Methods of social psychology. Methods of managerial and educational influence

There are many different concepts in the world, which are not so easy to understand. In this article we will talk about what social research is, how it differs from sociological research, and what basic methods are used.

About terminology

In this case, the question of terms is quite acute. After all, many even professional companies often do not distinguish between such concepts as sociological and social research. And this is wrong. After all, there are differences. And they are quite significant.

First of all, you need to understand that sociology itself as a science studies society as a whole, its various connections and nuances. The social sphere is a certain part of the activities of society. That is, if we make a preliminary simple conclusion, then sociological research can be aimed at absolutely nothing

What is the difference?

How exactly do sociological and social research differ?

Social research is aimed exclusively at a clear, limited social sphere.
Sociological research has many specific methods, but social research most often does not. Although it must be said that the category of research we are considering mainly uses sociological methods.
Social research can be carried out not only by sociologists, but also by doctors, lawyers, personnel officers, journalists, etc.

However, it is still worth clarifying that the question of more precise differences between social and sociological research has not yet been finally resolved. Modern scientists are still arguing about a number of minor, but still fundamental points.

Object and subject

The subject of social research can be completely different. And it depends on the chosen topic. Objects most often become (according to scientist V.A. Lukov):

Social processes and institutions.
Social communities.
concepts and ideas.
Regulatory acts that in one way or another influence social changes.
Social projects, etc.

Social Research Features

Social research performs the following functions:

Diagnostics. That is, social research is aimed at understanding the state of the object at the time of the study.
Reliability of information. That is, all the information that is collected during the research process must be reliable. If it is distorted, corrections must be made.
Forecasting. The research results make it possible to create short and long-term forecasts and outline possible prospects.
Design. That is, based on the results of the study, it is also possible to make various recommendations regarding possible changes in the selected area under study.
Informing. The results of social research must be made public. They are also obliged to provide some information to people and explain certain points.
Activation. Thanks to the results of social research, it is possible to intensify or provoke more active work of various social services, as well as public organizations, regarding the solution of certain problems of the object of research.

Main types

What are the main types of social research?

Academic research.
Applied research.

If we talk about the first type, then this research is aimed at replenishing the theoretical base, that is, strengthening knowledge in a specific, selected area. Applied research is aimed at analyzing a certain area of the social sphere of society.

Applied Research

It is worth noting that there is such a thing as applied social research. This is a complex of various methods and theories that help to analyze. Their main goal in this case is to obtain the desired results for their subsequent use for the benefit of society. Moreover, these methods originated on the territory of our state a long time ago. The first attempts at social research in Russia were population censuses. They have been held quite regularly since the 18th century. The initial boom in these studies began in the post-revolutionary period (this is P. Sorokin’s study of family and marital relations, D. Lass’s study of the sexual sphere of young people’s lives, etc.). Today, these social studies occupy a significant place among other various types of studying society.

Basic methods

What are the main methods of social research? Thus, it is worth noting that they should not be confused with sociological methods. Although in some aspects there are still certain overlaps. The most commonly used methods are:

Modeling.
Grade.
Diagnostics.
Expertise.

There is also the concept of participatory and actionist social research. Let's look at each method in more detail.

Modeling

Modern social research often uses a method such as modeling. What is he like? So, this is a special design tool. It is important to note that this method was widely used in ancient times and is still used today. The model itself is a certain object, which, according to ideas, replaces the real object, the original. The study of this particular object makes it possible to more accurately and deeply understand the main problems of a real object. That is, in this case, the research is conducted from the opposite direction. The model itself performs the following three functions:

Prognostic. In this case, we are talking about some kind of prediction of what may happen in the future with the object of social research.
Imitation. In this case, attention is focused specifically on the created new model, which makes it possible to better understand the original research itself.
Projective. In this case, certain functions or predefined properties are projected into the research object, which improves the quality of the further obtained results.

It is also important to note that the modeling process itself necessarily includes the construction of the necessary abstractions, the creation of inferences, as well as the construction of various kinds of scientific hypotheses.

Diagnostics

We further consider various methods of social research. What is diagnostics? Thus, this is a method through which it is possible to establish the correspondence of various parameters of social reality to existing norms and indicators. That is, this method is designed to measure various characteristics of the selected social object of study. For this purpose, a special system of social indicators is used (these are special characteristics of individual properties, as well as the states of social objects).

It is worth noting that the method of social diagnostics is most often found when studying the quality of people’s lives or social inequality. The following stages of the diagnostic method are distinguished:

Comparison. It can be carried out with previously conducted research, obtained results, and set goals.
Analysis of all received changes.
Interpretation.

Social expertise

If socio-economic research is carried out, often its main method is examination. It includes the following critical steps and stages:

Diagnostics of the state of a social object.
Obtaining information about the object of study, as well as about its environment.
Forecasting subsequent changes.
Development of recommendations for subsequent decision-making.

Actionist research

Social work research can also be actionist. What does this mean? To understand the essence, you need to understand that this word is an Anglicism. In the original, this term sounds like action research, i.e. “research-action” (from English). The term itself was proposed for use back in 1944 by a scientist. In this case, the study involves a real change in the social reality of the object being studied. And based on this, certain conclusions are drawn and recommendations are given.

Participatory research

This term is also an anglicism. Participant in translation means “participant”. That is, this is a special reflexive method of research, during which the object of research is endowed with the ability and power to make the decisions necessary for itself. In this case, the objects of research themselves do the main work. The role of the researcher is to observe and record various results. Based on this, certain conclusions are drawn and recommendations are given.

Psychological research

There is also psychological social research. In this case, the same methods described above are used. But others may also apply. Thus, various management and educational research methods are often used.

In this case, surveys are widely used (a person must answer a series of questions asked to him). In social psychology, questionnaires are most often used.
Psychological social research also often uses a method of obtaining information from an object, such as a test. It can be both personal and group. However, it is worth noting that this research method is not strictly social or psychological. It can also be used in sociological research.
Another important research method in social psychology is experimentation. During this method, the desired situation is artificially created in which certain behavioral reactions or other important nuances of the personality are studied.

Socio-economic research

Separately, we also need to consider and understand what socio-economic research is. Their goal is:

Study of economic processes.
Identification of the most important patterns for the social sphere.
The influence of economic processes on the life activity of the object of study.
Identification of the causes of social change in connection with certain economic processes.
And, of course, forecasting.

The study of socio-economic processes can be carried out by any of the methods described above. They are used extremely widely, because the social sphere of life is very closely connected with the economic one.

