Lesson 1. What is conflict: types, types and forms of conflicts

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 it is?

This term has several concepts and definitions. The most famous (or one of the most) defines conflict as a lack of agreement between parties, of which there may be two or more. Each side insists that it is right and is not ready to give in. In the twentieth century, the word “conflict” began to be used more often and acquired a broader meaning: conflict can be interpersonal, family, business, interstate, military, etc.

The Latin word conflictus, by the way, is translated as “collision.” It is always a clash of sides and views.

Conflict is almost always associated with aggression, anger, anger and negative consequences. That is, in the common opinion, it is clearly an undesirable phenomenon that must be avoided or extinguished in the bud. Authors belonging to the so-called administrative school actually write like this. But those who work in the field of human relations are not so categorical. They call the conflict a consequence of ineffective activities, poor organization, and good relationships in the team, in some social group, could prevent the conflict. And modern scientists believe that it can be not only destructive and dysfunctional, but also functional - especially within the framework of joint professional activities.

This topic is studied in a variety of fields: from communication psychology to management psychology, pedagogy, and sociology. Even a whole direction arose called conflictology . There they study the objects and subjects of the conflict, the features of the phenomenon, its essence and methods of study. In popular scientific works, the conflict is considered from the point of view of explaining the process, its functions and practical recommendations for resolving it. What is called “for ordinary people”. It also says that the conflict has not only a dark side, but also a light side. And it lies in experience, as well as in the ability to extract personal benefit from the situation: in terms of developing some communication skills, thinking outside the box, developing moral and volitional qualities.

Psychologists also note that in a conflict there is an energy exchange between the parties in which it arises. A dispute, quarrel, contradiction that arises in the so-called neutral zone is not yet a conflict. But when the dispute becomes personal, invading the territory of “me and my interests,” the conflict has begun. And, of course, it is impossible for anyone to live a life without conflicts. Experts assure that algorithms for behavior in conflict and reactions to it are laid down in childhood. This means that in order to begin to react to them differently, without costs, losses and wasted nerves, you need to develop “on the shore” tactics of behavior in a conflict situation.

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.

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Main reasons

There is a great variety of conflicts themselves, therefore, there are also many reasons that lead to them. Rarely is it several circumstances at once; more often one thing dominates.

Let's consider the main reasons why a conflict may arise.

Inadequate self-esteem. Moreover, this works in any direction: both high and low self-esteem can lead to the development of tension. When it is overestimated, a person does not admit that he is wrong; when it is underestimated, he becomes angry and accumulates grievances.
Discrimination . It is very human nature to discriminate against an outsider. And when he begins to defend his rights, the conflict begins.
Incorrect assessment of the situation. Quite often there is a misconception within the conflict. Unverified information leads to the fact that the parties clash, and then anger, a negative reaction and the growth of new layers of aggression can completely delay the desire to understand the real cause of the conflict.
Competition . The struggle for resources is in human nature. And even high moral principles can be advanced when what you want is not abstract, but quite concrete, but in order to get it you need to enter into confrontation.
Clash of social roles . This is about the conflict of generations: a child is considered an adult at the age of 15, makes decisions for which he cannot yet bear responsibility. His parents consider him a child, and perhaps sometimes include overprotection. Conflict arises very easily.

Any factor (not all are described, but the most common) can quickly trigger a conflict. Affected interests, to summarize, are its main cause.

Types of social conflicts

By the concept of “social conflict,” sociologists often mean situations that imply a divergence of interests of subjects, as a result of which they, while defending such interests, collide with each other.

Concept and types of conflicts

Social confrontation is an open confrontation, a disagreement between two or more subjects of communicative interaction, the basis for which is mutually exclusive value guidelines, opposing needs, incompatible and contradictory interests.

The following are the main types of personality conflicts:

— confrontation, that is, inactive confrontation between participants characterized by conflicting socio-economic interests or incompatible political motives (implies pressure and the presence of irreconcilable differences);

- rivalry, which involves a struggle for recognition by society, a team, or an organization of one’s own creative potential and personal achievements (the purpose of confrontation in this case is found in demonstrating superiority, achieving better positions by overcoming prestigious goals);

- competition, which implies obtaining profits, benefits or providing access to insufficient resources or scarce goods;

- a fight that implies the opponents’ focus solely on achieving victory, due to the irreconcilability of their differences.

