Interpersonal conflict is a confrontation that arises in the process of an individual’s communicative interaction with the social environment. In other words, an interpersonal conflict in a group is in some way a contradiction that arises in a separate situation among subjects when they begin to perceive events as a problem with a psychological component that requires immediate resolution. A prerequisite for the emergence of interpersonal conflict is the presence of a contradiction that creates an obstacle to communication or the achievement of personal goals.
Interpersonal conflicts in a team are more common than other types of confrontations.
Basic concept
In psychology, interpersonal conflict is a situation in which the needs and goals of one person come into conflict with the ideas about them of another individual.
Some experts are of the opinion that collisions are bad. In fact, their appearance in a person’s life is inevitable. Real social life will always be filled with various clashes.
Through confrontation, relationships are strengthened. The individual begins to better understand the other person, his needs and goals. At the same time, conflict can lead to a complete end to communication.
Principles of conduct
Intrapersonal conflict in psychology - types, causes and consequences
Experts identify 5 main behavioral models:
- Competitive - people try to put their own interests above others.
- Adaptive - one is ready to give in to the other.
- Avoidant – the individual tries with all his might to get away from the confrontation.
- Compromise - both sides are ready to make concessions.
- Collaborative - all parties to the conflict try to resolve it in such a way that everyone wins.
Causes
Types of conflicts in psychology and ways to resolve them
Confrontation may arise due to a clash of characters. Each person has his own special personal qualities. Subconsciously, he is confident that he is right, so it is difficult for him to accept someone else’s point of view.
Important! The conflict will continue until someone changes their behavior.
Confrontation may arise due to different views on life. An individual may have his own point of view on family and other values. Other opinions on these issues are not accepted. This is where family quarrels often begin.
Sometimes a person may not realize that he is in a dependent relationship. In such an alliance, his behavior is distorted, it seems to him that he is not responsible for his actions, this becomes a reason for confrontation.
At work, confrontations can flare up over shared projects.
Quarrels often arise between close people. The less individuals yield to each other, the more disputes they will have. It is constant conflicts that lead to divorce.
Relationships between people always lead to periodic clashes. The outcome of the confrontation depends only on the behavior of the parties. Sometimes it helps to better understand the feelings and position of another.
The third type of outcome is compromise.
This outcome means an open discussion of opinions and positions aimed at finding a solution that is most convenient and acceptable for both parties. In this case, partners put forward arguments in their own and others’ favor, do not use postponing decisions until another time, and do not unilaterally force one to one only possible option. The advantage of this outcome is the mutual equality of rights and obligations and the legalization (openness) of claims.
Compromise actually relieves tension or helps find an optimal solution. In a compromise option, the parties work out or come to a “middle solution.” An example from a family-marriage conflict. The wife asks her husband not to smoke in the apartment, as the smell of smoke irritates her. The husband considers himself entitled to “smoke in comfort,” and not on the stairs. Each party justifies its desire. Often, as a result of an “honest and equal” discussion, the most acceptable compromise solution for both is adopted. As in our example, the spouses can come to a final decision: the husband can smoke in the apartment, but in strictly designated places. Such a decision is fixed for a long time; it is a signed agreement, the violation of which is impossible, since each partner accepted it voluntarily.
Important signs
Not every confrontation can be considered something serious. A conflict situation has three main characteristics:
- Difference in views on one problem;
- Activity on each side;
- Reluctance of people to look for a solution to the situation.
Stages of conflict - a brief description of the main stages in psychology
Two or more people can participate in a conflict. Everyone will defend their position and point of view. Often the process of confrontation is associated with high emotional intensity.
Important! In psychology, it is generally accepted that conflict is always conscious. Each participant understands well what he is doing and why. Therefore, such situations do not arise on their own. Conflicts arise in any environment and at all social levels.
An experienced specialist will easily give a brief forecast of the outcome of the confrontation, because this phenomenon has already been well studied in psychology.
Ways to get out of a conflict situation
The most successful way out of a conflict situation is to find a compromise between the warring parties. In this case, the parties make a decision that suits all parties to the dispute. There are no remaining agreements or misunderstandings between the conflicting parties.
However, not in all cases it is possible to reach a compromise. Very often the outcome of a conflict is coercion. This option for resolving the conflict is most typical if one of the participants occupies a dominant position. For example, a leader forces a subordinate to do as he pleases, or a parent tells his child to do as he sees fit.
To prevent the conflict from gaining momentum, you can try to smooth it out. In this case, the person who is accused of something agrees with the reproaches and claims, and tries to explain the reason for his actions and actions. Using this method of getting out of a dispute does not mean that the essence of the conflict is understood and the mistakes are realized. It’s just that at the moment the accused does not want to enter into conflict.
Admitting your mistakes and repenting for what you have done is another way to resolve interpersonal conflict. An example of such a situation: a child regrets that he did not prepare his homework and received a bad grade, and promises his parents to continue to do his homework.