Socio-political studies

Social political research is also often carried out. Their main goal is the following:

Assessment of the work of local and central authorities.
Assessing people's electoral attitudes.
Determining the needs of different population groups.
Forecasting.
Definition of socio-political and object of study.
Studying the level of social tension of the research object.

It is worth noting that these studies are most often conducted in the period before elections. In doing so, they use all the methods described above. But at the same time, analysis and comparative analysis (another methods of social research) are also widely used.

Organization of the study

Researching social processes is a very labor-intensive activity. After all, for this you need to prepare a program where all the basic information will be written down. So, this document should contain:

Information about the object and subject of research.
It is very important to first select a research method.
Initially, hypotheses are also written down. That is, what, according to preliminary data, should be the result.

Research strategy

Any study of a social problem includes such a stage as a research strategy. First of all, it must also be said that any study can be a continuation of the previous one or involve the parallel implementation of other actions aimed at obtaining information or changing the social reality of the selected object. This strategy includes the following key points:

Setting goals and questions (why is this research needed, what do you want to get in the end, etc.).
Consideration of various theoretical models and approaches.
It is necessary to research resources (funds and time to implement the plan).
Data collection.
Selection of the study site, i.e. identification of data.
Selection of the research management process itself.

The types of research in this case can be completely different. So, this may be a pilot study when the subject turns out to be poorly studied and practically incomprehensible. There is a one-time study (when the object is no longer returned) or repeated. Longitudinal, or monitoring, research assumes that an object is studied periodically, at set intervals.

Field research is carried out in conditions familiar to the object. Laboratory - in artificially created ones. relies on the actions or actions of the object, theoretical - implies the study of the expected actions or behavioral reactions of the object of social research.

Next comes the choice of research method (most of them are described above). It is worth noting that these are the most important forms of collecting primary information, thanks to which it is possible to obtain certain results and draw some conclusions. It is important to first decide on the method of processing the information received. This may be statistical, genetic, historical or experimental analysis, social modeling, etc.

The chapter reveals the theoretical and substantive aspects of social work methods, examines their main classifications and justifies their scientific nature. Studying this chapter will allow you to form an idea of how to carry out the practice of social work.

1. Social work methodology and its significance

2. Methods of social work as a field of scientific knowledge

3. Methods of social work as a practical activity

Key words: scientific method, methodology, methods of cognition, method of activity, object and subject of science, general scientific methods of cognition, private scientific methods, method of social work, individual social work, social work with a group, social work with the community, individual management, creation of support networks .

Social work is a relatively new field of scientific and practical activity for our country, and many of its theoretical aspects remain controversial. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the problems of defining social work methods, their classification and substantive characteristics often become the subject of discussion among scientists and practitioners.

Method in a general scientific sense, it is a way of constructing and justifying a system of philosophical and scientific knowledge, as well as a set of techniques and operations for the practical and theoretical development of reality. With its genetic roots, the method goes back to the practical activities of man, the techniques of which had to be consistent with the properties and laws of reality. The development and differentiation of the method of thinking in the course of cognition led to the doctrine of methods - methodology. Methodology is called a system of principles and methods of organizing and constructing theoretical and practical activities, as well as the doctrine of this system.

Scientific method- a method of constructing and justifying a system of scientific knowledge, as well as a set of techniques and operations for the practical and theoretical development of reality.

Methodology– a system of principles and methods of organizing and constructing theoretical and practical activities, as well as the doctrine of this system.

The basis of methodological knowledge is the doctrine of method as a way of obtaining knowledge and implementing practical activities. Methodological analysis is intended to give fundamental answers about how it is possible to obtain knowledge about an object, what methods ensure the reliability of knowledge and the validity of conclusions about the object, what procedures for obtaining knowledge are adequate to the nature of the object. (Philosophical Encyclopedic Dictionary. M., 1989).

Currently, social work can be viewed from three perspectives:

1) social work as a science;

2) social work as a type of practical activity;

3) social work as an academic discipline (a cycle of academic disciplines).

It is obvious that in each of these aspects social work appears in a different capacity and requires the use of different methods and approaches. If the main goal of social work as a scientific discipline is cognition social reality, how practical activity is related to transformation this reality. Within the framework of this manual, we will focus on the first two aspects of social work, taking into account the fact that an analysis of the problem of teaching social work and methods for developing the professional competence of a specialist could occupy the entire volume of this manual.

SOCIAL WORK AS A SCIENCE

Methodological analysis in science involves identifying the object and subject of science, determining general patterns and conceptual-categorical apparatus, methods and principles of organizing research. The object and subject of science determines the boundaries of the phenomena being studied, the place of a particular science in the system of other sciences. The object of a particular science is understood as that side of reality (natural and social) to the study of which this science is aimed.

At the same time, no science is able to describe its object in its entirety due to various reasons. In this regard, a particular science is forced to limit the scope of its interests. In addition, any science is limited in its approach to an object by the tradition in which it was formed, by the conceptual apparatus, by the language that has developed in it, by the means of analysis and research that dominate it, etc. In connection with This is how the subject is distinguished from the object of science, i.e. by what aspects the object being studied is represented in science. Currently, it is generally accepted to understand the subject of any science as the result of choosing an objectively existing phenomenon in order to study it from a certain angle. The definition of the subject of science depends on many factors: the level of knowledge achieved in this area, the development of social practice, etc. If an object exists independently of science, then the object is formed together with science and is fixed in its system of categories

Thus, the choice of object and subject of science influence the content of the theory and practice of social work. The theory of social work is characterized by a variety of approaches to their identification. The Dictionary-Reference Book for Social Work (2000) notes that “... the object of research in social work is the process of connections, interactions, ways and means of regulating the behavior of social groups and individuals in society. The subject of social work as an independent science is the patterns that determine the nature and direction of the development of social processes in society.”

In the textbook “Fundamentals of Social Work” (1999), the object of social work is people who need outside help: the elderly; pensioners; disabled people; seriously ill; children; people who find themselves in difficult life situations; teenagers who find themselves in bad company and many others.

The object and subject of social work, on the one hand, are determined by the goals of practical social work, and on the other hand, they influence the boundaries and content of the theory and practice of social work. Despite the different formulations of the object and subject, they are similar in that in modern conditions social work goes beyond the boundaries of social assistance to those in dire need, becoming theoretical knowledge about a person and ways to improve his social well-being.

Methods of scientific knowledge– these are justified and standardized ways of obtaining and synthesizing knowledge that meet the criteria of empirical verifiability (i.e. testing by experience) and falsifiability.