Social confrontations and confrontations are an inseparable part of an individual’s social existence. They transform into a problem solely as a result of their unconstructive management or as a result of a complete lack of management. General principles and an adequate strategy for managing social contradiction, types and causes of conflicts, determine the constructive or destructive outcome of the confrontation.

The key significance of confrontation lies in the activities of individuals within a separate, larger system of relationships, which can collapse or, on the contrary, strengthen under the influence of confrontation.

Signs

To accurately identify a conflict, you need to understand its signs. There are 3 main signs – bipolarity, the presence of subjects and activity.

And now about each of them.

Bipolarity can otherwise be called opposition. This phenomenon occurs when two sides in a dispute defend opposing points of view. It is important that this argument is important to both of them. The opposite position does not yet indicate a conflict, but it will already be a prerequisite for it.
The presence of subjects is mandatory because conflict is nothing more than a form of interaction between two subjects.
Activity is also a mandatory sign of a conflict, because for it to continue, the activity of both parties is required. If it is inherent in only one, the conflict comes to naught.

Also, a sign of conflict will be its structure . You can check the following points: participants, sources and conduct of the struggle. In a direct conflict, the interests of two parties collide, but in reality everything is more complicated; the parties can be supported by a group of people, etc. Any conflict is personified, to one degree or another.

The sources are often the struggle for power and influence, wealth (not only material), etc.

Conflict management: psychology

The conflicting parties can remain in confrontation for a long time and even get used to this situation. As practice shows, in such relationships a detonator is triggered, which provokes open confrontation between the parties.

Or, on the contrary, a showdown occurs in a civilized way, but due to the unprofessionalism of the participants in the collision, the way out of the situation occurs incorrectly and leads to negative consequences.

Regulating relationships comes down to the ability to manage them. Moreover, conflict management is not always its solution. Sometimes it is more important to maintain good relations between those in conflict than to resolve the confrontation.

Classification

There are many types of conflicts, and they manifest themselves at different levels. They are classified by conflictology, the name given to the scientific discipline that studies the patterns of conflict development, its progression, and attenuation.

By number of sides

This is a classification of socio-psychological conflict. So, it can be internal or interpersonal, and also intergroup. The latter is a confrontation between two groups, each of which includes participants in the conflict who are united by something in common. Interpersonal conflict involves a clash of interests between two subjects or between a group of people and one subject. And intrapersonal consists in the confrontation of internal values and motives at the personal level. That is, in this case there will be no parties, but there will be one subject faced with the problem of choice to make some decision.

By duration

Conflict can be short-term, one-time, protracted or recurring. For example, the relationship between an ex-husband and wife is a common example of recurring conflict. It is not always in an acute phase, but when a situation arises where interests have to collide (in the upbringing and leisure of common children, for example), the conflict flares up with renewed vigor.

By area of life

This could be a family conflict, domestic or work. You don't need to look far for examples. If relatives inherited one dacha, which they have to divide, this may well result in a protracted family conflict. Often the parties themselves never reach a solution. Fortunately, the mediation service is developing very slowly, and in such situations its help means a lot.

An example of a domestic conflict is communal friction, which often occurs between neighbors. Even when cleaning the entrance, if there is no assigned cleaner, not just disputes may arise, but conflicts that are gaining momentum. Well, a worker can be called not only a conflict between colleagues, but also a difficult situation in a school, kindergarten, or university.

And not only between children, there are many options: between a teacher and a student, between parents, between the management of an educational institution and parents, etc.

By source

It can be objective, subjective and false . Objective will be, for example, the territory undivided between neighbors in the country. Loss of documents or a mistake by the authority registering the plot can lead to a long conflict in which each party will have rights. Subjective conflict is the prescription of a meaning to a situation that was not originally inherent in it. Well, a false one arises when the competitive nature of the relationship appears against the background of false ideas or misunderstandings.

By the presence of violence

Violent and non-violent - everything is simple here. A violent conflict almost always reaches the legal sphere, when the intervention of representatives of the law is recommended to resolve it (and sometimes this happens without the consent of the parties).

