Conflicts are an integral part of a person’s life in society and his interaction with other people. Conflicts arise everywhere and can await each of us anywhere: at work, in the office, at school or college, in a store or public transport, and even at home. The ability to recognize conflict situations and neutralize them is a very important skill for any person.
In subsequent lessons of the presented training on conflict management, we will, of course, talk in detail about the causes of conflicts and analysis of their strategies, and also discuss in detail the issues of conflict management, prevention and prevention of conflicts.
However, before moving on to these more serious topics, we should understand what a conflict actually is, what types of conflicts exist, and how they are characterized.
What is conflict?
The term “conflict” comes from the Latin word “conflictus”, meaning “conflicted”. Usually, when talking about conflict, they talk about the most acute way to resolve contradictions in views, goals, interests that arise during the interaction of people with each other.
As a process, conflict consists of the participants in this social interaction opposing each other, and is accompanied by negative emotions, which often go beyond generally accepted norms and standards. In psychological science, conflict is understood as a lack of agreement between several parties (this can be individuals or groups of people). The science that studies conflicts is called conflictology.
Attitude to the concept of “conflict”
In the vast majority of cases, it is believed that conflict is an exclusively negative phenomenon, causing misunderstanding, resentment, hostility or threats, in other words, something that should be avoided at all costs. Also, representatives of earlier schools of management argued that conflict is a sign of poor management of an organization and an indicator of its inefficiency.
Conflict, like any social phenomenon, has not only its own definition, but also its own characteristics. And this issue is no less important and is subject to separate consideration.
Classification and typology of conflicts
Based on their direction, conflicts are divided into vertical, horizontal, and mixed.
Vertical conflicts involve individuals, one of whom is subordinate to the other . Horizontal ones involve persons who are not subordinate to each other (Fig. 1).
Mixed have both vertical and horizontal components.
Conflicts that have a vertical component (i.e., vertical and mixed conflicts) account for an average of 70 to 80% of their total number. Such conflicts are the most undesirable for a leader: by participating in them, he is “tied hand and foot.” For every action and order in this case is considered by all employees (and especially the participants in the conflict) through the prism of the conflict. And even if the leader is completely objective, they will see intrigues towards his opponents in any of his steps. And since subordinates often lack sufficient awareness to correctly evaluate the actions of management, misunderstandings are more than compensated for by speculation, mostly of a negative nature.
Naturally, in such conditions, when every order can lead to a deepening of the conflict, it is extremely difficult to work.
Already from this preliminary examination, some of the manager’s guidelines are clear: to exercise the greatest caution in relation to vertical conflicts (try to extinguish them in the bud).
Signs of conflict
Conflict can be distinguished by three characteristic features:
| 1 | BIPOLARITY . Bipolarity, also called opposition, is both opposition and interconnectedness, which contains the internal potential of the existing contradiction. However, bipolarity itself does not mean struggle or clash. |
| 2 | ACTIVITY . Activity here is understood as opposition and struggle. For activity to arise, an impulse is required, which is set on the part of the participant (subject) of the conflict by awareness of the conflict situation itself. |
| 3 | SUBJECTS OF CONFLICT . The subject of the conflict is an active party capable of creating conflict situations, as well as influencing the process of the conflict, which, in turn, depends on his interests. Traditionally, subjects of conflict are distinguished by a unique type of thinking, called conflict. Contradiction can be a source of conflict situations only for those people who have a conflict mindset. |
Next, we will look at the classification of conflicts and talk about what their types and forms exist. In the meantime, we invite you to take a test for behavior in conflicts.
