individuality developed by V.S. Merlin to analyze the nature of the relationship between the properties of various levels of integral individuality (including its socio-psychological and socio-historical levels). Psychologists of the Perm school have repeatedly confirmed the one-to-one correspondence between the model of integral individuality and the results of empirical research.

In psychology, the relationship of isomorphism between the model and the original can be found in those studies in which, in one form or another, statistical distributions of the frequencies of occurrence of certain socio-psychological phenomena are presented. Thus, the variability of the characteristics of the socio-psychological properties of a person, studied using psychodiagnostic methods (CPI, 16PF, NEO FFI, etc.), obeys the laws of normal distribution. Indicators of the socio-psychological properties of a personality that are average in terms of the level of severity are most common, and the minimum and maximum are much less common. This is the basis for the standardization of psychodiagnostic methods. However, other patterns may also occur. In particular, in studies of the dynamics of the properties of an individual and a group under the influence of film works, a hyperbolic distribution of the frequencies of the manifested effects is revealed: after experimental exposures, a minimum number of strong, specific effects for each work of art, and a maximum number of weak, non-specific effects are found.

Homomorphism is a more general and weaker relationship between the original and the model, since at least one of the three conditions is not fulfilled: the correspondence of elements, the correspondence of functions, the one-to-one correspondence of properties and relations. However, the preservation of homomorphic relationships is considered sufficient for the use of the modeling method in psychology.

The relationship of homomorphism between the original and the model can be found in the study of the evolution of artistic styles and trends in the development of artistic communication. In particular, V. Petrov postulates the principle of the evolution of artistic styles, which is expressed in the periodic change in the public's priority of analytical and synthetic styles and the aesthetic preferences of these styles. The dynamics of changing the priority of artistic styles is inaccurate sinusoidal. Similarly, the homomorphic relationship between the original and the model can be seen in the study of trends in the development of artistic communication, which manifests itself in a gradual increase (with constant fluctuations) in the density of information in different art forms over time.

In general, the modeling method has become an integral part of scientific research in psychology. An analysis of the specifics of the use of this method in psychology allows us to conclude that some features of its use appear frequently, while others appear less frequently. The most common applications of the modeling method in socio-psychological research are the figurative, visual presentation of new concepts, the establishment of similarity relationships with already studied phenomena, as well as a generalized presentation of the results of empirical research in areas where there are a large number of different approaches. Much less often in the description of the results of a socio-psychological study, the establishment of isomorphism and homomorphism relations between the model and the original is encountered, since this requires the use of a mathematical apparatus and statistical data processing in the modeling process.

1.3 Classification of types of modeling in psychology

In the scientific literature, various options for classifying the types of modeling have been proposed, and it should be noted that there is no single classification due to the ambiguity of the very concept of “model”. A variety of classifications is due to the possibility of their implementation on various grounds: by the nature of the models, by the method of modeling, by the nature of the objects being modeled, by the type of models being created, by their areas of application and levels of modeling, etc.

In psychology, it is advisable to analyze the possibilities and areas of application of one of the existing classifications of types of modeling based on the idea of a variety of means used. According to this classification, modeling is divided into two large classes: material (substantial) modeling and ideal modeling.

Material (substantial) modeling is based on the material analogy of an object and its model. When building these models, the functional characteristics (spatial, physical, behavioral, etc.) of the object under study are singled out, and the research process itself is associated with a direct material impact on the object.

Accordingly, in the material models of socio-psychological phenomena, it is necessary to model one type of group activity through another. This type of modeling in psychology includes those developed by Ya.L. Moreno psychodrama and sociodrama, which include playing real situations in therapeutic groups to develop the creative potential of a person and expand the possibilities of adequate behavior and interaction with people. This type also includes modeling of real joint activity through playing situations in socio-psychological training using a cybernometer, developed by N.N. Obozov.

Ideal modeling is based on a conceivable analogy between the object of study and the model and is divided into intuitive modeling and sign (formalized) modeling. Intuitive modeling consists in reflecting the surrounding world and is based on an intuitive idea of the object of study and the creation of a mental image. This type of modeling is most often used at the beginning of the process of cognition of the object of modeling or for the study of objects with very complex system relationships.

In psychology, appeal to intuitive modeling can be found in studies of the process of making group decisions and in studies of the practical intelligence of managers. In organizational psychology, this type of modeling includes building a common vision of the organization, creating a model of the future through anticipation of upcoming events or socio-psychological phenomena.

