Chapter 13-Conflict In Interpersonal Communication

This chapter examined interpersonal conflict, one possible model to follow in trying to resolve conflicts, and some of the popular productive and unproductive conflict strategies Nature of Conflict What is interpersonal conflict?

• Interpersonal conflict is a disagreement between connected individuals who each want something that is incompatible with what the other wants.
• Interpersonal conflict is neither good nor bad, but depending on how the disagreements are resolved, the conflict can strengthen or weaken a relationship.
• Conflict can center on matters external to the relationship and on relationship issues such as who's the boss.
• Conflict and the strategies used to resolve it are heavily influenced by culture.
• Before the conflict: Try to fight in private, fight when you're ready, know what you're fighting about, and fight about problems that can be solved.
• After the conflict: Learn something from the conflict, keep the conflict in perspective, attack your negative feelings, and increase the exchange of rewards.

Conflict Resolution Stages

How do you go about resolving a conflict or solving a problem?

• Define the conflict: Define the content and relationship issues in specific terms, avoiding gunnysacking and mindreading, and try to empathize with the other person.
• Examine the possible solutions: Try to identify as many solutions as possible, look for win-win solutions, and carefully weigh the costs and rewards of each solution.
• Test the solution mentally and in practice to see if it works.
• Evaluate the tested solution from a variety of perspectives.
• Accept the solution and integrate it into your behavior. Or reject the solution and begin again, for example, defining the problem differently or looking in other directions for possible solutions.

Conflict Management Strategies

What are some of the strategies that people use that may help or hinder resolving the conflict?

• Become an active participant in the conflict; don't avoid the issues or the arguments of the other person.
• Use talk to discuss the issues rather than trying to force the other person to accept your position.
• Try to enhance the self-esteem, the face, of the person you're arguing with; avoid strategies that may cause the other person to lose face.
• Argue the issues, focusing as objectively as possible on the points of disagreement; avoid being verbally aggressive or attacking the other person.

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