The methods used in social work for the purposes of objective scientific knowledge and the formation of ideas about the object of research are similar to the methods used in other sciences.

In science, in general, there is a very strict attitude towards methods of obtaining knowledge. They are quite strictly regulated. This is done to ensure that the data obtained meet the strict requirements of scientific validity and objectivity. Moreover, in science there is no knowledge outside of method: if there is no scientific method for studying a phenomenon, then there is no scientific knowledge about it.

The modern system of scientific methods is as diverse as the system of knowledge about the surrounding world itself. In this regard, there are various classifications of methods depending on the characteristics underlying the classification: degree of generality, scope of application, content and nature of activity, etc.

In relation to the field of social work, in order to understand the place and role of methods, their classification according to the degree of generality is important, which is determined by the integrative nature of the theory and practice of social work. On this basis, we can distinguish general (philosophical) methods, general scientific methods and private special scientific methods (V.I. Kurbatov et al., 2003).

1. The universal or philosophical method is understood as the unity of the ideological and methodological positions of the subject in various types of activity.

There are two known universal methods in the history of knowledge: dialectical and metaphysical. These are general philosophical methods. From the middle of the 19th century, the metaphysical method began to be increasingly replaced by the dialectical one. The method of materialist dialectics, the essence of which is that the process of identifying and understanding facts, events and phenomena is based on the reflection in the mind of the researcher of the objective dialectics of social reality itself, is currently the only universal method. At the same time, any phenomenon or event is considered and studied in the state of its formation and development, which excludes subjectivity in the selection and interpretation of facts, bias and one-sidedness.

2. General scientific methods are used in many areas of activity, including social work. They have a very wide, interdisciplinary range of applications. The classification of general scientific methods is closely related to the concept of the level of scientific knowledge.

There are two levels of scientific knowledge: empirical and theoretical. The empirical level of scientific knowledge is characterized by the direct study of really existing, sensory objects. At this level, the process of accumulating information about the objects under study and natural phenomena is carried out by making observations, performing various measurements, and setting up experiments. Here, the primary systematization of the obtained factual data is also carried out in the form of tables, diagrams, graphs, etc. In science, it is customary to distinguish two main general scientific empirical methods: observation and experiment.

Observation. Scientific knowledge as a way of reflecting reality invariably involves the perception of the characteristics of natural phenomena and spheres of human activity. Broadly speaking, any method of empirical research contains elements of observation of objects in order to study their specificity and changes. However, the scientific tradition has long been entrenched in the identification of a special method, relatively independent from all others, combining observation and introspection (introspection). In social work, observation is understood as a method of studying the characteristics of individuals or social systems based on recording manifestations of their behavior.

Experiment. The leading method of scientific knowledge, including social and psychological research. It is aimed at identifying cause-and-effect relationships. It is characterized by the creation of optimal conditions for the study of certain phenomena, as well as the targeted and controlled measurement of these conditions. In contrast to observation, an experiment is an active way of understanding reality; it involves the systematic intervention of a scientist in the situation under study and its management. If passive observation allows you to answer the questions “How? How does this happen?”, then the experiment makes it possible to find an answer to a different kind of question – “Why does this happen?”

The theoretical level of scientific research is carried out at the rational (logical) stage of cognition. At this level, the deepest, most significant aspects, connections, and patterns inherent in the objects and phenomena being studied are revealed.

Among the general scientific theoretical methods we can highlight (Zainyshev et al., 2002):

- method of scientific abstraction consists in abstracting in the process of cognition from external phenomena, aspects and highlighting (isolating) the deep essence of the process. This method is based on two stages of cognition: firstly, the research begins with a specific analysis and generalization of empirical material. Here the most general concepts and definitions of science are highlighted; secondly, on the basis of already known phenomena and concepts, an explanation of a new phenomenon occurs. This is the path of ascent from the abstract to the concrete;

- method of analysis and synthesis. Through analysis, the phenomenon under study, the process, is divided into its component parts and each is studied separately. The results of the analysis are considered holistically and, through synthesis, they recreate a single scientific picture
about the social process;

- method of induction and deduction. WITH with the help of induction (from the Latin guidance) a transition is ensured from the study of individual facts to general provisions and conclusions. Deduction (from the Latin deduction) makes it possible to move from the most general conclusions to relatively specific ones;

- unity of the general and the special in theory and practice of social work. The technology of social work in a broad sense includes social theories of the process of social development, represents the unity of the method and the diversity of techniques;

- historical method. Historical research not only reveals the social patterns of the emergence, formation and development of phenomena in the context of historical time, but also helps to decompose the social forces and problems operating in its processes into components, identify their sequence, and determine priorities;

- method of ascent from simple to complex. Social processes are a set of simple and complex social phenomena. In social development, simple relationships do not disappear; they become elements of a complex system. Complex social phenomena, based on simple (abstractions, categories) aspects of scientific knowledge, concentrate them and receive more comprehensive but specific definitions. Therefore, the development from simple to complex social processes is reflected in the movement of thinking from the abstract to the concrete;

- unity of qualitative and quantitative analysis as a method of understanding social relations. Social theories cannot be limited to identifying only the qualitative side of social processes. They also explore quantitative relationships, thereby presenting known social phenomena in the form of a measure, or as a qualitatively defined quantity. For example, the measure of processes is represented by proportions, rates, and indicators of social development.

General scientific methods include those that stand somewhat apart statistical methods. These methods allow using mathematical procedures of statistical analysis to test empirical hypotheses and establish the reliability of the data obtained.

As noted by I.G. Zainyshev (2002) neither in domestic nor in foreign practice there is a single usage of words regarding particular methods and techniques of scientific research. Some authors call the same system of actions a method, others - a technique, others - a procedure or methodology, and sometimes - a methodology.

Famous sociologist V.A. Yadov explains these terms as follows: method is the main way of collecting, processing and analyzing data; technique - a set of special techniques for the effective use of a particular method; methodology - a set of technical techniques associated with a given method, including private operations, their sequence and interrelation; procedure - the sequence of all operations, the general system of actions and methods of organizing research.

For example, when studying public opinion, a sociologist uses a questionnaire as a data collection method. Further, for various reasons, he formulates some questions in an open form, and some in a closed form. These two methods form the technique of this questionnaire survey. Application form, i.e. the instrument for collecting primary data and the corresponding instructions to the respondent constitute in this case a methodology.

Through research, practitioners can find out whether their methods work and whether their program goals are achieved. Research can be carried out by social workers themselves or by other professionals (for example, sociologists), but professional social workers are increasingly aware of the value of conducting research themselves. Research helps to establish which types of practical interventions and under what circumstances are most effective (Zainyshev et al., 2002).