Sign modeling is the study of the object and the acquisition of new knowledge through logical or mathematical inferences from the initial description of the model. This type of modeling is used in cases where strict formalization of the available data is necessary and the similarity theory is not applicable. In the process of sign modeling, diagrams, graphs, formulas are used, which are directly models of this method. Sign modeling is divided into two types depending on the method of modeling and the means used: mathematical modeling and computer modeling.

Mathematical modeling is a method of studying a real object, process or system by replacing them with a mathematical model that expresses quantitative and qualitative characteristics using mathematical terms and equations. This modeling method is used when for some reason it is impossible to conduct an experiment. Some socio-psychological processes, such as decision-making in elections or the distribution of votes, are determined by researchers entirely in mathematical terms.

Based on the analysis of the application of mathematical modeling in socio-psychological research, four variants of the most common mathematical models in psychology can be distinguished. Such mathematical models of socio-psychological phenomena have different mathematical foundations: systems of linear or differential equations, apparatus of probability theory, systems of nonlinear equations; theory of self-organization and synergetics.

Within the framework of this classification, the following models of social behavior can be considered: the model of social behavior of L.F. Richardson (or the arms race model) based on a system of linear equations; a model of social behavior based on game theory and the apparatus of probability theory; the model of social behavior of E. Downes, based on systems of nonlinear equations; models for describing nonlinear socio-psychological processes based on the theory of self-organization of complex systems and synergetics. The following is a more detailed analysis of the application of the simulation method for each of these models.

Mathematical modeling based on a system of linear equations. As already mentioned above, this type of mathematical modeling includes the use of the social behavior model of L.F. Richardson (“arms race model”), which takes into account the action of three factors: the presence of a military threat, the burden of spending and past grievances between any two states. Such a model represents a class of dynamic models that model the development of some process in time and have the ability to predict the future. By the end of the 1970s, Richardson's model had been repeatedly experimentally confirmed in various variants of the arms race and proved to be the most effective in cases of short-term forecasts.

The mathematical apparatus based on a system of linear equations is used, in particular, to predict the activity of managers in innovation and to identify the optimal socio-psychological impacts to improve its efficiency. On the basis of psychological diagnostics, the role activity of managers, which is significant for the introduction of innovations, is modeled.

Mathematical modeling based on game theory and the mathematical apparatus of probability theory. This type of mathematical modeling is the most common in psychology and is a systematic approach that provides an understanding of the behavior of players in situations where their successes and defeats are interdependent. "Games" within the framework of this theory are situations in which two or more participants make a choice of their actions, and the gain or loss of each participant depends on the joint choice of both (all).

Game theory has previously been considered on the material of one type of competition, which has been called the "zero-sum game". The condition of this type of game is the principle "how much one player wins, the other player loses the same amount." However, most socio-psychological situations are variants of non-zero-sum games (or "cooperative games"), in which both players under certain conditions can win. In political psychology, the “prisoner's dilemma” is the best studied cooperative game. In psychology, such a model is used to control the implementation of contracts, make decisions, and determine optimal behavior in competitive situations with a different number of participants.

Mathematical modeling based on a system of nonlinear equations. This type of mathematical modeling includes the model of E. Downes, designed to study phenomena in political psychology. The simplest version of the graphical representation of the E. Downes model is a bell-shaped curve in a Cartesian coordinate system that expresses ideological positions. Such a model explains the correlation of the ideological positions of candidates in the general elections and the change in their positions between the primary and repeated elections.

Mathematical modeling based on the theory of self-organization and synergetics. This type of mathematical modeling includes models designed to study open nonlinear dissipative systems that are far from equilibrium. Most of the objects studied by psychology are such systems. The imbalance of socio-psychological phenomena lies in their irregular behavior, manifested in spontaneous activity, in the active nature of perception, in the choice of a goal by an individual or group.

Systems in which self-organization occurs are complex and have a large number of degrees of freedom (possible directions of development). Over time, dominant development options are identified in the system, to which the rest “adjust”. The development of nonlinear systems is multivariate and irreversible. To control such a system, it is necessary to act on it at the moment when it is in a state of extreme instability (called the bifurcation point). Thus, as new priorities of the modern picture of the world, synergetics introduces the phenomenon of uncertainty and multivariate development, the idea of the emergence of order from chaos.

In psychology, an example of models based on the theory of self-organization is the "prison riot model". On the mathematical apparatus of the theory of self-organization, the “model of developing a unanimous opinion” is based in the study of organizational behavior and decision-making processes. This type of mathematical modeling includes modeling the effects of personal dynamics after artistic influences, including investigating the most unstable catastrophic states of subjects.

