Let's consider the main types of conflicts that differ in content, number of participants, duration.
Currently, many managers are trying to suppress the contradictions that appear between employees, or try not to interfere in them. Both options are wrong because they affect the performance of the organization.
The first types of behavior in a conflict lead to an obstacle to the formation of the necessary, useful relationships for the company. Self-elimination of the manager from the problematic situation contributes to the free development of those disagreements that can cause serious harm to the company itself, as well as its employees.
Relevance of the issue
Different types of behavior in conflict are associated with the distinctive features of people: character, temperament, life experience. They react differently to the events that happen to them. But even the most conflict-free people cannot avoid disagreements with other people, so they are forced to look for ways to behave in such situations.
Some types of social conflicts first gradually mature, develop in a narrow circle. People express their claims and dissatisfaction, try to resolve the controversial issue peacefully. If theyattempts are ignored or they are rejected, in which case the conflict becomes open.
Essence and concept
Contradiction sometimes appears spontaneously, but for the most part it is observed with a serious break in the usual way of life, a sharp treatment. Let us consider in more detail the types of social conflicts, as well as their main characteristics.
There are many definitions that emphasize the presence of contradiction if disagreements arise between people.
For example, a conflict is defined as a violation of the agreement between the parties, manifested in an attempt to resolve a controversial situation, accompanied by acute emotional experiences.
Each side strives to make sure that its point of view on the problem that has arisen is taken into account.
Reasons for appearance
A fertile ground for the emergence of various conflicts is a low level of communication culture: a clash of different characters, incompatibility of habits, tastes, values, opinions.
The main types of conflicts appear due to the imperfection of a person, as well as in the presence of various anomalies in public life. Socio-economic, moral, political problems are a breeding ground for the emergence of a variety of controversial situations.
All types and types of conflicts are associated with the biological and psychophysical characteristics of people. Controversial situations are associated with threats, aggression, war, hostility. There was an opinion that conflict is an undesirable phenomenon,you need to avoid it, try to take actions that contribute to its prevention.
In many situations, types of conflict are destructive. Thus, the opposition of a group of people to one person leads to a “breaking” of the personality or the dismissal of a promising and talented employee.
Classification
Distinguish different types of conflicts in an organization:
- constructive (contribute to making intelligent decisions, stimulate normal relationships);
- destructive (conflicts lead to the destruction of the team).
According to the classification proposed by L. Kouser, there are substantive (realistic) and non-objective (unrealistic) contradictions.
Realistic contradictions are related to the failure to meet the specific requirements of the parties, the unfair distribution of benefits, aimed at achieving the desired result.
Unrealistic conflicts involve the open expression of negative emotions, hostility, resentment. Conflict behavior in such situations is an end in itself, and not a means to achieve the goal.
Starting as a realistic conflict, the argument turns into a pointless option. For example, if the subject of disagreement is some significant event for the participants, they are not able to find an acceptable solution, to resolve the controversial issue. This leads to an increase in emotional tension, so it is necessary to release the negative emotions that have accumulated on both sides of the dispute.
Difficultto say which type of conflict is more powerful depends on the specific characteristics of the participants, as well as on the duration.
Psychologists note that all unrealistic disputes are dysfunctional, and serious problems arise in their settlement.
These types of conflicts are almost impossible to direct in a constructive direction. As a reliable way to prevent such disputes, one can consider the creation of a positive psychological atmosphere, the growth of a culture of communication, mastering the skills of self-regulation of emotions within the framework of interpersonal communication.
Conflictogens
Considering the different types and causes of conflicts, we note that disputes appear regardless of the will of their participants. The cause of their manifestation is conflictogens. These are the words, actions that lead to controversial situations.
Serious danger comes from complete disregard for an essential pattern - the escalation of conflictogens. In response to certain phrases, a negative reaction of a person is observed.
There is a certain formula that can be called the "conflict equation". It looks like this:
conflict=situation + incident.
A conflict situation presupposes a moment of accumulation of certain contradictions.
The incident can be described as a confluence of circumstances, which will become a reason for the appearance of contradictions.
The formula shows that there is a direct relationship between the situation and the incident. Dealing with conflict meanseliminate the cause of the problem, exhaust the incident.
Practice shows that the types of conflict resolution are still not fully understood, often the resolution of controversial issues stops at the stage of exhaustion of the incident.
Important aspects
Different types of conflicts are distinguished according to certain criteria:
- flow duration;
- volume;
- spawn source.
For example, depending on the volume of the disputable situation, allocation is expected:
- interpersonal;
- intrapersonal;
- social;
- group forms.
Specificity of interpersonal conflict
The essence of it lies in the doubts of a particular person, his dissatisfaction with his life, activities, social circle. A similar conflict appears in situations where a person is forced to “play” several roles at once that are incompatible with each other.