Since social work arose and is developing as an interdisciplinary field of knowledge, arising at the intersection of numerous disciplines of the natural sciences (medicine, biology, etc.) and social and humanitarian areas (such as sociology, psychology, anthropology), each of which applies a wide arsenal of private methods, then for its purposes it accumulates many specific methods, techniques and techniques. Examples of such private methods include interviews, questionnaires, content analysis, expert methods (method of expert assessments), focus groups, testing, analysis of activity products, etc. In the absence of the possibility of paying any detailed attention to their analysis and presentation, we will limit ourselves here to just a brief mention of them, referring readers for more detailed information to primary sources in the subject area where this method arose and is being developed.

SOCIAL WORK AS PRACTICAL ACTIVITY

The classification of social work methods from the point of view of practical activity is a complex and still poorly developed problem. Classification of methods of professional activity is an important component of the scientific organization of social work. However, it should be noted that the description and analysis of methods, their meaningful differentiation in the specialized literature is only in its infancy. If the analysis of social work as a scientific system of knowledge can be based on the already proven methodology of humanitarian knowledge, then an attempt to methodologically substantiate the practice of social workers requires different approaches.

As we have already indicated above, the problem of method in any scientifically organized theory and practice is one of the key ones in methodological analysis: in science it is fundamentally important to clearly define well-founded, standardized ways of carrying out cognition and achieving the goals of professional activity. And if the methods of scientific knowledge used in social work are not fundamentally different from the methods used in related areas of scientific knowledge, the methods of activity have a qualitatively different nature and content. It is professional goals and methods of achieving them that give social work the status of an independent profession.

In science method of activity is considered as a way of its implementation, which leads to the achievement of the goal. Humanity has accumulated many methods of activity. But the continuous complication of problems and the emergence of new ones require constant updating of methods for solving them. The above is directly related to social work.

Activity method- a way of carrying out activities that leads to achieving a set goal.

Related information.

Social assistance: what is it?

Definition 1

Social assistance is one of the forms of organizational and legal measures that are aimed at supporting certain categories of the population who find themselves in a difficult life situation due to the lack of sufficient income to lead a full life.

The most common is state social assistance. It is one of the types of social assistance that is provided for in our country at the legislative level. State social assistance is provided to low-income families, as well as certain categories of citizens in the form of social payments: pensions, benefits, subsidies, benefits. In addition, social assistance from the state can be provided in the form of various types of social services, as well as in the form of vital goods that are aimed at maintaining the life of citizens (food, clothing, medicine).

At its core, social assistance acts as the most important area of activity carried out in a modern state. It is possible in cooperation with government organizations, government services and foundations.

Note 1

In Russia today, the main state organization that provides social assistance is the social protection department of the executive committee (district or city executive committee). Of course, each region has its own specific norms and rules for the provision of social assistance, but they are all directly subject to the same legislation.

Forms of social assistance

The directions and forms for providing social assistance to low-income citizens are quite diverse. All of them are subordinated to the tasks that need to be solved to reduce poverty in the country:

Establishing accelerated growth of wages for various categories of the population;
The formation and strengthening of the middle class, its stability;
Reducing interregional inequality (especially in the income of the population living in rural areas with the income of the population living in large cities and metropolitan areas);
Development of comprehensive, federal and regional programs that are aimed at reducing poverty, increasing the level and quality of life of the population.

Forms of social assistance can be of two types: direct and indirect. Direct forms of social assistance include state social assistance (providing social benefits, pension supplements, subsidies and benefits to those categories of the population that are most in need and less fortunate); cash payments that can be provided in the form of social benefits or one-time payments. Their peculiarity lies in the fact that these payments, like other forms of social assistance, are free of charge.

Direct forms of social assistance also include in-kind assistance (in the form of fuel, clothing, food and necessary medical care for seriously ill patients), social benefits (free provision of a sum of money from a specific budget or a specific budget system that operates on the territory of the Russian Federation) , subsidy (full or partial payment for the provided social services that are necessary for a citizen and his family in a certain period of time), social supplement to pension (can be provided both as a cash payment and in kind, in accordance with federal laws and other regulations acts of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation).

Indirect forms of social assistance can be the following:

Unified consumption sets both for the Russian Federation and depending on the income level of individual regions;
Average prices for the Russian Federation and regions that demonstrate noticeable inequality and differentiation of the population and its standard of living;
Index of consumer cents and tariffs for goods and social paid services provided to the population. This index characterizes changes over time in the general level of prices, as well as tariffs for goods and services;
Living wage, as well as the consumer basket. The cost of living is an estimate of the minimum consumer basket, as well as mandatory payments and fees (for example, payment of monthly utilities). The consumer basket is a set of food and non-food goods and services that are necessary to ensure the full functioning of a citizen, as well as to maintain his health;
Reducing the tax rate for certain categories of citizens (low-income people, pensioners, disabled people, orphans, large families).

Basic methods of social assistance

The methods of social assistance are identical to the methods of social work, since both of these areas pursue the same goal - providing assistance to certain categories of the population, their provision and protection. Firstly, the motivational characteristics of the entire set of ways of influencing an individual and a social group that need social help are very important. By providing it, it is possible to open a new activity for a person that will allow him to provide for himself and his loved ones without contacting social support and protection services.

Secondly, methods of social assistance are heterogeneous, as they differ in the following areas:

Socio-economic methods of social assistance;
Organizational and distribution methods of social assistance;
Psychological and pedagogical methods of social assistance.

Thanks to these methods, there is an impact on the material, national, family and other interests and needs of the citizen. Material and social motivation for citizens who feel the need is realized in the form of in-kind or monetary assistance, the establishment of benefits and the payment of one-time benefits, compensation, as well as the organization of patronage and consumer services for a certain category of persons.

In domestic scientific and educational literature, in Russian textbooks and manuals on social work, the classification of methods is carried out according to the traditional paradigm of social work, which was formed within the framework of sociology, pedagogy, psychology, management, economics: sociological, pedagogical, psychological, organizational, economic methods .

Sociological methods are highlighted as the sociological foundations of social work; pedagogical - as the social and pedagogical basis of the activities of social services; psychological - as psychological support for social work, content and methods of psychosocial practice. The authors of the textbook "Fundamentals of Social Work" highlight the sociological, political science, pedagogical, and psychological foundations of social work. There are methods of individual social work, methods of social work with a group, methods of social work in a microsocial environment. In the textbook "Social Work" edited by Professor V.I. Kurbatov distinguishes pedagogical, sociological, psychological methods of social work.