Computer modeling is a method of studying complex systems and phenomena using their computer model. This method is implemented in the form of algorithms (strictly formulated sequential instructions) used to create software. This type of modeling makes it possible to facilitate the study of complex processes and phenomena with the help of large systems of equations that cannot be solved by algebraic means.

In psychology, computer modeling is used in the study of extensive socio-psychological processes (for example, mass behavior, changes in the mood of the masses) or in the study of situations associated with the processing of a large amount of information (for example, learning processes).

The above analysis of the types of modeling used in psychology allows us to propose and justify their classification based on the means used in the modeling process. According to this classification, the most common type of modeling in psychology is material modeling, which is included in the processes of psychological and organizational counseling, socio-psychological training. In the studies of political psychology, mathematical modeling is more often used, since it allows realizing the social demand for an accurate and reliable forecast. In general, mathematical and computer modeling in recent years has become of particular importance in the scientific research of socio-psychological phenomena. Their use makes it possible to choose the optimal and rational strategy and tactics for the implementation of research programs.

Empirical methods are those methods that we carry out with the help of the senses. Psychological modeling is the creation of a formal model of a mental or socio-psychological process, that is, a formalized abstraction of this process that reproduces some of its main, key points, in the opinion of this researcher, for the purpose of its experimental study or with the aim of extrapolating information about it to what the researcher considers special cases of this process. The model compactly and visually organizes the facts, suggests the interdependence of the established facts. The model includes phenomena that are expected with some probability. It is suitable for further planning of the experiment. The model allows you to involve quantitative data in the analysis, build an explanation using some new variables, see the object from a new angle. The generalization of experimental data makes it possible to propose models that reflect the specifics of implicit socio-psychological patterns; such, in particular, are the patterns of semantic perception of persuasive speech in the model of K. Hovland and M. Sheriff.

When studying complex objects, the model allows you to combine disparate knowledge. Using the model, you can choose the most rational strategy and tactics for the implementation of research programs. The assessment of a system with long development cycles using the model occurs in a shorter time. All this makes it possible to reduce the cost of material resources for conducting experiments with models or to draw conclusions about the impossibility of such experiments. In practice, with the help of models, decisions are justified, modeling accompanies forecasting, planning and management.

.1 Main types of models

A unified classification of types of modeling is difficult due to the ambiguity of the concept of "model" in science. It can be carried out for various reasons: by the nature of the models (by the means of models), by the nature of the objects being modeled, by the areas of their application and its levels. In this regard, any classification is doomed to incompleteness.

Depending on the modeling tools, material and ideal models are distinguished. Material (substantial) modeling is based on the material analogy of an object and its model. To build this type of models, it is necessary to highlight the functional characteristics (geometric, physical) of the object under study. The research process is associated with the material impact on the object.

Material (substantial) models of socio-psychological phenomena include those that model one type of group activity through another. An example of this type of simulation is the cybernometer research conducted by N.N. Obozov, playing situations in socio-psychological training. For example, in modeling situations in groups of active socio-psychological learning, the leader is the subject and the group is used as “material” for building and defining models. The subject can be a group together with the leader. Such modeling implies the inclusion in the model of personality manifestations as a whole, affecting the affective, value and unconscious part of a person's experience. As a result, the intrapersonal experience of the participants is reformulated.

Also, socio-psychological experiments can be attributed to substantive models. Thus, A. Makarenko's colony was a substantive model for the organization and implementation of educational work with adolescents.

A large class of models is represented by ideal models. Ideal modeling is based on a conceivable analogy. Ideal modeling is subdivided into sign (formalized) and intuitive modeling. The latter is used where the process of cognition is just beginning or the systemic relationships are very complex. A person's life experience can be viewed as an intuitive model of interpersonal relationships. It is possible to build a model in which the formal structure is chosen on intuitive grounds.

Models of sign modeling are diagrams, graphs, drawings, formulas. The most important type of sign modeling is mathematical modeling. Not every sign system acts as a model, since a sign system becomes a model only if it becomes the subject of research, if tasks are solved within its limits and by its means, the solution and meaning of which lie outside the given sign system. So, natural language can act as a model in the study of everyday life, culture, economic and social relations; natural languages act as models in the study of the patterns of thinking, which is a reflection of the objective world.

An essential moment in the creation of any sign model is formalization. Any formalization is accompanied by the following procedures:

The alphabet is set (finite or infinite).

Rules are set that generate "words", "formulas" from the initial characters of the alphabet.

Rules are formulated by which one can move from one word, formula of a given system to other words and formulas (the so-called inference rules).