Kinds
There are several types of conflicts. Each of them has its own characteristics and consequences.
Motivational
This group includes confrontations that affect interests. For example, a husband and wife have different views on creating a common budget.
Disputes may also concern who will watch TV.
In severe cases, this type of conflict leads to separation. Its main symptom is the reluctance to make concessions and the desire to defend one’s interests at all costs.
Cognitive
It begins when the sphere of values is affected. Different views on life do not always lead to conflicts.
Important! Problems begin when one person decides to infringe on the values of another.
For example, a husband and wife do not have the same views on family life. The husband sees himself as the head of the family, and the wife at this time wants to build a career. If they start forcing each other to change their beliefs, then conflict is inevitable.
Role-playing
Occurs when a person violates accepted standards of decency. For example, rules of behavior may be established in a team. If an individual begins to consciously violate them, this will lead to confrontation.
Managing Emotions
When you are overwhelmed with emotions, it is better to restrain them rather than be led by them. If they do come out, let go of your fears and resentments. Have your say. If awkwardness appears after an emotional outburst, then it is better to leave. But this does not mean that admitting defeat is just a reason to continue to establish dialogue. A creative and flexible view of the situation is one of the methods of managing a collision.
When the conflict situation subsides, then when leaving it, ask for forgiveness. It will help restore relationships and extinguish negative emotions. Words that correctly reflect the situation will not humiliate you or your partner. When joint actions have not resolved the conflict situation, all that remains is to move on to independent actions.
In order to effectively manage and maneuver in controversial situations, you need to develop understanding. This will allow you to think and discuss problems more constructively. But only if a person lives in the present, is calm and knows how to clearly respond to changing situations. You can learn to manage conflict only with personal experience and constant internal growth.
Classifications
There are different definitions of conflict, which made it possible to identify five ways to classify them.
Solution
Thus, the basis of the first classification was the method of resolving the problem: antagonistic and compromise. In the first case, people turn to competition, in the second, they find concessions.
Nature of occurrence
Conflicts can arise against the background of social, ethnic, religious and other problems. A difference in views in itself does not lead to confrontation. The problem begins when one person believes his values are the only correct ones. In this case, the other will defend his point of view.
Direction of impact
With horizontal confrontation, people are at the same social level, with vertical confrontation, one is subordinate to the other. The difference between them is the presence of authority and power. The manager has more methods of coercive influence, while colleagues have an equal position.
Degree of expression
In an open form of confrontation, the participants understand well what is happening; in a hidden form, they are poorly aware of the consequences of their decisions. With a potential confrontation, the atmosphere only becomes tense and can escalate at any moment.
Number of participants
There are various factors that lead to conflicts. They can involve either 2-3 people or entire groups. Therefore, confrontations are distinguished according to the number of participants: intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup.
Features of interpersonal conflict
Situations of confrontations between individuals are observed in various areas of human activity. After all, any conflict in any case comes down to interpersonal confrontation.
The problems of interpersonal conflicts were studied to a greater extent by followers of the psychological approach in conflictology. The following main concepts of interpersonal confrontation can be distinguished:
— psychoanalytic approach (K. Horney);
— theory of needs satisfaction (K. Levin);
— theory of context dependence (M. Deutsch).
According to the psychoanalytic tradition, Horney interpreted interpersonal confrontation as the result of intrapersonal conflict. In other words, intrapersonal confrontation is primary, and interpersonal conflict is secondary. Thus, intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts are always interconnected, since the interpersonal interaction of an individual is predetermined by the nature of his resolution of his own intrapersonal differences. Since conflicts that occur within an individual are a collision of opposing values of an individual (interests, motives, needs, ideals), they affect the behavioral response of the individual, his well-being, aspirations, etc. Acute conflicts occurring within the individual lead to the destruction of existing interpersonal relationships at work or in family life.
A subject who is in a state of frustration caused by intrapersonal confrontation experiences emotional stress, as a result of which his behavior in interpersonal confrontation can often take destructive forms aimed at destroying the conditions that impede the fulfillment of needs.
Intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts are interdependent. Often intrapersonal confrontation develops into interpersonal conflicts. In addition, the lack of agreement within the individual affects the escalation of clashes between individuals in the organization.
K. Levin refers to the opposition between individuals as the disagreements that arise between the individual needs of the individual and external objective reality. The level of significance of interpersonal confrontation is explained by the global nature of the needs involved.
M. Deutsch considered confrontation between individuals as an element of the system of interpersonal relationships. He started from five key dimensions of interpersonal interaction and identified sixteen types of social interpersonal relationships.
Eight of these types relate to conflict (competitive) interaction, within which quite diverse relationships develop, taking on different forms.
Interpersonal confrontation is characterized by a number of features. Firstly, the confrontation of individuals in interpersonal confrontations is based on the foundation of the clash of their personal motives and it occurs “here and now.”