In the practice of social work, methods of social influence on the individual are used, which were formed as methods of purely social work, as a result of its theory and practice. Most of them are borrowed from the experience of social work in the USA and developed countries of Western Europe. The best of them are adapted to the domestic system of social protection of the population and social support for various target groups and categories of citizens. These methods are classified in terms of:

· Subject-subject or subject-object relationships (team, group work of specialists, social work specialists, volunteers and work with clients);

· Number of clients who are objects of social impact (individual, group, community, mass work);

Taking into account these approaches and cross-cultural traditions of social work in Ukraine, the methods of social work in our manual are presented as follows: sociological, psychological, organizational, and also study current approaches to defining methods of social work.

Sociological methods of social work

Sociology in social work is considered from the point of view of sociological support for the activities of organizations and institutions in the social sphere. At the level of social work as a science, theoretical sociology is used, reveals universal patterns and principles of constructing various social systems, generalizes and structures empirical data within individual branches of sociological knowledge. At the level of social work practice, empirical sociology is used, which establishes and generalizes social facts.

Methods for collecting sociological information are used in social work for research:

· Social interaction and social connections of individuals and social groups within the framework of relevant social institutions;

· Social changes and social processes, the source of which are social movements, which can escalate tension and conflicts in society, and on the other hand, be a means and instrument for overcoming them; reflect social isolation, marginality, changes in social status, personal instability, loss of family ties and individual mobility;

· Features of the functioning of social institutions of society and social organizations involved in social work: family, school, social services, rehabilitation centers, departments of social protection of the population, cultural institutions, social funds, etc.;

· Personalities in the system of social connections: needs, value orientations, motives, social attitudes, socialization of the individual, social status, social roles, social activity, etc.;

· Gender sociology: the study of the differentiation of male and female roles, gender differences, the functioning of married couples

· The influence of state policy on the lives of citizens: analysis of the political process and its material basis, sociological analysis of the mechanism of power within social work, studies of political stratification;

· Sociology of law: the social nature of lawful and unlawful behavior;

· Public opinion regarding the social status of citizens, their interests, requests, needs for social services;

· Structures, functions, causes and mechanisms of social conflict, conflict prevention and resolution;

· Interaction of bodies and institutions of the education system and social services, institutions of social protection of the population within the framework of the sociology of education;

· Sociology of city and countryside, the impact of urbanization on the organization;

· Social problems of various target groups of clients and categories of the population.

Sociological methods of social work are methods that are used to collect, process and analyze sociological data within the framework of social work.

Methodology is a consistent and interconnected set of technical techniques and operations associated with a specific method.

Technique is a set of special techniques for the effective use of a certain method.

In conducting sociological research, there are four sequential, logically and meaningfully interconnected stages:

1. Preparatory, consists of developing a program and tools - questionnaires, interview forms, forms for recording observation results, document analysis, and the like.

2. Collection of primary sociological information. Occurs through survey, observation, document analysis, experiment.

3. Compilation and processing of collected information.

4. Analysis of processed information, preparation of a report, formulation of conclusions, development of recommendations.

Object of sociological research- a certain social reality that requires targeted study (social communities, subjects, processes in their specific, relatively completed states and interactions).

Subject of sociological research- the most significant features from a theoretical or practical point of view, aspects of the object that need to be investigated.

The specifics of each stage are determined by the specific type of sociological research. In accordance with the established criteria, the most important of them are: the purpose of the study, the depth of the required analysis, the method of collecting primary sociological information, the object of the study, the timing of its implementation, the relationship between the customer and the contractor, the sphere of social reality that is being studied.

Fundamental sociological research in social work aimed at establishing and analyzing social trends, patterns of social development and related to solving complex problems of citizens and society as a whole. Fundamental sociological research is carried out in social work at the level of state institutions, such as the Ukrainian State Center for Social Services for Youth, the State Committee for Family and Youth Affairs, the Ministry of Social Policy and Labor, etc.

Applied research is aimed at studying a specific society (district, microdistrict, city, region, region), specific objects (pensioners, disabled people, orphans, low-income people, youth affected by the Chernobyl ABS, refugees released from prison, etc.), solutions certain social problems (homelessness, poverty, alcoholism, drug addiction, deviance, vagrancy, etc.).

Exploratory, descriptive, analytical studies that illuminate the depth of the data being studied and are used depending on the purpose and objectives of the study.

Exploratory research is the simplest in its parameters; it solves problems that are simple in content. They are used when the problem, object or subject of research is poorly studied or not studied at all. For example, studying the problems of families raising a disabled child with a rare pathology, a certain social group or community, foster families, and deinstitutionalization processes. Such studies are used as a preliminary stage of a more in-depth large-scale study, focusing them on collecting information about the object and subject of research, clarifying hypotheses, etc.

Descriptive studies create a relatively holistic picture of the phenomena and processes being studied: a study of the system of social services for youth, the functioning of the structure of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. The object of analysis is a large community of people - workers in the field of social services and users of social services with certain social, professional and demographic characteristics.

Analytical research not only describes social phenomena and their components, but also establishes the causes of their occurrence, the mechanisms of functioning, and identifies the factors that ensure them. They are used to analyze various social problems, the functioning of various social groups, and the level of living of citizens.

Search, descriptive, analytical studies are carried out on behalf of organizations and institutions of the social sphere by social agencies, institutes and other organizations and institutions that carry out sociological research.

One-time and repeated studies highlight methods of studying an object (statically or dynamically). A one-time study informs about the state of the object, its quantitative and qualitative characteristics at the time of the study, and reflects a “snapshot” of a social phenomenon. Data reflecting changes in an object, their directions and trends, can only be obtained through repeated studies (panel, trend, cohort). Panel studies examine changes in the same object over time, and it is mandatory to maintain the same sample. Trend - explore changes over a certain time on the same object without sampling. Cohort - study specific social aggregates - cohorts over a certain time.

Important for social work are monographic studies aimed at studying a specific social phenomenon or process on one object, which acts as a representative of a whole class of similar objects. In continuous research, all units of an object are examined without exception. In social work, sample studies are most often used, which examine not all units of research, but part of them, the purpose of which is to draw conclusions on the phenomenon being studied as a whole.

A special place is given to pilot sociological research, which allows one to assess the quality of tools (questionnaires, questionnaires, observation protocols, procedures, document analysis, etc.) and make the necessary adjustments to it.