Depending on the nature and goals of the created model, proposals that are considered initial (axioms or postulates) may be formulated (but may not be formulated). As a rule, it is not the axioms of a given sign system that are formulated, but axiom schemes with the corresponding substitution rules.

Sign models have some independence. Within their limits and by their means, tasks are often set and solved, the real meaning of which may not be initially clear. In sign models, the theory of similarity is absolutely not applicable.

Today, most of the research on sign models is carried out in line with the logico-mathematical ones. In these models, the nature of the prototype and model no longer plays any role. In these models, purely logical and mathematical properties are important. The description of the model in this case is inseparable from the model itself. The possibility of experimentation is absent and is replaced by inference. New knowledge is obtained by logical and mathematical inferences from the initial description of the model. Mathematical modeling in social psychology is not limited to quantitative operations, it can also deal with qualitative characteristics. Some socio-psychological processes, such as decision-making in elections or the distribution of votes, can be defined entirely in mathematical terms. In such cases, mathematical models are a means of studying the logical consequences of the observed rules.

In the case of complex systems, when the quantitative expression of the set of objective functions is unclear, simulation models are used. Simulation modeling is used to analyze the behavior of a system; fundamental laws of system dynamics are not studied here. In this case, the functioning of a complex system is presented in the form of a certain algorithm, which is implemented on a computer.

It is possible to build a model in which the formal structure is chosen on intuitive grounds. The adopted formal model can give us a general structural idea of the system under study. In this case, the comprehension and verbalization of the concept follow its already prepared mathematical form. The set of possible abstract structures is obviously less than the set of their concrete interpretations.

Mathematical and computer models. An example of a mathematical model of social behavior is the Lewis F. Richardson model, or the arms race model. Consider it to illustrate the compactness, transformability and efficiency of mathematical models. This model takes into account the action of only three factors: a) state X feels the presence of a military threat from state Y, exactly the same logic operates on the part of state Y; b) the burden of spending; c) past grievances.

Хt +1 = kYt - aXt + g+1 = mXt - bYt + h

and Yt are the armament levels at time t

The coefficients k, m, a, b are positive values, and g and h are positive or negative, depending on how hostile or friendly states are in general.

The magnitude of the threat is reflected in the terms kYt and mXt, because the larger these numbers, the more weapons the opposing side has.

The amount of expenditure is reflected in terms aXt and mYt, because these terms reduce the level of armaments in the next year.

The constants g and h reflect the magnitude of past resentment, which, within the framework of this model, is considered unchanged.

By the end of the seventies, the model had already been tested hundreds of times in various arms races. The Richardson model is generally effective in cases of short-term forecasts; the nature of the arms race and, consequently, the prediction of wars, since almost all modern wars are preceded by an unstable arms race.

The Richardson model is only one of the representatives of a large class of dynamic models, i.e. those that model the development of some process in time. Many of these models are implemented as differential equations, and many borrow mathematical tools from models of demographic growth and other biological processes (8, 12, 14).

One of the most developed areas of mathematical modeling of social behavior is called game theory. "Games" within the framework of this theory are situations in which two or more participants make a choice regarding their actions, and the payoff of each participant depends on the joint choice of both (all). Games studied by game theory are usually more formalized than traditional ones, and the rewards in them are not just win or loss, but something more complex, but the principle of competition here and there is the same.

Game theory was first considered on the material of one of the types of competition, which is called the zero-sum game. The condition of this type of game is: how much one player wins, the other loses the same amount. Most of the regular games belong to this category. However, most socio-psychological situations are non-zero-sum games, or cooperative ones, when both players can win under certain conditions (that is, the fact that one of the players won does not mean that the other lost as much). Of the cooperative games, the prisoner's dilemma game is the best studied. This model can be used for mutual control of the implementation of business contracts, decision-making on the start of active actions (strike, collective agreements). In reality, players are more likely to choose to cooperate, despite all the factors pushing them to cheat.

A third example of mathematical models that are very well known is the Downs model. The model helps to explain why candidates in general elections do not occupy overlapping positions and why candidates often change their ideological positions between primary and secondary elections. The simplest version of the Downs model is a bell-shaped curve that runs along a single fixed ideological axis.

In addition to the considered models, mathematical models include models of expected utility. They are effective at deciding what actions to take (prescriptive models), but they cannot predict the actual behavior of people (descriptive models). Similar to these models are optimization models, which were mostly borrowed from economics and engineering. These models are useful for determining optimal behavior, for example, when the opponent is an unpredictable future, in competitive situations with a small number of participants, and also in competitive situations where the environment is determined by a large number of participants (8). The mathematical description of oscillatory processes is of interest in connection with the study of motivation, models of the formation of public opinion are described using kinetic equations. Static problems are usually written in the form of algebraic expressions, dynamic - in the form of differential and finite difference equations.