Table 1 Horizontal and vertical conflicts
| Conflict type | The way the conflict manifests itself | ||
| Horizontally | Vertically" | ||
| "down up" | "top down" | ||
| Obstacles to achieving the main goals of joint work activities | The actions of one interfere with the successful activities of the other. Organizational conflict. | The manager does not provide subordinates with the opportunity to successfully achieve the goal of the activity | The subordinate does not provide the manager with the opportunity to fulfill the main goal of the activity |
| Obstacles to achieving the goals of joint work activities | The actions of one interfere with the achievement of the personal goals of others. Organizational conflict. | The manager does not provide the subordinate with the opportunity to achieve personal goals | The subordinate creates obstacles for the manager to achieve personal goals |
| Contradiction of actions with accepted norms | Conflict of group norms | Contradictions between a leader’s activities and his work style | The activities of a subordinate as a bearer of a certain social role contradict the expectations of the manager |
| Personal conflicts | Personal incompatibility | Leaders and influencers fail to meet followers' expectations | Team members do not live up to the expectations of their leaders and authorities |
Conflict behavior test
The test you are about to take is our interpretation of the Thomas Personality Inventory. This test is designed to study personal predisposition to conflict behavior and identify certain styles of resolving a conflict situation, which you will read about in the interpretation for this test.
To correctly interpret the answers, you should follow several rules when taking the test:
- For each question, choose the statement that is most suitable for describing your behavior in conflict situations.
- Answer as honestly as possible, only what is true for you, do not try to impress others.
- The test data will be recorded after you answer the last question and see confirmation of the end of the test. If you finish the test before the last question and close the page, the data will not be saved.
- The test can be taken any number of times, but remember that only the last one is saved.
Statistics Full screen
Bibliography
1. Conflictology: textbook for universities / ed. prof. V.P. Ratnikova. – M.: UNITY-DANA, 2011.
2. Psychology and ethics of business communication: a textbook for university students / ed. V.N. Lavrinenko. – 5th ed. – M.: UNITY-DANA, 2008.
3. Educational resources // Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation. – URL: . Access by login and password.
4. Single window of access to educational resources": [Electronic library]. – URL: https://window.edu.ru. Access is free.
5. Electronic library system of INFRA-M Publishing House LLC (access through the online repository of educational resources of ZFEI).
– URL: . Access by login and password.
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Types of conflicts
There are several classifications of conflicts that, in our opinion, deserve mandatory attention.
1
Classification of conflicts by impact on the activities of a group or organization
In terms of their impact on the activities of a group or organization, conflicts can be constructive or destructive.
Constructive (functional) conflicts are conflicts that lead to the adoption of informed decisions and contribute to the development of relations between the subjects of the conflict. As a rule, the following several functional consequences of conflicts are identified:
- The conflict is resolved in a way that suits all parties to the conflict; each party feels involved in resolving the problem;
- A decision made jointly is implemented as quickly and easily as possible;
- The parties involved in the conflict master the skill of effective cooperation when resolving problematic issues;
- If a conflict has arisen between subordinates and managers, then the practice of conflict resolution makes it possible to destroy the “submissive syndrome”, when a person occupying a lower position has a fear of expressing his point of view if it differs from that of people with a higher status;
- Relationships between people become better;
- Participants in the conflict no longer view disagreements as something negative and leading to negative consequences.
EXAMPLE: An excellent example of constructive conflict is a common work situation: a manager and a subordinate cannot come to an agreement on any issue regarding their joint activities. After a conversation and each participant expressing their opinion, a compromise is found, and the manager and subordinate find a common language, and their relationship acquires a positive tone.
Destructive (dysfunctional) conflicts are conflicts that impede the making of competent decisions and effective interaction between the subjects of the conflict. The dysfunctional consequences of conflicts are the following:
- Competitive, adversarial relationships between people;
- Lack of desire for positive relationships and cooperation;
- Perception of the opponent as an enemy, his position - exclusively as incorrect, and one’s own - exclusively as correct;
- The desire to reduce and even completely stop any interaction with the opponent’s side;
- The belief that winning a conflict is more important than finding a common solution;
- Bad mood, negative emotions, feeling of dissatisfaction.
EXAMPLE: Examples of unconstructive conflict include war, any manifestations of physical violence, family quarrels, etc.
