Conflict & Power

These flashcards cover key concepts, definitions, and details related to conflict and power dynamics.

Conflict

A process that occurs when people perceive incompatible goals or feel someone is interfering with their ability to achieve their objectives.

Perception errors

Mistakes in interpretation of situations, including self-enhancing errors where individuals view their own behavior too positively.

Dynamic conflict

Conflict that changes, escalates, or de-escalates unpredictably over time.

Kitchen-sinking

Bringing up unrelated past issues during a conflict.

Power

The ability to influence or control people and events.

Power currency

A resource that other people value, which can increase one's power.

Material currency

Resources such as money, property, or food that are valuable.

Expertise currency

Specialized knowledge or skills that others rely on.

Social network currency

Connections with influential friends, family, and acquaintances.

Personal currency

Qualities like charisma, beauty, intelligence, humor, and confidence that can create influence.

Intimacy currency

A unique bond that provides influence due to the depth of the relationship.

Avoidance

A conflict handling style that involves ignoring the conflict or refusing to discuss it.

Accommodation

A conflict handling style where one abandons their own goals to satisfy the other person’s desires.

Competition

A conflict handling style characterized by high concern for self and low concern for others.

Reactivity

Responding to conflict with emotional explosive communication rather than pursuing resolution.

Collaboration

The most constructive conflict handling style, with high concern for both parties' goals.

Separation

An immediate outcome of conflict where one person withdraws.

Domination

A conflict outcome where one person's goals are met while the other’s are not.

Compromise

A conflict outcome where both partners alter their goals to find middle ground.

Integrative agreements

Creative solutions in conflict where both partners' original goals are maintained.

Structural improvements

Changes made to the relationship rules or expectations to prevent future conflict.

Self-enhancing biases

Seeing oneself as the victim or 'good guy' in a conflict situation.

Attribution errors

Misinterpreting someone’s motives as intentional or malicious.

Constructive conflict management barriers

Factors such as power struggles and lack of collaborative mindset that hinder effective conflict resolution.

Gender and culture in conflict

Types of influences on power dynamics, conflict norms, and comfort with confrontation depending on gender and cultural background.

Individualistic cultures

Cultures that emphasize direct conflict and self-expression.

Collectivistic cultures

Cultures that prioritize harmony, indirect conflict styles, and group cohesion.