Social work uses methods for collecting primary social information - document analysis and sociological observation. Analysis of documents allows the social worker to formulate the problem, object, subject, goals, objectives and hypotheses of the phenomenon under study; compare the empirical data obtained during the study with indicators from other studies; obtain information about a specific social problem; draw up a description of the social processes that occur at the societal, group, and individual levels, identify trends and develop forecasts for their further development; obtain information about the activities of the main social institutions of society - family, education, media; study public opinion and social well-being of the population, its individual segments and specific people. Analysis of documents allows you to see various aspects of social life, helps to learn about the norms and values inherent in a certain society in a certain historical period; find the information necessary to describe certain social structures; makes it possible to track the dynamics of interaction between various social groups and individuals, and the like.

Document- a means of fixing in an established way, using a special information carrier, facts, phenomena, processes of objective reality and human mental activity.

Of great importance for social workers are official documents - laws, government regulations, regulations, national programs and projects relating to issues of social protection of the population and social support for certain target groups and categories of the population. Official documents reflect and highlight collective opinions regarding certain political, socio-economic phenomena, events, and processes. Individual official documents, such as government and industry reports, inform about the state of affairs in the social sphere, intended to regulate relations between individuals, groups, communities, social institutions, and the like.

Statistical documents contain certain generalizations regarding the most important indicators of the functioning of society and its individual parts. Based on statistical data, a social worker has the opportunity to obtain information about the population size in the territory of the social service in which he works, the level of social stratification, features of the infrastructure of the district, microdistrict, city, etc., age composition of the population, gender differences, etc. Such documents can be the subject of independent analysis, since they allow one to study a certain process or phenomenon in dynamics, find out their trends, supplement the characteristics of the phenomenon under study, and enrich it with historical context. Statistical data contributes to the outline of a conceptual framework and the implementation of a specific research project. Statistical materials can be used not only for the quantitative determination of some qualitatively established parameters or illustrations, but also to prove the hypotheses put forward on any other basis. A careful and comprehensive analysis of statistical materials provides the basis for deep, qualitatively new social conclusions and generalizations.

At the micro level of social work, it is essential to study unofficial documents, which are an important source of information about the characteristics of the client’s social problem, his living conditions, and biographical data. The fate of a person and his future life often depend on how correctly personal documents are drawn up and adequately interpreted by a social worker. Informal documents (autobiographies, diaries, letters, literary adaptations, etc.) enrich with information about a person’s value orientation, the motives of his behavior, the level of socialization, individualization, adaptation, and satisfaction of needs in various spheres of life.

Iconographic documents, such as cinema and photographic documents, works of fine art - paintings, engravings, sculptures, are used primarily to supplement professional knowledge about a certain social phenomenon, and as “human history documents”, that is, documents that make it possible to draw up assessment of the personality of their authors.

Phonetic documents are often used in conjunction with other sociological methods. For example, during a focus group, a discussion on a particular issue is recorded on audio media. Phonetic documents in modern living conditions are an important tool for analyzing information obtained during conferences, round tables, trainings, seminars and other events organized by institutions in the field of social protection of the population. The most interesting phonetic documents are due to their linguistic analysis of information: knowledge of the characteristics of the language greatly contributes to the study of the structure and culture of thinking of various segments of the population. For a social worker, comparisons of various local dialects, literary and folk languages, and various speech characteristics that are characteristic of certain social groups may be interesting.

The effectiveness of social work carried out both with individuals and with various social groups of the population largely depends on knowledge of the patterns of development of social processes, the specific living conditions of people, and on the experience accumulated by previous generations and contemporaries. The most important role in using the learned patterns in practice belongs to a holistic system of principles, methods, forms and means of social work, which represents a specific toolkit of scientific and practical knowledge and action.

1. The essence of scientific methods and their role in the practice of social work
Social work as a system of scientific knowledge consists of two main sections:
1) theoretical-methodological, fundamental, in which methodology is studied, patterns, principles, categorical apparatus are considered, and
2) applied, socio-practical, managerial application of theoretical and empirical knowledge to the solution of practical social problems.
Social work as a system of scientific knowledge is predominantly applied in nature. As you know, all sciences are divided into fundamental and applied. They have different methods and subjects of research, different approaches and angles of view on social reality. Applied science differs from fundamental science in its practical orientation. If fundamental science is mainly concerned with the increment, testing of new knowledge, its substantiation and verification, and the transformation of current research into the “solid core” of science, then applied science deals with the problems of applying proven knowledge in social practice.
Fundamental social knowledge is based on theoretical principles of natural and social sciences, which, as a rule, are not amenable to technologization. This kind of research is not aimed at creating a specific social project. Their results determine long-term trends and directions of social development of society. Fundamental sciences open up new directions in theory, while applied sciences search for ways to practically use discoveries and transform them into mass technologies for transforming reality.
It must be emphasized that modern social technology is not limited to only representing a certain body of knowledge, experience and skills in organizing a particular type of activity. Technology becomes a system of knowledge about the management of social development processes, their constant rationalization and modernization. Social technology includes knowledge about economic conditions, cultural, psychological, socio-economic and pedagogical consequences of the development of social processes. It connects all this knowledge into a single system of technical, legal, political, socio-psychological knowledge. Technology, understood in this way, does not simply merge with science, but itself becomes science, that is, creativity.
Social work technology as a branch of social technology and a knowledge system is based on the theoretical principles of social work, on the corresponding methodological apparatus (principles, laws, categories, methods, research techniques, etc.), as well as on practical experience and empirical material.
For any science, applied technology research is the most labor-intensive activity. In our country, the term “social technology” firmly entered scientific circulation only in the early 80s. Social technology makes it possible to repeatedly use proven standard algorithms to solve typical social work problems. Social technologies simplify the use of tools, since implementation follows a “established” path, but they are very difficult to develop.
Ways, methods of cognition and transformation of objective reality are usually called methods. Using methods, each science obtains information about the subject being studied, analyzes and processes the data obtained, and is included in the system of known knowledge. The obtained reliable knowledge is used 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 this branch of knowledge (in our case, social work) is able to perceive and use all the newest, most advanced that appears in the methods of related social Sci. Where this can be done, there is usually a noticeable breakthrough in the knowledge and transformation of the world.
In the knowledge of social processes, various aspects of functioning and development, the method plays a central role. Mastering various methods, a person acquires the ability to productively master scientific achievements and the values of society. After all, the processes of social development are implemented on the basis of special principles and using specific methods.
Method - from the Greek “methodos” - a path of research, a way to achieve a goal, or solve a specific problem. It acts as a set of approaches, techniques, operations for the practical or theoretical development of reality.
The method in social work plays a dual role, speaking:
1) as a way, a path of knowledge and application of knowledge developed in sciences that study various aspects of human life and social practice;
2) as a certain specific action that contributes to a qualitative change in an existing object (subject).
Scientific research methods occupy a special place in obtaining new knowledge. With their help, the path of scientific knowledge and establishment of truth is determined. According to I.P. Pavlova, method in science is the very first, basic thing, the main thing is choosing the right method. With the right method, even a not very talented person can do a lot. And with the wrong method, even a brilliant person will work in vain. Other scientists, philosophers, and practitioners also pointed out the importance of the method. Charles Darwin, for example, emphasized that the art of creating something new consists in the method of searching for the causes of phenomena and in possessing as much knowledge as possible regarding the subject being studied.
The technological competence of a social work specialist means mastering the scientific and practical methods of related sciences, since social work is largely interdisciplinary in nature, using the achievements of sociology, economics, pedagogy, law, ecology, history and other sciences.
The professionalism of a social worker depends on the level and depth of knowledge and the application of scientific methods for studying social problems. At the same time, a social worker engaged in scientific research, trying to explain the essence and effectiveness of his practice using scientific methods, must be guided by the general principles of scientific activity, namely:
- when starting a study, it is necessary to carefully weigh its possible consequences for people;
- it is necessary to obtain the voluntary and informed consent of research participants, to make sure that none of them faces sanctions or punishment in case of refusal to participate, and to strictly respect the personal rights and dignity of participants;
- it is necessary to ensure that research participants are protected from unauthorized physical or psychological discomfort, suffering, harm, danger or damage;
- discussion of the services provided or individual cases of the provision of social services should be carried out only in the coordinates of the professional duties of the social worker and only with persons who are directly and by virtue of their profession related to this;
- it is necessary to guarantee the confidentiality of information about its participants obtained during the research;
- the researcher should take credit only for the work that he has actually done and give credit to the contributions made by others.
The role of a particular method in each case is determined by a number of factors:
1) the purpose and nature of the problems solved during the research;
2) the presence of a material, technical and source base on which the research is conducted;
3) the state of knowledge on a particular problem, the qualifications and experience of a researcher or practitioner.