2
Classification of conflicts by content
In terms of content, conflicts can be realistic or unrealistic.
Realistic conflicts are conflicts that are caused by the dissatisfaction of specific demands of the participants or the unfair, according to the opinion of one of the parties, distribution of certain advantages between the participants. As a rule, such conflicts are aimed at achieving a specific result.
EXAMPLE: conflicts with the authorities of former Nord-Ost hostages and relatives of the victims due to the state’s failure to comply with certain requirements.
Unrealistic conflicts are conflicts whose purpose is the specific expression of negative emotions, hostility or grievances, in other words, the conflict is the main goal.
EXAMPLE: murder by one person of another because the first believes that the second is to blame for his problems and troubles; terrorist acts without expressing specific demands.
3
Classification of conflicts by the nature of the participants
According to the nature of the participants, conflicts are divided into intrapersonal, interpersonal, conflicts between the individual and the group, and intergroup conflicts.
Intrapersonal conflict - occurs when there is no harmony between various factors of a psychological nature in a person’s inner world, for example, his feelings, values, motives, needs, etc. For example, intrapersonal conflict associated with human activity can be expressed in various forms. But in most cases, this is a form of role conflict - when a person's different roles require him to fulfill different requirements.
EXAMPLE: A person who is an exemplary family man needs to be at home in the evenings, but his position as a manager obliges him to often stay late at work in the evenings. The intrapersonal conflict here is caused by a mismatch between personal needs and the requirements of his activities.
Interpersonal conflict is the most common type of conflict. It may appear differently in different situations. But the reasons for such a conflict can be not only differences in people’s behavior, their manners, views, opinions or characters, which are subjective reasons, but also objective reasons, and they are the basis of interpersonal conflicts most often.
EXAMPLE: One of the most common causes of interpersonal conflicts is the limitation of any resources, such as labor, production space, equipment, money and all kinds of vital goods. For example, one person believes that he, and not someone else, needs resources most of all, while this other person thinks the same way.
Conflict between an individual and a group - the presented conflict appears in cases where one of the members of a group or organization violates the norms of behavior established in it or the laws of communication adopted in informal groups.
EXAMPLE: The conflict between an individual and a group is clearly illustrated by the example of a conflict between subordinates and a leader who adheres to an authoritarian leadership style; Also, similar conflicts can be observed in youth parties, where one of the members of the party suddenly behaved not according to the laws of the “pack.”
Intergroup conflict is a conflict that arises between formal and/or informal groups that are part of a society or organization. It is interesting that during periods of intergroup conflict, people can unite into various close-knit communities. However, this cohesion often disappears immediately after the desired result is achieved.
EXAMPLE: An intergroup conflict may arise between employees of any division of an organization and its administration, for example, due to a sudden reduction in staff; A similar situation is often observed between opposition political parties or religious denominations.
4
Classification of conflicts according to the specifics of the opposing parties and the conditions for the development of the conflict
According to the specifics of the opposing sides and the conditions of development, conflicts can be internal, external and antagonistic.
Internal conflicts are characterized by the interaction of two or more opposing entities within a community or group of people.
EXAMPLE: An excellent example of internal conflict is intra-class struggle, for example the struggle for leadership.
External conflicts - represent the interaction of opposites that relate to different objects (groups, classes, etc.).
EXAMPLE: An example of an external conflict is the confrontation between man and natural elements or the struggle of the body with the external environment.
Antagonistic conflicts are one of the most acute conflicts, because are interactions between social groups that are irreconcilably opposed to each other. What is unique is that the very concept of “antagonism” is very common in medicine and biology - antagonism of teeth, muscles, microbes, drugs, poisons, etc. can occur. In addition, in mathematical science, antagonism is considered as an opposition of interests. In its pure form, antagonism is presented in social processes.
EXAMPLE: A striking example of an antagonistic conflict is war, market competition, revolution, sports competition, etc.