Participants in such a situation are not people, but certain mental factors of the internal state of the individual, which are often incompatible:
- values;
- motives;
- feelings;
- needs.
For example, the principal of a school has set a condition for a math teacher to provide parents with information about her teaching activities. And after some time, she showed dissatisfaction with the fact that the teacher is distracted by conversations with parents, devotes minimal time to students. For the teacher, such contradictions caused a state of frustration -the minimum degree of satisfaction from the quality of his work.
Such a conflict is role-based, as conflicting demands are made on one person, as a result of which he must act as a performer, “trying on” several roles at once.
Interpersonal conflicts
These include different types of interethnic conflicts. Such contradictions are the most common forms of conflicts that arise between different people. The reason for its occurrence is a hostile attitude towards an individual due to a mismatch of ideas about the norms of behavior, spiritual and material values. Basically, interpersonal contradictions are based on a subjective point of view, not confirmed by reality.
Such conflicts depend on specific conditions, they are unique, associated with the psychological characteristics of each side of the dispute.
Their cause is the person himself, the forms of his behavior. For example, the following factors can push to serious contradictions:
- bad mood;
- physical fatigue;
- feeling of antipathy;
- negative attitude towards the activities of an individual;
- envy of a colleague's success.
Among the main areas in which people face interpersonal problems, we highlight home and work. Work and family conflicts are the most common objects of research.
B. Justickis and E. G. Eidemiller note the inconsistency of the idea of a family in whichthere are no contradictions. Conflicts between spouses help develop relationships, eliminate emerging differences.
A person in a family is systematically faced with a choice - to adapt to other members, their interests, needs or step back, look for new relationships.
Oh. E. Zuskova and V. P. Levkovich subdivide families according to the level of conflict into three groups:
- solving conflicts with ease;
- fixing problems partially;
- families unable to compromise.
A special type of interaction is the relationship between children and parents. The child gradually grows up, acquires a certain independence, which leads to the appearance of serious contradictions. This is most relevant during adolescence.
Problems at work
The second sphere of interpersonal relations, which is impossible without serious contradictions, is work. In European literature, such contradictions are called "industrial conflict". A wide range of phenomena is implied, which include contradictions between different social categories of employees due to the opposite of their interests, as well as misunderstandings between subordinates and the leader.
When studying conflicts that arise in labor collectives, it was found that the leading causes of them are:
- erroneous management decisions;
- unequal distribution of bonus fund;
- incompetence of the authorities;
- violations of generally accepted norms of behavior.
Motivational conflicts are conflicts of interest that affect the plans, goals, motives, aspirations of participants that contradict each other.
Cognitive conflicts include value contradictions - situations in which problems between participants are associated with different ideas about the value system. For example, if we are talking about labor activity, then the main value will be that for a person, work is the meaning of existence, a way of self-realization. If problems appear there, a person ceases to perceive reality normally, he develops a depressive state.
Disagreements between countries
Let's look at the types of political conflicts that can lead to irreparable consequences.
For example, the rivalry, the hostility that exists between separate groups, is a precondition for war. When solving conflict situations with the use of weapons, civilians may suffer. That is why it is so important to find common ground between peoples and countries in order to prevent bloodshed.
Relationships between individual social groups are the subject of study of various scientific disciplines: psychology, political science, sociology, philosophy.
Intergroup contradictions can be viewed from three perspectives:
- situational;
- motivational;
- cognitive.
They differ in their understanding of the nature and origins of conflicts. For example, from the standpoint of the motivational approach, the behavior between individualgroups can be seen as a reflection of internal problems. Hostility is the result of internal problems and tensions, own conflicts and contradictions. To solve these problems, the group enters into an external conflict.
The decisive factors that determine the competitive nature of intergroup interaction will be the factors of contact between groups.
Political conflicts refer to social conflicts. An example is the situation in Yugoslavia. The inter-ethnic conflict arose because of the situation in the country of Kosovo Albanians. After the US intervened in the current situation, the ethnic conflict became even more expressive and vivid.
In closing
Long-term conflicts between individuals, social groups are especially dangerous, as they lead to deep and prolonged tension in relations, which negatively affects all participants.
The organizer thinks through the conflict, but not in all cases he becomes an active participant in it. There are various scenarios for the development of a conflict situation. The contradictions may persist for a long time period due to the unwillingness of the parties to make mutual concessions.
Modern psychologists are especially interested in the analysis of interpersonal contradictions that arise between individuals, since they often lead to the most serious emotional problems and contribute to depression. Misunderstanding between the head of the companyand its employees, based on personal hostility, leads to the dismissal of highly qualified employees, which will negatively affect the prestige of the company, its material well-being. As you can see, this does not fix the problem, but only exacerbates it.