2. Classification of social methods
The classification of social work methods is a very complex, underdeveloped, but relevant problem in the theory and practice of social work. Classification of methods is an important component of the scientific organization of social work. However, it should be noted that the description and analysis of methods, their ranking in the specialized literature is only in its infancy.
The modern system of scientific methods is as diverse as the system of knowledge about the surrounding world itself. In this regard, there are various classifications of methods depending on the characteristics underlying the classification: degree of generality, scope of application, content and nature of activity, etc.
In relation to the field of social work, in order to understand the place and role of methods, their classification according to the degree of generality is important, which is determined by the integrative nature of the theory and practice of social work. On this basis, we can distinguish general (philosophical) methods, general scientific methods and private special scientific methods.
1. The universal or philosophical method is understood as the unity of the ideological and methodological positions of the subject in various types of activity.
One of the main methods of social cognition is the universal method of materialist dialectics, the essence of which is that the process of identifying and understanding facts, events and phenomena is based on the reflection in the mind of the researcher of the objective dialectics of social reality itself. At the same time, any phenomenon or event is considered and studied in the state of its formation and development, which excludes subjectivity in the selection and interpretation of facts, bias and one-sidedness. Dialectics as a method of scientific research expands the possibilities of social foresight and forecasting, because it allows us to discover the deepest causes and connections of ongoing events, reveal their inherent internal patterns, and therefore, with a sufficient degree of scientific reliability, identify emerging trends in them.
It should be said that technology has long attracted the attention of philosophers, since human activity, in essence, is always technological.
Aristotle identified human-specific activity as a special concept, which in his philosophy was called “praxis”. He extended this concept not only to the side of material production, but also to the area of interpersonal, social, moral and political relations. It was this ancient Greek thinker who came quite close to the realization that both the political and everyday activities of people are technological in nature.
Indeed, within the framework of any professional and social activity, certain operations or sets of them are repeated, i.e. procedures that are carried out in one or another sequence to solve more or less similar problems.

2. General scientific methods are used in many areas of activity, including social work. Among them are:
- the method of scientific abstraction consists in abstracting in the process of cognition from external phenomena, aspects and highlighting (isolating) the deep essence of the process. This method is based on two stages of cognition: firstly, the research begins with a specific analysis and generalization of empirical material. Here the most general concepts and definitions of science are highlighted; secondly, on the basis of already known phenomena and concepts, an explanation of a new phenomenon occurs. This is the path of ascent from the abstract to the concrete;
- method of analysis and synthesis. Through analysis, the phenomenon under study, the process, is divided into its component parts and each is studied separately. The results of the analysis are considered holistically and, through synthesis, they recreate a single scientific picture of the social process;
- method of induction and deduction. With the help of induction (from the Latin guidance) a transition is ensured from the study of individual facts to general provisions and conclusions. Deduction (from the Latin deduction) makes it possible to move from the most general conclusions to relatively specific ones;
- the unity of the general and the specific in the theory and practice of social work. The technology of social work in a broad sense includes social theories of the process of social development, represents the unity of the method and the diversity of techniques;
- historical method. Historical research not only reveals the social patterns of the emergence, formation and development of phenomena in the context of historical time, but also helps to decompose the social forces and problems operating in its processes into components, identify their sequence, and determine priorities;
- a method of ascent from simple to complex. Social processes are a set of simple and complex social phenomena. In social development, simple relationships do not disappear; they become elements of a complex system. Complex social phenomena, based on simple (abstractions, categories) aspects of scientific knowledge, concentrate them and receive more comprehensive but specific definitions. Therefore, the development from simple to complex social processes is reflected in the movement of thinking from the abstract to the concrete;
- the unity of qualitative and quantitative analysis as a method of understanding social relations. Social theories cannot be limited to identifying only the qualitative side of social processes. They also explore quantitative relationships, thereby presenting known social phenomena in the form of a measure, or as a qualitatively defined quantity. For example, the measure of processes is represented by proportions, rates, and indicators of social development.
The unity of qualitative and quantitative analysis requires the use of mathematical methods and electronic computer technology in social research. In turn, this requires a methodological determination of the place and role of mathematics in the theory and technology of social work.
One of the features of modern science is its increased mathematization. This does not mean that the use of mathematics in scientific research, in solving and testing the effectiveness of human activity is a completely new phenomenon, which arose only in the 20th century. Even in the last century, K. Marx wrote that science achieves perfection only when it uses mathematics;
- the genetic method is aimed at studying the continuity of the development process of concepts, categories, theory, methodology and technology of social work;
- the concrete sociological method clarifies and shows social connections, their effectiveness, public opinion, feedback; includes empirical methods such as questioning, interviewing, observation, experiment, testing, etc.;
- methods of formalization - compiling data on the processes of social development of subjects and objects of management in the form of diagrams, graphs, tables, etc.;
- analogy method - assessment of a specific social situation, work results based on the experience of assessing other organizations, entities, etc.;
- a systemic-structural or structural-functional method is aimed at clarifying the integrity of phenomena, a new quality, identifying the components of the system of social development and work, clarifying the way they are interconnected and functions.

