Conflict Resolution Class
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85 Terms
The process that two or more parties use to find a peaceful solution to their dispute.
The absence of direct violence and conflict but does not address underlying causes of tension or injustice.
A state of harmony within a society where root causes of conflict are addressed, promoting social, economic, and political stability.
Harm caused by social, economic, and political systems that maintain inequality and oppression.
Encompasses aspects of culture that legitimize or justify direct or structural violence within a society.
What is resource scarcity?
When there is a limited availability of essential resources—such as land, water, energy, or wealth
How does resource scarcity cause conflict?
Competition over scarce resources can lead to tension, disputes, and even violent conflicts as groups or individuals may compete for access to resources.
How do ideological differences cause conflict?
When people or groups have fundamentally different ideologies—whether political, religious, or cultural—it can lead to misunderstandings, mistrust, and clashes. These differences are often deeply rooted in identity, making compromise difficult.
How does a power struggle cause conflict?
Individuals or groups may seek to gain, maintain, or increase their power within a social, political, or economic system. Struggles for dominance or control over institutions, governments, or organizations often result in conflict, especially when one party feels marginalized or oppressed.
What is economic inequality?
Disparities in wealth, income, and access to economic opportunities can create tensions between different social or economic groups.
When certain groups feel deprived or disenfranchised due to economic inequality, they may rebel, protest, or engage in acts of violence to demand change or fairness.
How do historical grievances cause conflict?
Unresolved historical wrongs or injustices can create lasting animosities between groups or nations. These grievances often get passed down through generations, and if not addressed, they can reignite old conflicts.
How do ethnic and cultural differences lead to conflict?
When groups with distinct ethnic or cultural identities are in competition or conflict, the resulting tension can escalate into violent clashes, particularly when one group feels marginalized or threatened by another.
How do political or governance failures create conflict?
Conflicts that arise from a lack of effective governance, corruption, or the absence of fair representation in political systems.
How do political or governance failures lead to conflict?
Weak or corrupt political systems can generate frustration and lead citizens to become involved in protests or violence. When citizens feel they are not being heard or represented, they may resort to protest or violence to demand change.
How does environmental stress causes conflict?
As climate change leads to rising temperatures, more frequent droughts, and extreme weather, the resulting environmental stress can exacerbate resource shortages, trigger mass migration, and increase competition for vital resources, all of which can lead to conflict.
How does communication escalate conflict?
Miscommunication/Poor communication: As conflict grows, communication tends to break down. Misunderstandings, lack of clarity or harsh language can escalate tensions.
Negative communication patterns: Repeating negative or aggressive messages (such as accusations or threats) without listening to the other party can lead to a cycle of escalating hostility, where each side becomes entrenched in their position.
How do emotions escalate conflict?
Strong emotions: When individuals or groups feel threatened, frustrated, or misunderstood, emotions like anger, fear, or resentment can heighten. These strong emotions cloud judgment, leading people to react impulsively or aggressively, which can fuel the conflict.
Fight-or-Flight: In emotionally charged situations, people often either "fight" (escalating the conflict by becoming combative or defensive) or "flee" (avoiding the issue, which may lead to unresolved tension or passive-aggressive behaviors).
How do social and identity-based tensions cause conflict?
When certain groups feel their identities are under threat or are treated unjustly, they may resist or challenge the status quo. This can lead to tension and conflict, particularly in societies with historical or systemic discrimination.
What is environmental stress and climate change?
Conflicts that arise as a result of environmental changes, natural disasters, or the effects of climate change.
How does fear and mistrust cause conflict?
When one group perceives another as a threat—whether due to historical enmity, cultural differences, or military buildup—fear and mistrust can drive them to preemptively act in ways that escalate conflict.
What are the causes of interpersonal conflict?
Misunderstandings, competition, jealousy, differing goals or priorities, poor communication, or unmet needs.
What are the causes of intergroup conflict?
Ethnic, cultural, religious, or ideological differences; competition for limited resources (e.g., jobs, land, power); and historical grievances.