By nature of occurrence

Conflict can be spontaneous or intentional . Spontaneous, for example, these are schoolchildren who got into a fight, whose parents each stand up for their child. A conflict breaks out, but no one planned it. Intentional is a kind of declaration of war. Often initiated by the other party, and the other is included in it. For example, a couple separates and the mother does not allow the father to see the children. This is not a spontaneous, but a deliberate decision, that is, not without intentions. Of course, this is only a superficial classification. There are also organizational, economic, political, and social conflicts. And in terms of the direction of influence, for example, they can also be vertical and horizontal. The first refers to the conflict between a boss and a subordinate, the second - between people occupying an equal position.

Conflicts can also be hidden or open. The former do not involve external aggressive actions, but have indirect ways of influencing one side on the other. Hidden ones are more likely to occur when at least one party fears the other. Open ones are associated with a clear clash of subjects: with disputes, quarrels, squabbles. There are also conflicts of interest and cognitive ones. The latter are associated with confrontation of points of view and views.

The concept and structure of conflict and ways to resolve it.

The word " conflict " in Latin means "clash".

Conflict is “a situation in which parties communicate the incompatibility of their potential positions, excluding the intention of the other party” (Boulding) [16].

In psychology, conflict is defined as a collision of oppositely directed, mutually incompatible tendencies, a single episode in the mind, in interpersonal interactions or interpersonal relationships of individuals or groups of people, associated with negative emotional experiences. Those. conflict not only represents an extremely aggravated form of contradiction, but it also serves as a way to identify and resolve contradictions.

A conflict is a clash of opposing interests, goals, positions, opinions of two or more people.

In any conflict situation, the participants in the conflict and the object of the conflict are identified. The object of the conflict becomes what each of the conflicting parties claims, what causes their opposition, the subject of their dispute, obtaining by one of the participants, completely or partially depriving the other party of the opportunity to achieve their goals.

Among the participants in the conflict there are:

— opponents are the parties who come into confrontation over claims to the object of the conflict;

— groups involved;

— interested groups.

Involved and interested groups participate in a conflict for two reasons: either they are able to influence the outcome of the conflict, or the outcome of the conflict affects their interests [17].

Direct participants in the conflict (opponents) can be individuals and groups. On this basis, the following types of conflict can be distinguished:

 Interpersonal conflict is perhaps the most common

type of conflict. Interpersonal conflict can also manifest itself as a clash of personalities with different character traits, views and values.

 Conflict between the individual and the group, which arises if the expectations of the group are in conflict with the expectations of the individual or if the individual takes a position that differs from the position of the group.

 Intergroup conflict, which is also common because organizations are made up of many groups, both formal and informal. Even in the best organizations, conflicts can arise between such groups.

Causes of conflicts:

1. “Positional deficit.” The impossibility of simultaneous performance of one role or function by several subjects, which puts them in a competitive relationship.

2. “Shortage of sources.” Different ideas about values, as a result of which several people at the same time cannot fully satisfy their claims.

3. Formation of aggressive human reactions.

4. Limited resources; differences in level of education, behavior patterns, and life experiences.

5. Low level of communication.

6. Low culture of behavior.

It is very important to determine the causes of the conflict, since knowing the causes of a particular conflict, it is easier to take concrete steps to prevent it [16].

Each conflict goes through several stages in its development:

1) The emergence of a conflict;

2) Awareness of the given situation of the parties;

3) Conflict behavior;

4) The outcome of the conflict (constructive, destructive, freezing of the conflict).

Destructive and constructive functions of conflicts. Since contradictions are resolved during the conflict and ways out of the deadlock are sought, the question arises about its function - positive or negative, bad or good. From an ordinary point of view, only a negative answer can be given here, because the conflict is associated with such phenomena as domestic quarrels and troubles, work troubles, interethnic, territorial, socio-political confrontations and confrontations associated with suffering and losses. Hence the assessment of conflict as an undesirable phenomenon

But a closer look reveals a different approach, a different point of view, according to which conflict is not only a negative social phenomenon, but also a positive one. The line of reasoning here is roughly as follows. Yes, conflict is an undesirable phenomenon that begins to corrode a normally functioning social system, but in its course such forces appear that can return it to a state of balance and stability, as well as maintaining it in a stable state.

