5 techniques to train your social skills

The notion of social skills training has evolved over time. In its beginnings it was associated with interventions in people with some severe mental disorder, and although this method is still used for such cases, after the appearance of learning theories social, became an instrument to improve the skills of people in their relationships interpersonal.

Like any other skill, these communication skills can be learned, practiced, and therefore greatly improved; without the need for the person to suffer from any type of disorder in order to benefit from them.

Related article: "14 main soft skills to be successful in life"

Social skills: why are they important?

There is no single and specific description of what social skills are, however this concept can be explained as the set of behaviors and actions acquired naturally, capable of being learned and exercised, which occur in contexts interpersonal; taking into account the social norms of this and with the aim of achieving social support or self-reinforcement.

The importance of social skills is given by its relationship with a better psychosocial adjustment of the person, thus avoiding isolation, lack of affection and possible associated affective disorders.

The usefulness of social skills in the daily life of the person is reflected in the following aspects:

• Reduce stress levels and anxiety in the face of some social circumstances
• They act as reinforcement in contexts of interaction with other people
• Increase reinforcement by people valuable to the person
• Protect and promote interpersonal relationships
• Helps increase self-esteem

Properties of training in social skills

As indicated in the previous point, social skills are behaviors learned throughout life. person's life, so it is possible to train them through learning experiences appropriate.

The basis or particular feature of this training consists in the observation of a third party that performs the behavior. objective in an adequate way, to later repeat, correct possible errors and go little by little perfecting. To do this, the person trying to learn receives reinforcement, both positive and negative, from the professional.

The dynamic consists of repeating and practicing the desired behavior or behavior in the greatest number of situations., in the most varied and most real way possible.

The main features of social skills training are:

• Increase and development of the catalog of behaviors that the person possesses
• Participation and active cooperation of the people involved in the training
• Strategies understood as learning for the person, not as a therapy.
• They are exercises that can be done in a group, which favors their effectiveness.

The list of advantages common to the different types of training that have made them a reference intervention are:

• Brief duration of the intervention.
• The simplicity of the techniques
• Plasticity and flexibility to adjust to the person and their needs
• Immediate positive effects
• Structured, systematized and clear organization
• System of action and learning similar to that of obtaining other skills

Techniques for training social skills

From psychology, a series of techniques have been developed aimed at improving the skills of the person in terms of their relationship with others. These techniques, explained below, should not be interpreted as serial steps that follow a concrete order, but rather as independent elements that allow us to lengthen, expand or repeat them.

These elements are specified in six different techniques. They are the following.

1. Modeling

In this first technique, a person endowed with the skills that are intended to be learned performs a series of behaviors appropriately, so that the apprentice or apprentices can imitate them.

The models can exercise the behaviors live, or through recordings. The main requirement of the model for the technique to be effective is that it be as similar as possible to the observer. Both by age, gender, reference group, etc.

An important point to take into account is that the model does not carry out the behavior in an excessively skilful or expert manner, since it can demotivate the observer. The person who acts as an example to follow must express himself in an affable way and close to the apprentice. The observer's mood is compensated with positive reinforcements.

Likewise, the effectiveness of the technique increases when the exposed situation is reproduced with the greatest possible clarity and precision, and always in a way that graduates, from least to greatest, the difficulty of this.

It is necessary for the viewer to understand that his obligation is to imitate the model, focusing his interest on his behavior, analyzing it and then exercising and rehearsing said behavior.

2. behavioral essay

The behavioral rehearsal is the moment in which the person must carry out the actions that have previously been shown by the model. These tests can be:

• real: the behavior is carried out in real or simulated contexts.
• undercover: the behavior is carried out by imagination in the training place.

These two ways of proceeding are not exclusive, the person can first do the test in a covert way and, once he has practiced enough, he goes on to the real test.

Regarding the intervention of the participants, the monitor can act as an interlocutor in order to control the situation. In the event that a group intervention is being carried out, the rest of the participants can represent tasks or auxiliary representations.

3. feedback

Following the behavioral rehearsal it is essential that a period of feedback be given.. This feedback is based on providing information to the person about how he has executed the target behaviors, this being as specific and concrete as possible.

It is an essential requirement both to reinforce what the person has done correctly, how to communicate in which things they must improve; Guidance on how you can improve.

For a greater integration of the information, it is essential that this feedback be immediate or even simultaneous to the person's actions.

4. Reinforcement

In these cases, positive reinforcement consists of extolling and praising the positive aspects of the learner's performance, this being the best way for the behavior to be repeated in the future. An important point to keep in mind is that such reinforcements must be valuable and desired by the person.

Two types of reinforcements can be carried out:

• material reinforcement, this reinforcement refers to tangible rewards
• social reinforcement in the form of praise and approval.

Once the reinforcements have been administered continuously, the behavior is intermittently reinforced. The goal of this type of reinforcement is to strengthen the behavior and maintain it in the long term.

5. Generalization

The primary goal of all this training is not for the person to perform the behavior only in the test space., but that it is capable of carrying out in real life situations.

Taking this into account, the execution of the behavior or behaviors must be extrapolated to all contexts or circumstances in which said behavior is useful for the person.