What are the causes of organizational conflict?
Poor communication, unclear roles and responsibilities, lack of resources, organizational change, competition, or leadership issues.
What are the causes of international conflict?
Territorial disputes, competition for resources, historical grievances, power struggles, or differences in political ideologies or national interests.
How does perception escalate conflict?
Increased Hostility: As conflict escalates, individuals often perceive the other side as more hostile or malicious, even if that’s not the case. This is called a “negative perception spiral”, where each side assumes the worst intentions of the other, leading to more extreme actions and less willingness to compromise.
Polarization: The more a conflict escalates, the more people see the situation in “us vs. them” terms. This can increase in-group solidarity but also create a deeper division, where both sides become more extreme in their views and less open to resolving the conflict.
How does behavioral escalation intensify conflict?
As emotions and perceptions intensify, the behaviors of individuals or groups involved in the conflict become more extreme. This could involve verbal aggression, personal attacks, or even physical confrontation in severe cases. The more intense the behavior, the harder it becomes to de-escalate the situation, as both parties become more defensive and less willing to listen.
What are the 3 conflict theories?
Structural functionalism, Marxism, and Social exchange theory
What is Structural Functionalism?
A sociological perspective that views society as a system of interconnected parts, each contributing to the stability and functioning of the whole. It suggests that social institutions (family, education, economy, etc.) work together to maintain order and stability.
What is conflict in structural functionalism?
Conflict is often seen as a dysfunction in society or a breakdown in the normal functioning of the social system. It's not seen as something inherently bad but as an anomaly that disrupts equilibrium. Conflict arises when one part of the system (e.g., a group, institution, or social class) fails to fulfill its role or when there is tension between competing interests. Conflict can, however, lead to social change by highlighting weaknesses in social structures and prompting adjustments to restore balance.
What is Marxism?
It focuses on the role of economic structures in shaping society. It emphasizes the power struggles between different social classes, particularly the conflict between the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class).
What is conflict in Marxism?
Conflict is central to the functioning of society, as it arises from the inherent contradictions between social classes. They argue that class struggle drives history and societal change. The capitalist system is based on the exploitation of the working class by the ruling capitalist class, who control the means of production. This leads to tension and conflict. Marxists view this conflict as inevitable and productive—over time, it can lead to revolutionary change (e.g., overthrowing the capitalist system) and the establishment of a classless society.
What is social exchange theory?
It is rooted in the idea that social behavior is the result of exchanges between individuals or groups, each acting in their self-interest to maximize rewards and minimize costs. It draws heavily on principles from economics and psychology.
What is conflict in social exchange theory?
Conflict arises when the costs of an exchange outweigh the perceived rewards or when individuals or groups feel that the terms of the exchange are unfair. Social exchange theory focuses on individual-level interactions and how perceived imbalances in resources or rewards can lead to conflict. If one party has more power or resources, they may be able to control the exchange in a way that benefits them disproportionately, which can lead to dissatisfaction and conflict.
What are the 2 psychological theories of conflict?
Frustration-aggression hypothesis and social identity theory
The Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement, which is the best option available if a negotiation fails.
What is frustration-aggression hypothesis?
Suggests that frustration can lead to aggression as a means of coping with or releasing that frustration.
What are they key points of the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
Frustration leads to aggression: When people are unable to achieve their goals due to obstacles, they experience frustration. This frustration triggers an emotional response, often aggression, as a way to restore a sense of control or power.
Aggression as a response to blocked goals: People direct aggression toward the source of their frustration, or sometimes they redirect it to a scapegoat.
Catharsis: The idea was once thought to be that expressing aggression would provide a "cathartic" release of tension and reduce future aggressive impulses. Later research suggests that venting aggression doesn't reduce it; instead, it can sometimes fuel more aggression.
What are the criticisms of the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
Not all frustration leads to aggression: Some individuals may cope with frustration in non-aggressive ways, such as withdrawing or using problem-solving techniques.
Aggression is not always the result of frustration: Other factors, such as personality traits, environment, or social influences, can also play a major role in triggering aggression.
