Introduction. During life, each of us constantly contacts and communicates with different people, society. The whole history of mankind is the history of establishing and developing contacts, interaction of people that are generated by the needs of common activity. The need for a person to communicate is determined by the need to interact in the learning process, common activities, solving any everyday issues.Purpose deals with theoretical consideration of the history of communication concept study as a subject of scientific knowledge and analysis of the communication study in the works of leading scientists-psychologists.Methods. In the process of work theoretical analysis and systematization of scientific-theoretical and methodical sources were used.Results . The issue of communication in psychology began to be intensively developed in the 20-30's of the twentieth century. For the first time, this attempt was made by V.M. Bekhterev in connection with his developed social reflexology. In his view, communication serves as a mechanism that brings people together into groups and conditions for socialization of the individual. Subsequently, his ideas were captured by young scientists who continued to study and develop the problem of communication, among them are A.F. Lazursky, V.M. Myasishchev, O.O. Leont'ev, and B.F. Lomov, O.O.Bodalev, B.G. Ananiev, that with their scientific achievements contributed to the emergence of an independent branch of psychological science - psychology of communication. Nowadays the category of "communication" is one of the central in psychological science, along with the categories of "thinking", "activity", "personality", "relationships".Originality. Studying the problem of communication both in the post-Soviet space and in foreign countries has become one of the leading areas of research over the last 25-30 years. It’s explained by the need of modern society to get a complete image of human mental life in the context of social factors action (communication, in particular), that determine this life and also learn how to use these factors effectively.Conclusion. Without communication, as a special kind of activity, it is impossible to develop human as a personality, as a subject of activity, as an individual. It satisfies person's need in contact with other people. The content and forms of communication influence the development of certain qualities of an individual, that is why we see the prospect of further research in the development and testing the communication training for adolescents, in order to acquire the necessary skills and skills for effective interpersonal interaction.

В статье представлен теоретическое рассмотрение истории изучения понятия общение как предмета научного познания та проанализировано исследование вопроса общения в трудах ведучих учених-психологов. Освещено значение общения в жизни человека и показана его роль в процессе развития личности. Отмечено, что актуальность и социальная потребность обусловили отделение во второй половине ХХ века проблемы общения в отечественной психологи в самостоятельное научное направление. С того времени общение становится предметом інтенсивного нучного изучения.

У статті здійснено теоретичний розгляд історії вивчення поняття спілкування як предмету наукового пізнання та проаналізовано дослідження питання спілкування в працях провідних науковців-психологів. Висвітлено значення спілкування в житті людини та зазначено його роль в розвитку особистості. Зазначено, що актуальність і соціальна потреба обумовили відокремлення у другій половині XX сторіччя проблеми спілкування у вітчизняній психології в самостійний науковий напрям. З того часу спілкування стало предметом інтенсивного наукового вивчення.