In addition to all of the above, a correct understanding and interpretation of conflicts, as well as their functions, features, essence and consequences, is impossible without typology, i.e. without identifying the basic types of conflicts based on identifying their similarities and differences and ways of identifying them with the commonality of the main differences and characteristics.
To make it possible to choose an adequate method of influencing and managing a conflict (which you will learn about in our next lessons), it is necessary to classify conflicts according to their main characteristics: methods of resolution, areas of manifestation, direction of influence, degree of expression, number of participants and violated needs.
It is on the basis of typology that both types and varieties of conflicts are determined. The type of conflict as a variation of conflict interaction is distinguished according to certain characteristics.
1
Types of conflicts by resolution method
According to the method of resolution, conflicts are divided into violent and non-violent.
Violent (antagonistic) conflicts are methods of resolving contradictions in which the structures of all subjects of the conflict are destroyed or all subjects, except one, refuse to participate in the conflict. In the end, the subject who remains wins.
EXAMPLE: An excellent example of violent conflict is government elections, tough discussions, debates, etc.
Non-violent (compromise conflicts) are conflicts that allow several options for resolving the situation through mutual changes in the goals of the subjects of the conflict, conditions of interaction, deadlines, etc.
EXAMPLE: As an example of a compromise conflict, the following situation can be mentioned: a supplier who has undertaken to supply raw materials for production does not fulfill his obligations on time. In this case, the manufacturer has the right to demand that the supplier comply with the agreed schedule, however, the delivery dates may have changed for some compelling reason. The mutual interest of both parties allows them to negotiate, change the original schedule and find a compromise solution.
The next classification that we will consider is determined by the areas of manifestation of conflicts. Spheres, in turn, can be very diverse - this includes politics, people’s beliefs, social relations, economics and much more. Let's talk about the most common of them.
2
Types of conflicts by area of manifestation
Political conflicts are clashes based on the struggle for power and the distribution of power.
EXAMPLE: An example of a political conflict would be a confrontation between two or more political parties.
Social conflict is a contradiction in the system of human relationships. These contradictions are characterized by the strengthening of the interests of opposing subjects, as well as the tendencies of individuals and social groups. Social conflicts include both purely social and social-labor and labor conflicts.
EXAMPLE: Examples of social conflicts are pickets, strikes, rallies, wars.
Economic conflicts – this group of conflicts includes those conflicts based on contradictions in the sphere of economic interests of individuals and social groups.
EXAMPLE: An economic conflict can be called a struggle over the distribution of property, sphere of economic influence, social benefits or resources.
Organizational conflicts - they can be considered as a consequence of hierarchical relations and the regulation of human activity, as well as the use of the principle of distribution of relations between people.
EXAMPLE: A striking example of an organizational conflict is the use of job descriptions, assigning certain responsibilities and rights to an employee, the introduction of nominal management structures, the presence of certain provisions for the assessment and remuneration of employees, as well as their bonuses, etc.
Next, we should consider the types of conflicts in terms of the direction of impact and the severity of the conflict confrontation.
3
Types of conflicts by direction of impact
Based on the direction of impact, conflicts are distinguished between vertical and horizontal. Their characteristic feature is the distribution of the amount of power that is at the disposal of the subjects of the conflict at the time of the emergence of a conflict situation.
Vertical conflicts are those in which the amount of available power decreases along the vertical axis from top to bottom, thereby determining different starting conditions for the subjects of the conflict.
EXAMPLE: A vertical conflict can be called a conflict between a boss and a subordinate, a teacher and a student, a small enterprise and a higher organization, etc.
Horizontal conflicts are conflicts in the process of which subjects of equal power or hierarchical level interact.
EXAMPLE: A horizontal conflict can be a conflict between managers holding equivalent positions, employees at the same level, consumers and suppliers, etc.
4
Types of conflicts according to the severity of conflict confrontation
Depending on the severity of conflict confrontation, conflicts can be hidden or open.