3. Private special scientific methods are specific ways of cognition and transformation of individual areas of the real world, inherent in a particular system of knowledge. These are, for example, the method of sociometry in sociology, correlation analysis in mathematics, etc. These methods, after appropriate transformation, are used in solving social work problems.
Neither in domestic nor in foreign practice is there a single usage of words regarding particular methods and techniques of scientific research. Some authors call the same system of actions a method, others - a technique, others - a procedure or methodology, and sometimes - a methodology.
Famous sociologist V.A. Yadov explains these terms as follows: method is the main way of collecting, processing and analyzing data; technique - a set of special techniques for the effective use of a particular method; methodology - a set of technical techniques associated with a given method, including private operations, their sequence and interrelation; procedure - the sequence of all operations, the general system of actions and methods of organizing research.
For example, when studying public opinion, a sociologist uses a questionnaire as a data collection method. Further, for various reasons, he formulates some questions in an open form, and some in a closed form. These two methods form the technique of this questionnaire survey. Application form, i.e. the instrument for collecting primary data and the corresponding instructions to the respondent constitute in this case a methodology.
In the professional activity of a social worker, the method is a method of action; it mediates the goal and the result, serves to connect the intended goal with the means to achieve it, and sets the most fruitful path to success.
Through research, practitioners can find out whether their methods work and whether their program goals are achieved. Research can be carried out by social workers themselves or by other professionals (for example, sociologists), but professional social workers are increasingly aware of the value of conducting research themselves. Research helps establish which types of practical interventions are most effective and under what circumstances.
Social work methods are constantly developing, enriching, and improving. They are in close interaction with forms of social work. But the method and form of social work should not be identified, as often happens in practical work, and sometimes in scientific publications. If a method is a way, a way to achieve a goal and solve a problem, then the form is a way of organizing the content of work, combining certain functions of work. Thanks to the forms of work, methods are filled with specific content, expressing the essential connections and relationships of social work.
The interconnected nature of social, economic, psychological, pedagogical, and legal problems requires their comprehensive study. In this case, what is necessary is not a merger, but cooperation of various sciences (humanities and natural sciences), and the cooperation is not simple, but complex, that is, based on the interdisciplinary division of labor. Therefore, the methods of theory, methods and technologies of social work are constantly enriched with modern scientific apparatus and research methods widely used in other sciences.
It must be said that the use of data from related sciences in social work is associated with certain difficulties. First, borrowed ideas and data are not always synthesized and adapted to new needs. Secondly, some ideas are borrowed in a simplified version and are sometimes practically falsified in the process of their adaptation. Thirdly, it often happens that social workers operate with specific data or ideas from other sciences that are already outdated or, conversely, are in their infancy and testing.
Technology is a system of algorithms, procedures, methods and means proposed by science, used in social practice, which should lead to predetermined results of activity and guarantee the receipt of products of a given quantity and quality. “Any activity can be either technology or art. Art is based on intuition, technology is based on science. Everything begins with art, ends with technology, and then everything starts all over again.”
Until the technology is created, individual skill prevails. But sooner or later it gives way to “collective mastery,” the concentrated expression of which is technology.
It should be noted that the activity of social work, due to its status, has a number of restrictions that allow it to carry out work only within certain limits, in particular:
- dependence on the state of the economic and social situation in the country (labor market, unemployment, housing problems, timely payment of wages, pensions, benefits, etc.);
- the actual level of provision with the necessary resources, the possibility of active interaction, mediation with other social institutions (state institutions, schools, law enforcement agencies, medical institutions, etc.);
- boundaries of the social worker’s functional responsibilities and his professional status.
The task of social work technology theorists is to study various aspects of social phenomena, analyze, generalize and then transfer verified data to those subjects who practically solve problems of social development. The application of scientific theory in social work technologies is a method of thinking by a social worker about a person, his needs and interests, which, unlike the ordinary, everyday, can be isolated and tested for reliability, verified.
Without knowledge of the laws operating in specific social systems and processes, without connections with humanitarian and natural knowledge, it is impossible to improve the scientific nature of the technology of social work, nor its streamlining and objectification, the determination of specific patterns inherent in its functions. The technological process in the practice of social work is one of the necessary steps. The technology is designed to look for the most convenient ways to solve problems, optimize efforts, and select acceptable options. At the same time, without proper humanization, providing the subject with wider choice and freedom of action, it does not have the right to recognition and use.
The processes of social development of individuals and social groups are not spontaneous, they are determined and regulated by socially necessary motivational aspects of the behavior of an individual (group), its interests and needs. Social work, in essence, is purposeful management activity to solve social problems, situations of both internal and external nature. All this increases the role of the social worker as a manager, organizer, increases the importance of his knowledge, experience, intuition, and ability to devote all his strength to protecting the interests of the client. Working with people is also training and education of children and adults, which has a specific focus, solving psychological situations and problems of social development.
Consequently, methods of social management occupy a significant place in the activities of a social worker, including methods of influence, a set of techniques, operations and procedures for preparing and making decisions, and organizing its implementation.
The basis for classifying methods of practical activities of social work can be the interests, needs of individuals, as well as the social interests of management systems.
An analysis of the practical activities of social sector management bodies allows us to identify four main groups of social work methods: organizational and administrative or administrative, socio-economic, pedagogical, and psychological. Sometimes they talk about legal methods. According to a number of authors, legal (legal) methods must be considered in the context of the legal foundations of management, since the content and boundaries of the application of administrative and economic methods are regulated by regulations that legally establish the competence, rights and obligations of management subjects, the ability to maneuver resources, etc.
The leading place in the practice of social work is occupied by administrative and economic methods. The division of these methods is to a certain extent arbitrary, since a clear separation of each of them is not always possible: they interact with each other and have many common features. At the same time, they have differences in the methods and motivational mechanism of influence on management objects.