The multidimensionality of socio-psychological phenomena can be quite fully described at the present time by the methods of modern multivariate analysis, including, in particular, the methods of multivariate statistics, cluster analysis and analysis of latent structures, multidimensional scaling, etc.

Computer models are based on programming using not equations, but algorithms (strictly formulated sequential instructions). Computer models are especially effective in studying situations involving the processing of a large amount of information, for example, learning processes, non-numerical processes. Very often, such a form of computer model as an expert system is used. It uses a large number of "if ... then" installations. Expert systems have shown their ability to accurately reproduce the actions of people in a wide variety of areas. Even more complex are dynamic computer simulation models that model complex processes using large systems of equations that cannot be solved by algebraic means. The objects of computer simulation models can be extensive socio-psychological processes (changing the mood of the masses, mass behavior) and these models are increasingly used to play scenarios such as "what will happen if ...".

Models of nonlinear processes.

The rapid development of synergetics, the theory of self-organization of complex systems, was due to the search for models to describe nonlinear processes. Synergetics deals with open non-linear dissipative systems that are far from equilibrium. Almost all the objects that social psychology encounters can be attributed to this class. Open systems are understood as those that can exchange energy, matter, information with the environment. Both the individual and social groups are open systems. The non-linearity of systems suggests that in real social and socio-psychological systems, the consequences are the result of the influence of many causes. Moreover, effects have an inverse effect on the causes that gave rise to them. The property of dissipativity in a broad sense is understood as the ability of the system under study to “forget” the details of external influences. The main property of such systems is an extraordinary sensitivity to all kinds of influences and, in connection with this, an extreme non-equilibrium. The disequilibrium of socio-psychological phenomena is manifested in their irregular behavior. Complex socio-psychological processes resemble an infinite computer, which contains an infinite number of communicators; this makes it impossible to single out the “initial signal” (leadership) and determine a clear addressee.

The non-equilibrium state of the studied objects is illustrated by the processes of spontaneous activity, the active nature of perception, the choice of a goal by an individual or a group.

Systems in which self-organization occurs can be complex and have a huge number of degrees of freedom, which can lead to the implementation of completely random sequences. The presence of a variety of degrees of freedom generates chaos, which in synergetics is considered as the cause of the development of structures, as a complexly organized sequence. Over time, a small number of leading degrees of freedom are allocated in the system, to which the rest “adjust”. In the process of self-organization, the whole acquires properties that none of the parts possesses. The development of nonlinear systems is irreversible and multivariate. The evolution of such a system is determined not by its past, but by its future. To control such a system, it is necessary to influence it at the moment when it is in a state of instability (near the so-called bifurcation point), and it is necessary to organize a very precise action. It may be extremely weak, but, being very accurate, will lead to a radical change in the entire evolution of the system. As new priorities of the modern picture of the world, synergetics thus introduces the phenomenon of uncertainty and multi-alternative development, the idea of the emergence of order from chaos.

The fundamental importance of the processes of self-organization for the human psyche has been repeatedly pointed out by prominent psychologists. The key category of K. Levin "dynamic field" was considered as an integral self-organizing system. G. Allport discussed the concept of self-confrontation, which can be considered within the framework of the idea of self-organization. Models illustrating the connection of phenomena with the theory of self-organization: the model of prison riots, the theory of catastrophes, the model of migration, the Model of developing a consensus G.A. Simon and G. Gutzkov.

The typology of models also includes structural, functional and mixed models. . Substantial models are brought to life by technical and organizational difficulties. Structural models mimic the internal organization of the original. They can be either signed or unsigned. Functional models mimic the way the original behaves. They, like structural models, are less tied to the original. These models can be both material and ideal. Functional modeling is the main method of cybernetics at the present stage. The objective basis of the cybernetic approach is the relative independence of the function from the structure, i.e. the fact of the existence of a potential set of specific structures capable of performing a given function.

Separate types of models in their pure form are rare. Models usually go from one-dimensional to multidimensional . A substantive model must be either structural or functional, or both. Functional-structural models in terms of the probability of conclusions are significantly inferior to structural-functional models.

Models can also be divided according to the degree of completeness. On this basis, they are divided into complete and incomplete. The more complete the model, the more complex it is, so it is not necessary to strive for a complete model in every case. As an initial stage of the study, it is more profitable and more convenient to create incomplete models, since they allow you to quickly get the result. Although this result is less accurate than when using the full model, in most cases its use is quite justified at the first stage of the study. The larger the model, the more careful it should be. To build an effective model means to find a description of it that gives an answer to a specific question. The general model of a complex object is called aggregated and is composed of detailed models.