What is the social identity theory?
Focuses on how individuals’ sense of identity and belonging to certain social groups shapes their behavior, particularly in intergroup conflict.
What are the key points of social identity theory?
Social categorization: People tend to categorize themselves and others into groups (e.g., "us" vs. "them"). These groups can be based on characteristics like nationality, race, religion, profession, etc.
Ingroup vs. Outgroup: Once people categorize themselves as belonging to a particular ingroup (e.g., their nation, their team, their religion), they develop strong ingroup favoritism. This means they will often favor and support people who belong to their ingroup over those from an outgroup.
Outgroup discrimination: Social Identity Theory suggests that the ingroup will view the outgroup with bias or hostility. This can lead to conflict when ingroups feel threatened by or in competition with outgroups.
Self-esteem and group affiliation: People derive a significant portion of their self-esteem from their social identities. If a group is seen as inferior or threatened, the individuals within that group may experience a drop in self-esteem, which can lead to defensive, aggressive behavior or conflict as a way of protecting or asserting the ingroup’s superiority.
What are the criticisms of social identity theory?
Overemphasis on group dynamics: Critics argue that Social Identity Theory can sometimes oversimplify the reasons for intergroup conflict, focusing too much on the group and not enough on individual psychological factors or broader societal issues.
Complexity of group membership: Individuals can belong to multiple, overlapping groups. The theory doesn't always account for the complexity of multiple identities and how they might interact
What are the 3 key theories of conflict escalation?
The escalation model, the model of conflict spiral, and the role of miscommunication
What are the 4 key theories of conflict de-escalation?
The five-step model of de-escalation, the crisis communication model, the role of third-party mediation, the power of reframing.
What is conflict escalation?
The process where a disagreement or tension increases in intensity, potentially leading to more severe and destructive forms of conflict. Several theories explain how and why conflicts escalate.
What is the escalation model (Dean G. Pruitt & Peter J. Carnevale)?
This model suggests that conflict escalation involves a series of stages, where the conflict grows more intense over time. Each stage makes it harder to resolve the conflict, and the parties involved often adopt more adversarial or aggressive positions.
What are the stages of the escalation model?
Early Stage (Disagreement or tension): Initially, the conflict may involve minor misunderstandings or differences in goals. The focus is often on resolving specific issues.
Threatening Stage: If parties perceive the conflict as unresolved or unaddressed, they may begin to perceive the other side as a threat. This can lead to more extreme language or actions.
Polarization: As the conflict continues, both parties may become more entrenched in their positions. The sense of "us vs. them" becomes stronger, and people begin to view the conflict as a zero-sum situation (i.e., one side wins and the other loses).
Violence and Destruction: In extreme cases, the conflict can escalate into physical violence, destruction of property, or even war. At this stage, negotiation becomes more difficult, and both parties may adopt more aggressive strategies.
What is the model of conflict spiral (Glasl’s Nine-Stage Model)?
The model suggests that conflict escalates in nine stages, which can be grouped into three levels
What are the stages of the model of conflict spiral?
Level 1: Win-Win (Problem-solving): The conflict begins with negotiation and attempts to solve the problem collaboratively.
Level 2: Win-Lose (Competitive/Adversarial): At this point, the conflict becomes more about defeating the other side than finding a solution. Parties begin to use threats, power tactics, and manipulation.
Level 3: Lose-Lose (Destructive): At this stage, both sides are committed to destruction rather than resolution. Communication breaks down entirely, and both parties may resort to violence, threats, or sabotage.
What is the role of miscommunication (Robert D. Hare’s theory of Escalation)?
Focuses on miscommunication as a major driver of escalation. When parties involved in a conflict misinterpret each other's actions, motives, or words, it can fuel misunderstandings and frustration. Over time, these miscommunications add up and amplify the conflict, leading to increased hostility.
What is conflict de-escalation?
Conflict de-escalation refers to the process of reducing the intensity of a conflict, aiming to calm tensions and create a path to resolution. Effective de-escalation strategies are crucial in preventing conflicts from spiraling out of control.