Since conflicts are inevitable in human interaction, they can perform a positive constructive function, namely:

· conflict promotes a certain movement forward and prevents stagnation;

· in the process of conflict, the source of disagreement is objectified and its resolution, “removal” is possible; means are found to prevent future conflicts;

· conflict is a certain negation of old, “outdated” relationships, which leads to the formation of new relationships and correction of interaction;

· in conflict, internal tension is “eliminated”, aggressive feelings “splash out”, frustrations and neuroses are “discharged”;

· conflict is a way of personal self-affirmation, especially for a teenager, for whom conflict is a necessary form of behavior to maintain status in a group;

· intragroup conflict in scientific activity creates the necessary level of tension necessary for creative activity; Thus, the study showed that the productivity of creative scientific activity is higher among conflicting individuals;

· intergroup conflicts can contribute to group integration, increased cohesion, and group solidarity;

· the need to resolve the conflict leads to cooperation, to the concentration of efforts of participants to resolve the conflict situation, to the involvement of group members in the common life of the group.

On the other hand, signs of a destructive conflict stand out:

· expansion of the conflict;

· escalation of the conflict (i.e. the conflict becomes independent of the original causes and, even if the causes of the conflict are eliminated, the conflict itself continues);

· increased costs and losses incurred by the parties to the conflict;

· increase in situational statements and aggressive actions of participants.

Thus, speaking about the usefulness or harmfulness of conflicts, it should be noted that conflict is useful in that, one way or another, it resolves a contradiction. The best resolution of an objectively existing contradiction is not its conflict method, but a peaceful, consensual option, which occurs through peaceful civilized ways and means, when the opposing sides and all participants in the conflict come to understand the need for this earlier, before the development of events goes along the conflict path.

Main types of conflict classification [20].

Typology of the conflict plays an important methodological role. It serves not only as a means of capturing and organizing accumulated knowledge, which in itself is very significant, but also often plays a noticeable heuristic role in the process of obtaining new knowledge. Attempts to analyze existing specific examples of conflict situations from the point of view of the chosen classification basis often reveal completely new aspects of conflicts that had previously escaped the attention of the researcher.

However, the methodological role of conflict typologization can be fully realized only when the basic logical requirements for scientific classification are met. In particular, the basis of the classification must be clearly identified and consistently carried out, as a result of which the classification must be complete (according to the identified basis) and non-overlapping.

The mentioned logical requirements, however, are very often violated. A typical example is the typology of conflicts proposed by M. Deutsch.

Deutsch identifies the following six types of conflict:

1. "Genuine conflict." This is a conflict “that exists objectively and is perceived adequately.” (If the wife wants to use a spare room in the house for painting, and the husband as an office, they enter into a “true” conflict.)

2. “Random, or conditional, conflict.” The existence of this type of conflict “depends on easily changeable circumstances, which, however, is not realized by the parties.” (“The genuine conflict” of the previous example turns into “accidental” if we assume that the wife and husband do not notice that there is also an attic, garage or some other room that could easily be converted into an office or studio.)

3. “Displaced conflict.” In this case, what is meant is an “overt conflict”, behind which lies some other, hidden conflict that underlies the overt one. (The previous example is modified into an example of “displaced conflict” if a vigorous argument about a spare room occurs in conditions where the husband and wife have little or no interest in the studio or office, and the resulting clash serves as a manifestation of some other, more serious, perhaps even an unconscious conflict.)

4. “Misattributed conflict.” It is a conflict “between misunderstood parties and, as a result, over misinterpreted problems.” (When, for example, a child is reprimanded for something that he was forced to do while fulfilling the instructions of his parents.)

5. “Latent conflict.” This is a conflict “that should have happened, but does not”, since for one reason or another it is not realized by the parties.

6. “False conflict.” This is a case when there are no “objective grounds” for a conflict, and the latter exists only due to errors of perception and understanding.

As the basis for classification, Deutsch names “the relationship between the objective state of affairs and the state of affairs as perceived by the conflicting parties.” Such a formulation, however, cannot act as a valid basis, since it is extremely vague [22].