Secondly, the characteristics and problems between personalities of conflicts lie in the manifestation in them of the psychological individual characteristics of all participants in the conflict in full. Such characteristics influence the dynamics of the flare-up of interpersonal confrontation, its course, forms of interaction and outcome.
Confrontation between individuals is characterized by increased emotionality, the inclusion of almost all aspects of the relationship between the conflicting participants and affecting the interests of not only the direct participants in the confrontation, but the individuals associated with them through professional or personal relationships.
As a rule, in this type of contradiction, the emotional component prevails over the rational one.
The subjects of interpersonal confrontation are individuals whose system of claims does not coincide. The object is a certain need, the main reason is the means of satisfying it. As a rule, the subject of this type of confrontation is contradictions, including manifestations of opposing interests of the subjects of the conflict situation.
End of the problem
There are several ways to resolve a confrontation. Individuals can choose different strategies on their own. Sometimes the conflict dies down, but it can become active again. In some situations, interest in the fight is lost, then people have nothing more to argue about.
In some situations, third party intervention is acceptable
The main option for resolving a conflict is to find a way to eliminate the problem. To do this, they use negotiations, concessions, and compromise. Sometimes people reach a new stage of confrontation.
Involving third parties can help, although everyone may have a different idea of the outcome of the conflict. Sometimes it is enough to eliminate one of the participants in the confrontation, remove the subject of the dispute, or try to agree on compromises.
The fourth option is confrontation.
An unfavorable and unproductive outcome of the conflict, when none of the participants takes into account the position or opinion of the other. Example with a telephone conversation: “I don’t know how to speak differently and I’m not going to adapt to anyone!” At the same time, if the other side defends its point of view, the conflict reaches a dead end, and the situation can become explosive, but for a different reason. The opposition of positions sooner or later, due to its unresolved nature, accumulates the negative potential of the relationship. The danger of confrontation is the possibility of turning to personal insults, which usually happens when all reasonable arguments have been used. The outcome of a confrontation usually occurs when one of the parties has accumulated enough minor grievances, “gathered its strength” and put forward strong arguments that the other side cannot remove. The only positive aspect of confrontation is that the extreme nature of the situation allows partners to better see each other’s strengths and, most importantly, weaknesses, and understand the needs and interests of the parties.
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Conflicts in interpersonal relationships. Classification of conflicts
… individuals perpetuate their negative state. The frequency of conflict can cause deep and lasting tension in relationships. According to the source of their occurrence, conflicts can be divided into objectively ... certain demands of the participants or unfair, in the opinion of one or both parties, distribution of any advantages between them and are aimed at achieving a specific ...
Confrontation often occurs when you overestimate yourself and underestimate your opponent.
Overestimation of oneself and underestimation of others is associated with the personality quality of egocentrism. When one’s own self is placed on an unattainable pedestal, and the opinions of others are assessed as “the rustling of leaves in the neighboring garden.” So it turns out that what I said is of significant importance, and what the enemy said... is just empty babble. In this case, minimal disagreement is an attack not just on opinion, but personally on our dear self.
In addition, emotional involvement in a dispute and conflict, the inability to turn everything into a joke and a game can lead to “obsession” with the issue under discussion.
We must not forget that in a dispute or conflict the truth will never be born. This commandment is one of the main ones, and if someone remembers it, the confrontation may soften. Confrontation becomes acceptable when fundamental issues are defended: ecology, human health, moral and religious values (don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t commit adultery, etc.). If confrontation reveals a variety of points of view, it means that not everything is clear in your position. This makes you think, doubt, and therefore look for new ways to solve insoluble issues. Here, of course, there is a need for arbitrators (third parties), neutral territory, and rules for discussions.
Complications
Each conflict will have its own unique characteristics. In some situations it can develop into a serious confrontation. This happens because people want to fight openly; they do not want to make concessions.
Important! Individuals may be determined to continue the confrontation.
Due to emotional tension, conflict resolution is impossible. Things get worse when the confrontation is part of the rejection of the subjects.
There are several concepts of conflict in psychology and philosophy. Such situations arise in the life of every person, so you need to know how to solve them.
Coping with stress
Stress is one of the main catalysts for conflict, so working to minimize it can significantly improve the atmosphere in the team. There are many known ways to relieve stress; methods for overcoming it have long been studied and have proven themselves to be excellent. This, in turn, makes it possible to consider various options that take into account the personal qualities of each person.
In order to maintain a high level of stress resistance, you should lead a healthy and sporty lifestyle. Don’t forget about your body after physical and mental stress and restore it, try to prevent stressful situations from occurring.
In this way, a healthy psyche is maintained for living in a social environment. Fresh air, exercise, good sleep, proper organization of the workspace, useful literature, balanced nutrition - all this plays an important role in strengthening and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A good attitude in life helps a person not to cave in under the pressure of stressful situations, and also to react less painfully to conflict situations and find the right ways to resolve them.
