Conflict Theory Article

What was goal of study?

• examine how power differences between family members relate to conflict strategies and conflict reolustion

• how do these dynamics play out with equal power relationships (siblings, or spouses)

How did they design the study?

• within family observation style

• 6 dyads recorded

  • mother-older sibling

  • mother-younger sibling

  • father-older sibling

  • father-younger sibling

  • siblings

  • spouses

• each pair discussed an unresolved conflict

What was the method?

• participants:

  • 67 middle-class, diverse families w/ 2 children 3-12

• procedure:

  • each dyad talks discusses real unresolved conflict at home max 13 mins

• data collection

  • videotaped and transcribed

  • captures both verbal and non-verbal behviour

• coding

  • coders analyzed transcripts for conflict strategies

    • planning

  • and outcomes

    • standoff, compromise, etc.

How did they code the data?

• Strategies

  • coded for planning

    • proposing solutions

    • cooperation

  • coded for opposition

    • disagreements, accusations, counter argument

• Resolution

  • each discussion had a code for final outcome

    • compromise

      • both achieve some goal

    • win-loss

      • one wins one lose

    • standoff

      • no resolution

• coding reliability

What were the results of the study?

• conflict outcomes

  • parent child discussions ended with win-loss outcomes

    • favoured parents

  • sibling-sibling or spouse-spouse discussions ended in standoffs typically

• strategies

  • parents used more planning and opposition than kids

  • but with spouses they were more oppositional

• resolution?

  • more planning and less opposition lead to achieving resolution (specifically compromises)

  • association between strategies and outcomes varied by dyads

    • parents strategies were stronger linked to outcome in parent-child relationships

    • older-sibling strategies were more influential in sibling conflict

• fun findings

  • younger siblings were more oppositional

  • older siblings planned more

  • mothers and fathers strategies had nuanced differences

  • mother planned with more equitable resolutions (for spouses)