One of the generally accepted classifications of conflicts in conflictology is to divide them into four main types based on the parties involved in the conflict: intrapersonal conflict, interpersonal conflict, conflict between an individual and a group, and intergroup conflict.

This classification is universal; it can be applied both to social conflicts in general and to private ones - for example, industrial conflicts. Let's look at these types of conflicts in more detail.

Intrapersonal (psychological) conflict.

Intrapersonal conflict is a state of the internal structure of a personality, characterized by the confrontation of its elements. Just as there are numerous grounds for classifying conflicts in general, there are various grounds for distinguishing types of intrapersonal conflicts.

The most complete classification of intrapersonal conflicts was developed by A.Ya. Antsupov and A.I. Shipilov, who proposed to take the value-motivational sphere of personality as the basis for classification. Depending on which aspects of the individual’s inner world come into conflict, they distinguish the following main types: . [21].

Motivational conflict. These are conflicts between unconscious aspirations, between the desires for possession and security, between two positive tendencies (the situation of Buridan's donkey).
Moral conflict, often called moral or normative conflict. This is a conflict between desire and duty, between moral principles and personal attachments.
The conflict of unfulfilled desire, or inferiority complex, is a conflict between the desires of the individual and reality, which blocks their satisfaction. Sometimes it is interpreted as a conflict between “I want to be like them” and the inability to realize this desire. It can arise as a result of a person’s physical inability to fulfill this desire. For example, due to dissatisfaction with one's appearance or physical characteristics.
Role conflict is expressed in experiences associated with the inability to simultaneously fulfill several roles (interrole intrapersonal conflict), as well as with different understandings of the requirements imposed by the individual himself to fulfill one role (intrarole conflict). An example of inter-role intrapersonal conflict would be a situation where a person, as an employee of an organization, is asked to work overtime, but as a father, he wants to devote more time to his child. An example of an intra-role conflict is a situation when a believer, in order to defend the fatherland, needs to take up arms and go to war to kill.
Adaptation conflict has two meanings. In a broad sense, it is understood as arising on the basis of an imbalance between the subject and the environment, in a narrow sense - as arising when the process of social or professional adaptation is disrupted. This is a conflict between the demands that reality places on an individual and the capabilities of the person himself (professional, physical, mental).
The conflict of inadequate self-esteem arises due to the discrepancy between the individual’s claims and the assessment of one’s capabilities. The result of this is increased anxiety, emotional stress and breakdowns.
Neurotic conflict is the result of an ordinary intrapersonal conflict that persists for a long time and is characterized by high tension and confrontation between the internal forces and motives of the individual.

The named types of conflicts do not completely exhaust their classification. Depending on other reasons, a different typology of intrapersonal conflicts can be given. This is evidenced by the very history of the development of conflictological concepts, which distinguish various types of intrapersonal conflicts. Let us note the main ones: [22].

The conflict between morality and morality, between what should be and what is, between the moral ideal and reality (I. Kant, F. Dostoevsky).
The conflict between human drives, biological needs and social norms, which is biological and biosocial in nature (3. Freud).
A conflict caused by the need to choose between forces of equal magnitude acting on a person (K. Levin).
The conflict between the “I-concept” and the ideal “I” (K. Rogers).
The conflict between the desire for self-actualization and the real result (A. Maslow).
The conflict between the desire for meaning in life and the existential vacuum, i.e. “noogenic” conflict, or “existential frustration” (V. Frankl).
Conflict between elements of the internal structure of a personality, between its motives (A. Leontyev).

Structure of the conflict [18].

Analyzing the structure of the conflict, we can identify the following basic concepts: parties (participants) to the conflict, conditions for the conflict, images of the conflict situation, possible actions of the participants in the conflict, outcomes of conflict actions.

Parties to the conflict. Participants, or parties, to a conflict can be individuals, social groups and organizations, states, coalitions of states, and so on. Participants in a conflict are characterized, generally speaking, by a wide range of characteristics that are significant in one way or another. In socio-psychological terms, the participants in the conflict are characterized primarily by motives, goals, values, attitudes, etc.