2.2 Modeling steps

1.Formulation of the research problem, definition of goals, setting of modeling tasks .

The problem situation is the basis of any analysis, it is the subject of modeling. Any problem situation has an objective and subjective basis, and it is important not to allow any of them to be absolutized.

Example. Model of socio-psychological adaptation of forced migrants. Purpose: organization of socio-psychological assistance and adaptation of migrants. Tasks: monitoring the socio-psychological state of migrants; counseling and provision of medical and psychological assistance; provision of centers for social and psychological adaptation of migrants.

Theoretical problem: lack of a typology of socio-psychological adaptation of migrants and ignorance of the models of their adaptive behavior.

Practical problem: inconsistency between intra-group requirements and the requirements of the new ethnic group for migrants.

. Substantiation of the necessity of referring to the modeling method .

For example:

Features of the object of study.

Behavior prediction is needed.

Availability of detailed models, etc.

. Theoretical preparation of the modeling process . Building a non-formalized model (metaphors, cognitive maps, system analysis of an object). Tools are selected that are able to explain the selected observations, but are not defined strictly enough. It is necessary to determine which of the sets of theoretical assumptions (potential models) to accept.

Example: adaptation of forced migrants - acceptance of norms, values of the new environment, forms of social interaction + personal, public interest, social functions.

. Building a conceptual model .

Representation of the mechanisms of action and interaction of the structure-forming units of the model, the formation of indicators. There shouldn't be too many variables.

Example: separation of active and passive adaptation in a theoretical way. Definition as indicators of protective mechanisms of behavior, group mechanisms, conflict with norms, deviant behavior, etc.

. Designing a formalized model .

Formation of the space of variables and description of model units in their terms, data collection and identification of model parameters and relationships, model verification.

Formalization does not necessarily reach the level at which the discovered relationships are described mathematically. Any study of a concept in an unambiguous language can be considered formal in the broad sense of the word. Thus, it is necessary, at a minimum, to turn an unordered set of categories into a deductive system. But since the set of possible abstract structures is obviously less than the set of their concrete interpretations, the psychologist's concept follows the already prepared mathematical form. Empirical verification is not always needed, as the process is sometimes described in an exhaustive way. Model validation includes the stage of operationalization, measurement and statistical analysis.

Example. The starting position of the deductive system: normal adaptation leads to stable adaptability without personality pathology and without violation of norms.

. Exploring models and gaining new information .

Example. It was revealed that some migrants overcome intra-group problem situations in an unusual way, there is a conflict with group norms; others have conflict with their group.

. The transition from the received model information to restructured knowledge about the subject of research.

Deformalization and meaningful interpretation, analysis, generalization and explanation.

. Inclusion of model knowledge in the system of theoretical knowledge about the object of study.

Example. Creation of a more meaningful typology of socio-psychological adaptation of forced migrants: normal protective adaptation, non-protective adaptive processes, non-conformist adaptation, innovative adaptation, pathological adaptation.

Some features of the modeling method in psychology appear frequently, others less frequently. The most frequent application of the modeling method in socio-psychological research is the figurative, visual representation of new concepts, the establishment of similarity relationships with already studied phenomena. The use of the modeling method through the establishment of isomorphism and homomorphism relations is somewhat less common, since this requires the use of a mathematical apparatus and statistical data processing in the modeling process. But it is the application of the modeling method in socio-psychological research through the establishment of relations of isomorphism and homomorphism that allows us to reach a qualitatively new level in empirical research, which will be based on reliable psychological diagnostics and modern mathematical methods, including mathematical statistics.

The stages of modeling are the formulation of the research problem, the justification for the need to refer to the modeling method, the theoretical preparation of the process, the construction of a conceptual model, the construction of a formalized model, the study of models and the acquisition of new information, the transition from the received model information to restructured knowledge about the subject of research, the inclusion of model knowledge in the system of theoretical knowledge about the object.

Conclusion

Attention should be paid to the difficulties associated with modeling. The model cannot be better than its original assumptions. The validity of a model does not depend on its apparatus, but on its assumptions. The most common drawback of models is oversimplified initial assumptions. For example, Richardson's model fails in situations involving nuclear weapons. The model does not take into account properties that are insignificant in a certain respect and may be significant in another respect. The results produced by the model must be correctly translated into natural language. Often the generality of the model's findings is overestimated.

