CONFLICT

Chapter 12

What is Conflict

Definition: Disagreement, discord and friction that occur when the actions or beliefs of one or more members of the group are unacceptable to and are resisted by one or more of the other group members Types Intergroup conflict involves two or more groups Intragroup conflict occurs within a group

Assumptions & Opinions of Conflict

Some people are always itching for a fight. People who are aggressive are mentally unstable. The human species is, by nature, aggressive. Women are the gentler gender.

The best way to deal with conflict is to talk things over.

What is Conflict

Roots of Conflict

Conflict questions:

Who has won? (competition) Who gets what? (resource distribution) Who is in charge? (power struggles) Who decides? (decisional conflict) Who do I like? (personal conflict)

Conflict and Competition

Deutsch: Cooperation versus competition Mixed-motive conflict and the prisoners dilemma game (PDG) The norm of reciprocity Social values orientation: cooperators, competitors, and individualists Sex differences

Don
Doesnt Confess 1 years Doesnt confesses 1 years Confesses 0 years

10 years

Claire
10 years Confesses 5 year

0 years

5 year

Prisoners Dilemma Game

Don
Choice A + $25 Choice A + $25 - $25

Choice B
+ $50

Claire
- $25 Choice B - $10

+ $50

-$10

Prisoners Dilemma Game

Sharing

Sharing: Social dilemmas Groups as social dilemmas: Self-interest (selfserving) vs. group interest (group-serving) Types Social traps (commons dilemmas): exploiting shared resources Public goods dilemmas: contributions to public goods (free-riding) Fairness dilemmas: distributive vs. procedural justice, distribution norms Responsibility dilemmas: egocentrism vs. sociocentrism

Sources of Conflict

Controlling: Power struggles Deciding: Substantive vs. procedural conflicts

Liking and disliking: Personal conflicts

Attraction decreases conflict but disaffection (repulsion) increases conflict Conflict and diversity in groups Balance theory: members respond negatively when they disagree with those they like

Why Does Conflict Escalate

Uncertainty Commitment Perception Misperception Fundamental attribution error Misperceptions of motives Weak Tactics Stronger Tactics Trucking game experiment (Deutsch & Krauss, 1960) Communication can increase conflict if used to threaten

Why Does Conflict Escalate? (cont)

Reciprocity Upward Conflict Spiral

Norm of reciprocity Rough (overmatching) and light reciprocity (undermatching)

Few Many (coalition formation) Irritation Anger (contagion)

Conflict Management
Commitment Negotiation

Finding solutions by negotiating Types: soft, hard, and principled negotiators

Misperception Understanding

Conflict Management

Strong Tactics Cooperative Tactics

Types of tactics: Avoiding, yielding, fighting, & cooperating Dimensions: negative-positive and activepassive

Upward Downward Conflict Spirals

Axelrods Tit for Tat strategy (TFT) Characteristics: provocable, reciprocal, forgiving

Conflict Management

Many Few Mediators: third party interventions Types: inquisitorial, arbitration, moot Anger Composure

Does Resolved Conflict Lead to Improved Group Functioning?

Conflict is a natural consequence of joining a group Cooperation promotes group unity, harmony, conflict undermines the group Resolving non-personal conflicts may promote group functioning, but unclear

Conclusion
1.
2. 3.

Uncertainty Commitment Negotiation

Perception Misperception Understanding Weak Tactics Stronger Tactics Cooperative Tactics Reciprocity Upward Conflict Spiral Downward spiral Few Many (coalition formation) Few Irritation Anger (contagion) Composure

4.

5. 6.