Conditions for the conflict. In addition to the characteristics of the participants, the conflict depends significantly on the external context in which it arises and develops. An important component of this context is the socio-psychological environment, usually represented by various social groups with their specific structure, dynamics, norms, values, etc. It is important to emphasize that the social group environment must be understood quite broadly, not limited only to the immediate environment of the individual. The tendency towards such a narrowing of the concept of environment is characteristic of most bourgeois authors. A typical example in this regard is the position of supporters of interactionism in social psychology. The latter essentially limit the concept of environment to the context of a small group.

Images of a conflict situation. The characteristics of the participants in the conflict and the particular conditions of its occurrence determine the conflict behavior of the parties. However, this determining influence is never exercised directly. The mediating link is the ideal pictures, images of the conflict situation available to each of the participants in the conflict. These internal pictures of the situation include the participants’ ideas about themselves (their motives, goals, values, opportunities, etc.), ideas about the opposing parties (their motives, goals, values, opportunities, etc.) and ideas about the environment, in which conflictual relationships develop. It is these images, ideal pictures of a conflict situation, and not reality itself, that are the direct determinant of the conflict behavior of the participants. The last circumstance seems fundamentally important from the point of view of socio-psychological studies of conflict. It reveals perhaps the most significant cross-section of social conflict as an object of socio-psychological analysis.

Possible actions of the parties to the conflict. The images of a conflict situation available to its participants determine the set of possible actions taken by the parties. Since the actions of the opposing parties largely influence each other and are interdependent, in any conflict they acquire the character of interaction. Note, by the way, that in game theory, which studies formal models of conflict, there is a special term to describe an action that takes into account all possible responses of the opposing side. We have in mind the term “strategy”, which plays a key role in the case of a matrix representation of conflict. It is important to note that in addition to its direct function, for example, to contribute to the achievement of one’s goals, to hinder the achievement of the goals of the opposing party, etc., actions also include moments of communication between the parties and play an important information function in this regard.

Outcomes of conflict actions. Outcomes (or, in other words, consequences, results of conflicting actions) do not represent something that lies outside the conflict itself. On the contrary, they are organically woven into the conflict itself. Firstly, they are involved in the conflict at an ideal level: the participants in the conflict from the very beginning have some image of possible outcomes and, in accordance with this image, choose their behavior. It is no less important, however, that the real consequences of conflict actions themselves turn out to be an integral element of the process of conflict interaction. As a rule, in a conflict, actions are taken in parts and are therefore interspersed with their results.

Stages of conflict resolution: [16].

 create an atmosphere of cooperation;

 strive for clarity of relationships and communication;

 acknowledge the existence of a conflict;

 agree on the procedure (where, when and how work to overcome it will begin);

 outline the conflict, i.e. define it in terms of a mutual problem to be resolved;

 reach an agreement;

 set a deadline for the decision;

 Implement the plan;

 Evaluate the decision made.

Basic techniques necessary to prevent conflict:

 Do not respond to aggression with aggression;

 Do not insult or humiliate your opponent with any word, gesture, or look;

 Give your opponent the opportunity to speak;

 Try to express your understanding in connection with the difficulties encountered by your opponent;

 Do not make hasty conclusions, do not give hasty advice;

 Invite your opponent to discuss the problems that have arisen in a calm atmosphere.

Dynamics and transformation of conflict.

An important point in the dynamics of the conflict is its possible transition from one form to another. The range of such transitions is very wide. For example, an internal conflict (intrapersonal, intragroup) can turn into an external one (interpersonal, intergroup) and an external one into an internal one. The latter, in particular, occurs in the case of partial resolution of conflicts, when conflict behavior directed outward is suppressed in one way or another, but the internal desire for this conflict behavior does not disappear, but is only restrained, thereby generating internal tension, internal conflict. Further, the already mentioned false conflict, that is, a conflict that arises in the absence of an objective conflict situation due to the erroneous mutual perception of the parties, can be transformed into a true, genuine one. Similarly, a true (false) conflict on one issue can turn into a true (false) conflict on another issue, and so on. The latter, for example, occurs when a conflict that arose on personal grounds develops into a business one and vice versa [20].