Hidden conflicts are conflicts in which there are no external aggressive actions between the subjects of the conflict, but indirect ones take place, i.e. indirect ways of influencing subjects on each other. Hidden conflicts are possible only when one of the subjects of conflict interaction is either afraid of the other or does not have enough resources for open confrontation.
EXAMPLE: An example of a hidden conflict can be an official scientific debate between teachers, behind which the real essence of the conflict is hidden - the struggle for an authoritative social status, for example, for some position at a university.
Open conflicts are distinguished by the fact that they involve a clear clash of conflicting subjects, i.e. disputes, quarrels, squabbles, etc. The interaction of the participants in the conflict is regulated in this case by norms that correspond to the position of the participants and the situation.
EXAMPLE: An example of an open conflict can be safely called a war, when two or more parties openly express their demands and use open methods to achieve their goals; a quarrel between people that arose for any reason and did not have ulterior motives, etc.
It is important to distinguish between conflicts based on violated needs.
5
Types of conflicts depending on violated needs
Depending on the violated needs, conflicts of interest and cognitive conflicts are distinguished.
Conflicts of interest are confrontations based on the clash of interests of the subjects of the conflict, which can be individuals, groups of people, organizations, etc.
EXAMPLE: Examples of conflicts of interest can be found even in everyday life - two children cannot share the toy they like; a husband and wife, having one TV between them, want to watch different TV programs at the same time, etc.
Cognitive conflicts are conflicts of knowledge, points of view, views. As a rule, the goal of each subject of a cognitive conflict is to convince the opposite side that his position, opinion or point of view is correct.
EXAMPLE: Examples of cognitive conflict can also be found quite often - these are discussions of various problems, disputes, debates, disputes, during which participants express different points of view and provide all sorts of arguments to prove that they are right.
Summarizing the conversation about the types and types of conflicts, it should be noted that the distribution of conflicts by type is in fact very arbitrary due to the fact that there is no clearly defined boundary between them, and in practice, i.e. in real life, various complex types of conflicts can arise, some conflicts can transform into others, etc.
Introduction
Conflicts exist exactly as long as a person exists, since they arise only in the process of communication between people. A person spends most of his time at work, interacting with superiors and subordinates, communicating with colleagues, and building joint activities with company partners. With such a busy communication schedule, there are many reasons why people do not quite understand each other correctly, which leads to disputes. If the current situation poses a threat to the achievement of the set goals for at least one of the participants in the interaction, then a conflict arises. Conflict is usually understood as active mutually directed actions of each of the conflicting parties to achieve their goals (achieving power, acquiring material resources, etc.), colored by strong emotional experiences. According to statistics, 75 - 80% of interpersonal conflicts arise due to the material dissatisfaction of individual employees, although outwardly this may manifest itself as a discrepancy in character or personal views.
13 pages, 6292 words
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On the one hand, conflicts are undoubtedly harmful, since they often lead to disorder, instability, and slow down decision-making. On the other hand, they have a very serious positive meaning, which is often not taken into account.
Today everyone is aware of the need for change, but awareness and implementation are two different things. Time will pass, and changes related to the optimization of the entire national economy and each individual enterprise will take place quickly and in a timely manner, but resistance to reforms will remain a pressing problem.
The need to increase labor productivity always leads to structural and organizational changes.
When new divisions emerge, functions, powers and responsibilities are distributed in a new way, changing the existing power relations, fear for place arises, and conflicts arise.
What else do you need to know about conflicts?
The history of humanity, its morality, culture, and intellect is an ongoing struggle of ideas, aspirations, competition of forces and interests, rivalry. Throughout his life, every person systematically faces conflicts of all kinds. When a person wants to achieve something, the goal may be difficult to achieve. When he experiences failure, he may blame the people around him for the fact that it was because of them that he could not get what he wanted. Those around him, in turn, no matter whether they are relatives, classmates, friends or work colleagues, may believe that he himself is to blame for his problems and failures. The form can be completely different, but almost always it can lead to misunderstanding, which can develop into discontent and even confrontation, thereby creating tension and causing a conflict situation.