The model compactly and visually organizes the facts, suggests the interdependence of the established facts. The model includes phenomena that are expected with some probability. The model allows you to involve quantitative data in the analysis, build an explanation using some new variables, see the object from a new angle. The generalization of experimental data makes it possible to propose models that reflect the specifics of implicit socio-psychological patterns; such, in particular, are the patterns of semantic perception of persuasive speech in the model of K. Hovland and M. Sheriff.

Bibliography

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Modeling in psychology Etymology.

Comes from lat. modulus - sample.

Category.

Methodological setting.

Specificity.

Construction of models for the implementation of certain psychological processes in order to formally test their performance.

Psychological Dictionary. THEM. Kondakov. 2000 .

MODELING IN PSYCHOLOGY

(English) modeling in psychology) - application of the method modeling in psychological research. It develops in 2 directions: 1) sign, or technical, imitation of mechanisms, processes and results of mental activity - mental modeling; 2) organization, reproduction of one or another type of human activity by artificially constructing the environment of this activity (for example, in laboratory conditions), which is commonly called psychological modeling.

Modeling the psyche- a method for studying mental states, properties and processes, which consists in building models mental phenomena, in studying the functioning of these models and using the results obtained to predict and explain empirical facts. According to the completeness of the reflection of the object in the model, one can single out the following. classes and subclasses of models of the psyche: iconic(figurative, verbal, mathematical), software(rigidly algorithmic, heuristic, block diagram), real(bionic). Such a sequence of models reflects a gradual transition from a descriptive imitation of the results and functions of mental activity to a material imitation of its structure and mechanisms.

Modeling the psyche is closely related to the problem artificial intelligence and construction of complex control information and computers and systems. Work on the modeling of the psyche is carried out not only in psychology, but also in related areas - bionics, cybernetics, computer science, informatics, synergy. The first successes in modeling the psyche were achieved in the middle of the 20th century. based on digital and analog computing technology.

Big psychological dictionary. - M.: Prime-EVROZNAK. Ed. B.G. Meshcheryakova, acad. V.P. Zinchenko. 2003 .

See what "modeling in psychology" is in other dictionaries:

Modeling in Psychology- building models for the implementation of certain psychological processes in order to formally test their performance ... Psychological Dictionary

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Books

Modeling of goal-setting, Yu. T. Glazunov. The monograph contains the first systematic presentation of the results of studying the processes of the emergence and development of mental phenomena by the method of mathematical modeling. In the spotlight…

Based on the analysis of the use of the modeling method, its features were identified as a method of cognition, including as a method of cognition of socio-psychological phenomena:

1) the use of a visual, demonstration basis;

2) obtaining new knowledge by inference by analogy;

3) establishment of homomorphism or isomorphism relations between the model and the original.

The main results of the analysis of approaches to the use of the modeling method in psychology can be presented as follows.

The third feature of the modeling method in psychology is the establishment of isomorphism and homomorphism relations between the model and the original.

Modeling with the establishment of relations of isomorphism and homomorphism is a rarer method in psychology, since its use is based on the application of a mathematical apparatus.

The modeling method, the most promising method of research, requires a certain level of mathematical training from the psychologist. Here mental phenomena are studied on the basis of an approximate image of reality - its model. The model makes it possible to focus the psychologist's attention only on the main, most essential features of the psyche. A model is an authorized representative of the object under study (mental phenomenon, thought process, etc.). Of course, it is better to immediately get a holistic view of the phenomenon under study. But this, as a rule, is impossible due to the complexity of psychological objects.

The model is related to its original by a similarity relation.

The knowledge of the original from the standpoint of psychology occurs through complex processes of mental reflection. The original and its psychic reflection are related like an object and its shadow. Complete cognition of an object is carried out sequentially, asymptotically, through a long chain of cognition of approximate images. These approximate images are the models of the cognizable original.

The need for modeling arises in psychology when:

- the system complexity of the object is an insurmountable obstacle to creating its integral image at all levels of detail;
- prompt study of the psychological object is required to the detriment of the detail of the original;
- mental processes with a high level of uncertainty are subject to study and the patterns to which they obey are unknown;
- optimization of the object under study is required by varying the input factors.

Modeling tasks:

- description and analysis of mental phenomena at various levels of their structural organization;
- forecasting the development of mental phenomena;
- identification of mental phenomena, i.e., the establishment of their similarities and differences;
- optimization of the conditions for the flow of mental processes.

Physical modeling-- a method of experimental study of various physical phenomena based on their physical similarity.