When studying relationships in various groups, quite often one also has to deal with a series of private, at first glance, unjustified conflicts, which in fact represent some kind of deep, serious conflict. The latter, being basic, radiates, growing into a set of external, smaller conflicts.

Structure

The components of the structure involve parties, conditions, subject, actions and outcome . There will be at least two parties: individuals, organizations, social groups and communities. Conditions will be those factors or circumstances that determine the characteristics of the conflict and the very possibility of its occurrence. The conditions for its occurrence also include its causes, which are divided into groups according to the sociocultural context, situational background and the presence of third forces that either want to mitigate the conflict or aggravate it.

The subject of a conflict is something that becomes the object of divergent interests. It can be something material or abstract (some kind of life principle, value thesis). The subject is exactly what they argue about. Well, the actions of the participants determine the conflict interaction, this is its content. The outcome is considered to be its result (or rather, its ideal image), exactly what the parties are aimed at. He also regulates the outcome.

Often the participants themselves cannot formulate exactly what they understand by the ideal image of the outcome.

Division according to the specifics of the warring parties

Depending on the specifics of the warring parties, conflicts can be internal, external and antagonistic.

Internal. A distinctive feature of such conflict situations is that there are two (or more) subjects of confrontation who are in a certain social group. The main task of each side is to take a leadership position and prove the correctness of their point of view.
Antagonistic. Such confrontations usually take place between different social groups, and therefore are the most difficult and time-consuming. These could be wars, coups d'etat, sports competitions, and so on. A distinctive feature of this dispute is that achieving a compromise is simply impossible, and therefore there will definitely be a winning and a losing side.
External. The main essence of external conflicts is that they are carried out in the process of interaction of complete opposites, which relate to different objects. A striking example of such a situation is the struggle of people with tsunamis, earthquakes or epidemics.

Consequences

They can be not only negative, which is obvious, but also positive. Negative consequences include:

difficulties, problems of personal development - for example, disappointment in oneself and others, in the world order and values;
the emergence of a negative portrait of a competitor or rival , that is, the image of an enemy - there is no longer any common sense here, the other side is being demonized, activities begin to harm it;
the destruction of the system of existing relationships means hostility, prejudice, and a break in attachment;
coming to violence - not necessarily physical, psychological is also very dangerous;
fixation of negative social experience - victory through threats, aggression, blackmail can become entrenched as an algorithm for achieving success;
negative impact on the psyche - from a bad mood to angry tension, which can lead to the development of clinical depression;
negative impact on the productivity of the parties - a person under stress cannot be as productive as outside it (and a group, organization, community too);
depletion of personal energy resources - at some stage there is a feeling of loss of strength, the impossibility of continuing the conflict if you are not ready to give up.

The positive aspects include self-affirmation and self-identification. A person learns to defend his opinion and becomes capable of bold actions and open confrontation. So, for example, a parent who fights for an objective attitude of a teacher towards his child finds in himself courage and purposefulness, which he seemed to have never seen in himself before. Through conflict you can increase your own authority. Finally, he can carry a competitive spirit. Often, personal contradictions between athletes (a direct analogy) influenced the fact that each of them improved their sports results.

Conflicts according to the severity of conflict confrontation

Depending on the severity of the conflict confrontation, there are the following types of conflicts.

Open. A distinctive feature of this type is that the warring parties in such a situation never hide the fact that they are hostile against each other. Very often, when trying to get out of such a situation, each side begins to make trouble, prove their point of view or that their opponent is wrong. Because of this, wars, quarrels, fights, and so on begin. Such conflict situations are very often large-scale, as a result of which the third party suffers. In addition, they are much more difficult to solve.
Hidden. The main difference between such a confrontation is that the parties usually do not show open hostility towards each other. For example, this very often happens in a situation where one side is afraid of the other and cannot openly conflict with it. During such a confrontation, participants can conduct discussions on various topics, understanding the object of discussion as completely opposite values. Thanks to this, everyone tries to achieve a certain goal, as well as prevent the other party from receiving benefits. With hidden conflicts, achieving a compromise and a positive result is much easier than with open confrontation.

Resolution methods

The conflict can be directly resolved, extinguished, settled, removed the cause, or a compromise can be found. Let's take a closer look at these methods.