Every person has life contradictions. It is common for people to be dissatisfied with something, to perceive something with hostility, and not to agree with everything. And all this is natural, because such is human nature.
It is quite reasonable to conclude that conflicts are inevitable. But, in reality, everything is somewhat different. And not all conflict situations that arise from time to time between people end in conflict.
You should not treat conflict as something dangerous and negative if it is a stimulus for personal development, pushes a person to work on himself, strengthens him morally and psychologically, and promotes unity with other people. But you should try to avoid those conflicts that have destructive potential, destroy relationships, create a state of psychological discomfort, and increase a person’s isolation. It is precisely the poem that is very important to be able to recognize any prerequisites for conflicts and to be able to prevent the occurrence of unwanted conflict situations.
Being able to recognize and prevent conflicts means mastering the culture of communication, being able to control oneself, showing respect for the personality of other people, and using various methods of influencing them. Nothing can contribute as strongly to the elimination of various kinds of misunderstandings as competent, civilized communication, which includes knowledge of basic etiquette skills and the ability to master them, as well as the ability to establish and maintain effective contact, develop your own style of communication and interaction with others people.
If you find yourself in a difficult, contradictory situation, the most important thing is to control your behavior and behave socially competently. If a conflict situation is based on experiences and emotions, then the unpleasant sensations from it can remain for a very, very long time. For this reason, you need to learn to manage your emotional states, control your behavior and reactions. You should always be tuned to the stability and balance of your nervous system.
EXERCISE: One of the most effective methods of working with your psyche is to set yourself in a state of calm. It’s not at all difficult to implement: sit in a comfortable chair, relax, close your eyes and try not to think about anything for a while. Then clearly and slowly say to yourself a few phrases that will set you up for self-control, endurance, and a state of calm. Strive to feel a sense of balance take over you, you become more cheerful, feel a surge of strength and good mood; you feel great physically, mentally and psychologically. Regularly performing this exercise will allow you to become more resistant to emotional stress of any intensity.
Let us remind you that the presented lesson is more theoretical than practical, because Our task was to introduce you to what a conflict is in general and to present a classification of conflicts. From the following lessons of our training on conflict management, you can learn not only a lot of theoretical information, but also learn a lot of practical tips that you can immediately put into practice.
Practical task
Exercise
Analyze the given definitions of conflict and give them your assessment. Indicate what you agree and disagree with about a particular definition; What are the similarities and differences between the definitions:
a) social conflict is an open confrontation, a collision of two or more subjects and participants in social interaction, the causes of which are incompatible needs, interests and values;
b) conflict is understood as the most acute way of resolving significant contradictions that arise in the process of interaction, which consists in the opposition of the subjects of the conflict and is usually accompanied by negative emotions.
Analysis
The relevance of this topic is due to the fact that the social heterogeneity of society, differences in income levels, power, prestige, etc. often lead to conflicts. Conflicts are an integral part of social life. The modern life of Russian society is especially rich in conflicts. All this calls for close attention to the study of conflicts.
The relevance of the topic is evidenced by the fact that clashes of points of view, opinions, and positions are a very common phenomenon in industrial and social life. Therefore, in order to develop the right line of behavior in various conflict situations, you need to know what conflict is and how people come to agreement. Knowledge of conflicts improves the culture of communication and makes a person’s life not only calmer, but also more psychologically stable. Conflict, especially social conflict, is a very interesting phenomenon in the social life of people, and in this regard, it is no coincidence that many prominent scientists involved in a very wide range of sciences are interested in it. So, Dmitriev A.V. wrote: “Conflict is a stimulus and a brake on progress, development and degradation, good and evil.” Nature is complex, but not malicious. The nature of conflicts is different: the conflicting parties can be malicious, benevolent or neutral, sometimes without knowing, much less knowing, the true tendencies of the other side. So, moving on to these definitions, I can say that they both carry meaning and logic. This topic is relevant in modern economic conditions.