What is the five-step model of de-escalation (Thomas-Kilmann Model)?
Includes a framework for resolving conflicts and potentially de-escalating them by encouraging specific behaviors.
What are the steps of the five-step model of de-escalation?
Competing: When both parties pursue their goals at the expense of others, a competitive stance escalates the conflict.
Accommodating: One party yields to the other's demands, which can reduce tension but may not always lead to a sustainable resolution.
Avoiding: Sometimes, temporarily stepping back from a conflict can reduce its intensity and give both sides time to cool down.
Collaborating: In this case, both sides actively work together to find a solution. This is the most constructive and often leads to long-term de-escalation.
Compromising: Both parties give up something in order to reach a middle ground, which can reduce the conflict's intensity.
What is the crisis communication model (Robert A. Baruch Bush & Joseph Folger)
This model focuses on communication as the primary tool for de-escalation. In high-stakes conflicts, how parties communicate can either escalate or de-escalate the situation.
What are the practices the crisis communication model encourages to de-escalate conflict?
Active listening: Letting the other party feel heard and understood can help lower tensions.
Empathy: Demonstrating understanding of the other party's perspective fosters goodwill.
Calm, non-threatening language: Avoiding aggressive or inflammatory language reduces the likelihood of escalating a conflict.
Acknowledging emotions: Validating the emotional experiences of the parties involved can defuse some of the anger or frustration.
Avoidance, accommodation, competition, compromise, and collaboration.
What are the conflict resolution strategies?
Collaborative problem solving, negotiation skills, mediation techniques, and creative problem-solving.
What is conflict management?
Conflict management is the process of identifying, addressing, and resolving disputes in a constructive manner. It involves understanding different perspectives, minimizing negative outcomes, and fostering positive relationships while working toward a mutually beneficial resolution. Effective conflict management does not necessarily eliminate conflict but ensures it is handled in a way that leads to growth, understanding, and improved interactions.
What is the role of third-party mediation?
It can help by facilitating a neutral space for communication, offering perspectives, and suggesting possible compromises.
What is the power of reframing (changing perceptions)?
Changes the way people view the conflict or the issues at hand. Instead of seeing the situation as a “battle,” reframing encourages both parties to see it as an opportunity to collaborate or solve a problem.
When is avoidance best used?
It’s best used when the conflict is trivial, emotions are too high and time is needed to cool down and the costs of engaging in conflict outweigh the benefits.
What are the risks of avoidance?
Avoidance can lead to unresolved issues and may cause resentment over time.
When is accommodation best used?
Best used when preserving the relationship is more important than winning, you’re wrong and the other person has a better solution, and the issue is minor to you but significant to the other person.
What are the risks of accommodation?
It can lead to people taking advantage of you and suppressing personal needs may lead to resentment.
When is competition best used?
Best used when quick decisions are needed, you need to stand up for your rights, and you have all the power/resources on your side.
What are the risks of competition?
It can damage relationships ad may escalate conflicts unnecessarily.
When is compromise best used?
Best when a quick resolution is needed, both parties have equal power, and both parties must give something up to reach an agreement.
What are the risks of compromise?
It can lead to dissatisfaction and sometimes a lose-lose instead of a win-win.
When is collaboration best used?
Best used when the issue is important to both parties and can’t be ignored, a long-term relationship needs to be preserved, a creative solution is possible rather than settling for an either-or choice, and both parties are willing to engage in open discussion and problem-solving.
What are the risks of collaboration?
There’s not enough time to work through a detailed solution, one party is acting in bad faith or refusing to communicate, the issue is trivial, and over-discussion is unnecessary.
What is emotional intelligence?
Recognizing and managing emotions in yourself and others. Using emotions to guide thinking rather than letting them take over. Responding instead of reacting in conflicts.
Distributive Negotation
(Win-Lose): Zero-sum approach, where one party's gain is the other party’s loss
Integrative Negotiation
(Win-Win): Focuses on mutual benefit by expanding the pie rather than dividing it
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