Permission . Happens when both parties seek to resolve the situation peacefully. Then they will look for exit strategies together, listen to each other, and respect each other’s attempts to find a way out.
Settlement . Some third party appears who has no personal interest (the same mediator or psychologist). The parties determine his powers, he helps to find the real motives of the controversial situation and suggests ways to resolve it.
Attenuation . The participants may simply get bored with it, and they decide to just end it. Perhaps this way it will go into a hidden form. This happens when the parties are exhausted, the incident is no longer so relevant, and there is no strength to continue.
Eliminating the cause . If a problem is discovered and there is a way to remove it on its own, do so (with the consent of both parties, with or without the help of a mediator). In this case, the solution can be radical.
Transformation . There is also such an end to a conflict when, in the process of one situation, an acute new one arises. The root cause is no longer so interesting, they can completely forget about it, there is a switch to the so-called newly discovered circumstances.

Modern approaches to resolving all kinds of disputes involve involving specialists or a third, authoritative and unbiased party. This is good because the conflict immediately stops escalating, fear goes away, and the readiness to attack and defend also becomes less pronounced.

The institution of mediation is developing at different levels, and this may soon be the reason for the revision of many aspects in conflict management.

How to prevent conflicts

If you have a good understanding of what conflict is and how it arises, you can avoid it in many situations. There are a large number of techniques to soften the situation. We will look at some of the simplest and at the same time effective:

1. Common cause

. This method works best with children's conflicts. If children in a family or group begin to conflict, they can be united by doing an interesting and exciting activity.

2. Developing Empathy

. It is important to be able to empathize with other people. This will allow you to better understand your opponent's motivation. When doing an act that you didn’t like, the other person was probably also thinking about something, wanted something. And this action cannot be considered reprehensible just because it conflicts with your interests.

3. Developing respect for others

. This point echoes the previous one. You need to take into account those around you and understand that they are endowed with the same rights.

4. Paying attention to your opponent's strengths

. If you think more about the positive traits of the person with whom you have disagreements, it will be much easier to find reconciliation.

5. Social "strokes"

. You can take part in some pleasant, relaxing event together, for example, going on a picnic in the same company. That is why the management of many companies encourages and organizes “corporate parties” - communication in a pleasant informal atmosphere helps employees get closer and better understand each other.

To learn how to effectively prevent and manage conflicts, you need to improve your communication skills and learn to control your emotions. The online intensive “Effective Communication” from Vikium will help you with this. This course will teach you:

Manage your emotions and control impulses
Overcome difficult emotional situations
Understand the other person's feelings and thoughts on a deeper level
Communicate more effectively with your surroundings
Manage conflicts
Build harmonious relationships

The author of the course is Oleg Kalinichev. Expert in nonverbal behavior, emotional intelligence and lie detection. Accredited trainer Paul Ekman International. Managing Director of Paul Ekman International in Russia (PEI Russia).

The online intensive “Effective Communication” will be especially useful:

Entrepreneurs, executives, top managers;
Those who work with clients, middle managers, freelancers;
To everyone who is involved in raising children;
Anyone who wants to improve their communication with others.

The training consists of 4 blocks:

Emotions. Basics;
Emotional stability and emotional flexibility;
Social efficiency;
Building harmonious relationships.

How the training works:

Watch video lectures;
Perform independent tasks to consolidate the material;
Participate in webinars and discuss difficult issues;
Take tests on the material you have studied;
You complete the intensive course and receive a certificate.

You can find out more about this course by following the link.

conclusions

The classification of modern conflicts shows us their diversity and multiplicity. One or another confrontation and clash of interests occur in almost all spheres of human life. This encourages scientists and psychologists to closely study conflict situations, because a dispute that arises between several individuals can be projected onto larger-scale confrontations. This allows us to develop effective methods of settlement and resolution. The scope of conflict management can also include such actions as forecasting and anticipation, warning and intentional stimulation.

The main classifications of conflicts affect the most important areas of human life. The most important role is played by interpersonal confrontations, which occur almost everywhere. When entering the workforce, a person will certainly encounter organizational conflicts. Of more global importance are interregional and interstate confrontations, which can develop into an armed phase if measures to resolve them are not taken in time.