FP6 priority

1.1.7   Citizens and Governance in a Knowledge-based society

1.7.1

Title of the proposal

Strengthening Social Cohesion through Social Competencies in Natural Small Group Settings

Institute

Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute for Social Sciences
Karpatska 5, 04001 Kosice, Slovak Republic

Contact

Research subject for a potential FP6 project

Social cohesion grows up from small groups - family, classroom, working team, etc. Social competencies such as conflict resolution, coping, empathy, self-awareness and self-esteem learned (or not learned) in these groups then facilitate (or hinder) effective interaction of an individual in society. Social competencies therefore form a complement to a traditional knowledge in the knowledge-based society.
Current research shows that they enhance quality of life - e.g. by fostering emotional health, lowering risks of drug and crime acts and strengthening civil engagement and ability of citizens to self-govern. It seems to us that integration processes at macro-social level (economic, politic and legislative) should be accompanied by scientific knowledge of changes going on at micro-social level.
In this research we would like to focus on :
-the assessment of effectivity of techniques used in education and training of social competencies (e. g. social skills, social and emotional intelligence, coping) of the individuals in different social groups;
-study and diagnostics of the processes underlying formation of social competencies in natural small group settings;
-cross-cultural comparative study of similarities and differences of these on-going processes in various regions of Europe;
-application of achieved results for the improvement of the quality of life.

Recent international cooperation of the research team

Institute of Psychology, Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
Institute of Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
Department of Psychology, University of Opole, Poland

Proposer´s relevant publications related to the research subject

Dobes, M.: Self-concept and possibility of its modification using short-term intervention. Studia psychologica, 2000, 42, 181-185.
Frankovsky, M., Baumgartner, F.: Behavior strategies in demanding life situations. Studia psychologica, 1997, 39, 103-109.
Komarkova, R., Slamenik, I., Vyrost, J. (Eds.): Aplikovana socialni psychologie III: Socialněpsychologicky vycvik. (Applied social psychology III: Social psychological training). Praha, Grada, 2001, 224.
Lovas, L., Baumgartner, F.: The expression of norms and their cognitive representations. Studia psychologica, 1998, 348-351.
Vyrost, J.: Personality correlates of normative beliefs. Studia psychologica, 2000, 42, 167-171.
Vyrost, J., Lovas, L., Baumgartner, F., Bolfikova, E., Frankovsky, M., Hadusovska, S.: Possibilities of empirical classifications of demanding life situations. Studia psychologica, 1995, 37, 93-106.
Vyrost, J., Slamenik, I., (Eds.): Aplikovana socialni psychologie I: Clověk a socialni instituce. (Applied social psychology I: Individual and social institutions). Praha, Portal, 1998, 383.