THE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS AND THEIR

ROLE IN THE ADAPTATION TO THE MILITARY

MEDIUM
Asist. univ. Ilie Oana-Antonia

Abstract:
The interpersonal relations looked upon as psychosocial phenomena occupy
an important place in the system of human relationships. As a compounding
part of this system, the interpersonal relations have an important influence
over the process of military individual development, on the efficiency of
their activity and on the complex process of adaptation to the military
medium.
The communicational relations enable the cohesion of the group, help
building the self-esteem and give the possibility of solving interpersonal
problems and conflicts.

Keywords: adaptation, military medium, communicational

relations, integration.

In the military medium there are daily taking place different

processes and phenomena; the connections between the different
members and the new authorities are confirmed, there are conflicts
taking place, constructive debates, the group develops and
consolidates during the daily activities. There are different types of
interpersonal relations:
-cognitive (the military recruits come to know eachother, share
opinions and beliefs)
-affective - sympathethical ( preferring or rejecting the other)
-functional ( interaction in the daily activities)
-communicational (the recruits change information, opinions and
beliefs)
The communicational relations are considered most
important, communication being a fundamental form of
manifestation of interpersonal interaction, being compared with an
universe of symbols, tastes, attitudes, paraverbal elements, mimics
or pantomimics.
The communicational relationships represent the medium and
the mechanism that mediates all the interpersonal relationships
established between the militaries from the subunits, because by
exchanging information they can accommodate to the military
medium and its solicitations. Therefore we can appreciate that the
communicational relations have a double role: of information and
of reciprocal influence.
The complex activity developed for the adaptation and
integration of young people in the military medium is facilitated by
the instructive and educative activity developed by the military
instructors and includes the adaptation to the new conditions and
activities.
After being recruited, the young man takes his military
uniform, has to conform to the program and to respect the military
norms. He is confronted with new situations, with an unfamiliar
environment and with people that are at the moment complete
strangers for him. The relationships with the family and the close
ones are interrupted.
Parting from the dear ones can have strong affective
influence over their evolution. In this situation he must be helped
to overcome the negative emotions connected to the new medium,
to understand the meanings of the military service, of the positive
consequences brought by discipline, order and military instruction
and service.
In this stage of understanding the meanings of military
activity, an essential part is played by the educational factors and
first of all, by the subunit commander.
The first days, the first contacts have important influence
over their feelings. The young recruits come in a new, unfamiliar
medium, which can make some of them nostalgic, others
expansive, others excessively reserved. No matter what is the
orientation of their feelings, each person needs warmth, affection;
that’s why a friendly and open atmosphere is required. The trust in
the commander, the relations based on respect are vital for the
consolidation of the positive traits and for the adaptation to the
specific requirements of the daily program. The subunit
commanders have to act from the beginning in such a manner that
they will facilitate the creation of a wide net of unofficial, moral
and stimulating relationships.
The cultural manifestations and the sport competitions, the
access to the library, watching films and TV programs, etc,
contribute to the physical equilibrium and to the overcoming of
personal problems.
The main difficulties that can appear in the process of
adaptation are:
-respecting the program and the punctuality
-showing respect, dressing accordingly
-subordination towards the superiors
-the conditions of extended effort
-lack of free time
-the absence of the family support
-inadequate equipment for the instruction
Most of the recruits have not formed skills of integrating in
an ordered program, organized by someone, and the majority did
not manifest a high capacity of resisting to extended physical
effort. The superficiality of some instructors, the fact that they do
not know the personality of the people in their suborder, giving too
many orders and tasks can lead to a psycho-social process with
negative effects for the army institution –the repulsion and the
opposition towards the military service.
The duration of the acclimatization to the military life varies
from one person to the other, from subunit to subunit and is
determined by a series of aspects:
-the militaries’ way of life until the recruitment
-the views on life and society of the young man, his opinions about
the importance of the army
-the physical, intellectual and motivational-relational
characteristics of the individual
-the existing conditions from the units and subunits
-the organizational capacity and the level of psycho-pedagogical
knowledge of the instructors
-the contribution of the military group to the integration of the will
and individual activity of each individual in the conditions of
military life.
For surpassing these difficulties we notice the importance of
the interpersonal relations from within the military group,
relations like cooperation, support, communication, authority,
respect and consideration.
A high value is that of the personal example of the
commander. Also, we notice the importance of the actions of the
military instructors, of the subofficers and the officers, who are
also examples for them. Life in the military medium is not easy
therefore the support and the appreciation of the superiors and the
respect accorded to the dignity of the recruit, the care for their
needs and preoccupations increase their trust in the superiors and
stimulate the integration in the military life.
The relations of friendship as forms of manifestation of
psychosocial relationships are essential. One of the forms of
mutual support is the transmitting of the professional knowledge or
of the experience by those with a superior qualification to the
people in their suborder. In the social microgroups friends accord
each other moral and material support when they encounter certain
professional or material difficulties.
The hours of studying together, the informational exchange
connected with the problems of the instructive-educational process,
or of other social domain have usually as a continuation the
formation and consolidation of friendly relationships.
The communicational relations are so important that some of
the authors considered them the key-elements in the understanding
and defining of interpersonal relations. They are important because
of the positive functions that they have: they facilitate the
accomplishment of every day’s tasks, they enable the cohesion of
the group, its unity, give value to the group, in the sense that
through communication we come to know the position of the
group, its originality and importance; they help building the
confidence in one’s own resources, give the possibility of solving
interpersonal problems and conflicts. As negative aspects, we
mention the blockage, the noise, the filtration and the distortion of
the information which can bring severe moral and material
prejudices to the groups.

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