It consists in the study of objects of one physical nature with the help of objects that have a different physical nature, but the same mathematical description with them. The method is based on the principle of similarity. An example is the use of electrolytic baths in modeling the field of potentials in a transistor structure

The method is applied under the following conditions:

An exhaustively accurate mathematical description of the phenomenon at this level of development of science does not exist, or such a description is too cumbersome and requires a large amount of initial data for calculations, which is difficult to obtain.

Reproduction of the studied physical phenomenon for the purpose of experiment on a real scale is impossible, undesirable or too expensive (for example, a tsunami).

Observation- perception and memorization by the personality of the surrounding world; as a descriptive research method, which consists in purposeful and organized perception and registration of the behavior of the object under study, is widely used in psychology; There are three phases of observation:

Perception filtering memorization

The objects of observation are various features of behavior. The objects of research can be:

Verbal behavior Non-verbal behavior Movement of people

Distance between people Physical influences

Modeling of psychological mechanisms

Guided by the above definition of psychological mechanisms, we will refer to this area all works that give in one form or another a description of any mental phenomena and any forms and levels of the psychological organization of animals, humans and social groups. And then any speculative constructions and any theoretical generalizations of empirical material known to psychological science act as psychological models of the psyche or its manifestations. Empirical material is supplied by psychological modeling and natural observation.

These models are presented through descriptions in symbolic form. By the nature of the reproducible aspects of the psyche, these are predominantly structural and mixed models, less often functional ones. Relevant examples have already been given above.

Thanks to scientific activity in this direction, modern psychology has subdivided all mental phenomena into three categories: processes, states, and properties. True, proposals are known to introduce a fourth category - mental constructs, which should include such mental phenomena as images, concepts, motives and other formations, which are, as it were, the result of the flow of mental processes or states. It was this type of modeling that made it possible to single out three functional areas of the psyche with their specific processes, states, properties and constructs: cognitive (cognitive), regulatory and integration. Within the framework of this type of research activity, definitions of all mental phenomena are formulated from the sensory threshold to consciousness, personality and activity. Ultimately, it is this type of scientific research formalizes the ideas of scientists about the mental organization of a person in the form of various theories of personality and the socio-psychological structure of society.

Psychological modeling consists in the artificial creation of special conditions that provoke the responses, actions or attitudes of natural carriers of the psyche (people or animals) that are necessary for the task of research (examination, training). In other words, the researcher, depending on the subject and objectives of the study, creates a specific psychogenic situation for the object under study, as a result of which his behavior is modeled (for a person in the form of activity and communication).

Comparing the initial conditions of the psychogenic situation with the parameters of the object's behavior, one can, firstly, obtain indirect data on the organization and work of the psyche, which can be used to study and model it, secondly, to identify correlational, causal, and sometimes functional relationships between psychogenic influences and behavioral characteristics, which gives grounds for deriving psychological patterns, and, thirdly, to develop effective methods of influencing people in order to provide them with psychological assistance.

Main Features of Psychological Modeling

1. The natural object and subject of research are people (animals) and their psyche.

2. Artificiality of research conditions (for example, an experimental laboratory, a diagnostic center, a psychotherapeutic room).

3. The use of modeling tools - methodological aids (for example, instructions, questionnaires, stimulus material), technical devices (for example, exposing equipment, measuring equipment) or pharmacological agents (for example, barbiturates in certain types of psychotherapeutic effects or psychedelics in transpersonal psychology).

4. Purposefulness of impacts on the object.

5. Humanization of influences.

6. Programming the procedure of influences (from a minimum of regulation in a free conversation to a maximum in testing or a laboratory experiment). 7. Registration of influencing (situational and procedural) factors and responses of the object of study.

It is possible to form a psychogenic situation using any empirical method of psychology up to provoked observation and introspection. The most characteristic in this regard, of course, laboratory experiment, testing, psychophysiological and psychotherapeutic methods.

Psychological modeling is an integral form of all types of psychological work: research, diagnostics, counseling, correction. In psychotherapeutic practice, it is the psychogenic situations themselves that often act as a tool for providing psychological assistance. A classic example of this is psychodrama, where, in fact, the stage action should lead to a therapeutic effect (catharsis). A specific type of psychological modeling are psychotrainings. All of the features of this direction listed above are especially clearly represented in them.

Section D Empirical Methods of Particular Psychological Significance

Chapter 15

Psychosemantic methods are methods of studying mental phenomena based on the establishment of semantic (semantic) connections and the analysis of individual systems of meanings and meanings.

These categories and the mental phenomena they designate are the subject of research by the branch of psychological science that has been rapidly developing in recent decades, called psychosemantics. The main achievements in this area can be found in the works of VF Petrenko.