9. The concept of social conflict and possible ways to resolve it

Conflict is an open collision of opposing positions, interests, views, opinions of the subjects of interaction.

The basis of conflict situations in a group between individuals is a clash between opposing interests, opinions, goals, different ideas about the way they are achieved.

At the verbal level, conflict manifests itself most often in a dispute, where everyone seeks to defend his opinion and prove to the other that he is wrong.

Stages of conflict:

1) the potential formation of conflicting interests, values, norms;

2) the transition of a potential conflict into a real or stage of awareness by the parties to the conflict of their true or falsely understood interests;

3) conflict actions;

4) the removal or resolution of the conflict.

Each conflict has a more or less clearly defined structure .

In any conflict there is an object of a conflict situation, associated either with technological and organizational difficulties, features of remuneration of labor, or with the specifics of the business and personal relations of the conflicting parties.

The second element of the conflict is the goals , the subjective motives of its participants, due to their views and beliefs, worldview.

The conflict involves the presence of opponents , specific individuals who are its participants.

In any conflict, it is important to distinguish the immediate cause of the collision from its original causes , often hidden by both conflicting parties.

As long as all elements of the conflict structure exist, it is unavoidable.

Attempting to end a conflict situation with coercive pressure or persuasion leads to an increase, expansion by attracting new individuals, groups or organizations.

It is necessary to eliminate at least one of the existing elements of the conflict structure.

Although most people treat a conflict as something negative, it has constructive functions :

1) conflict is the source of development, improvement of the interaction process (developmental function);

2) detects a contradiction (cognitive function);

3) is intended to resolve the contradiction (instrumental function);

4) has objective consequences associated with a change in circumstances (restructuring function).

The same conflicts can be constructive in one respect and destructive in another.

The destructive functions of a conflict are obvious:

1) in a conflict situation, almost all people experience psychological discomfort, depression, stress;

2) the system of interrelations is broken;

3) efficiency of joint activity decreases.

In this connection, almost all people treat conflicts negatively and try to avoid them, although there are also initiators of conflicts.

There are several typologies of conflict situations .

Criteria for the classification of conflicts are functions, subjects of interaction, types of behavior of participants, etc.

From the point of view of the subjects of interaction, distinguish interpersonal, intergroup and intrapersonal conflicts.

Interpersonal conflicts are collisions of interacting people whose goals either mutually exclude each other and are incompatible in this situation, or oppose or interfere with each other.

Intergroup conflicts arise due to the confrontation of groups in a team or society.

Intra-personal conflicts are a collision of relatively equal in strength and importance, but oppositely directed motives, needs, interests, and drives of one person.

Possible classification of conflicts:

1) horizontal (between ordinary employees);

2) vertical (between people subordinate to each other);

3) mixed (a combination of the previous varieties).

By the nature of the causes of the conflict, the conflicts caused by the labor process, the psychological characteristics of human relationships, and the personal identity of the group members are distinguished.

According to the importance of conflicts for the organization, as well as the way they are resolved, there are constructive and destructive conflicts.

For constructive conflicts are characterized by disagreements that affect fundamental issues and the resolution of which takes the organization to a higher and more efficient level of development.

Destructive conflicts lead to negative phenomena, which, in turn, lead to a sharp decrease in the efficiency of the group.

In a conflict situation, it is important how the subjects of interaction imagine it.

There may be conflicts that do not have a substantial basis, but the subjects themselves believe that they exist.

Such a conflict is regarded as false , as opposed to genuine , in which real contradictions exist and are realized by both sides of genuine contradiction.

Among various types of conflicts, the so-called patent conflict , that is, the hidden conflict, can be considered the most difficult.

This conflict should have happened, but it does not, as for one reason or another it is either not understood by the subjects of interaction, or hidden by them behind socially acceptable forms of behavior.

Difficult conflicts are personal and production . Family and work, personal life and professional activity are the main spheres of human activity that are associated with self-assertion of the person and thereby determine its particular vulnerability.

Production contradictions can be caused not only by the individual characteristics of the subjects of interaction, but also by the specifics of professional labor.

Conflict can be biased or double , when the existing significant contradictions between the subjects are hidden behind external, minor contradictions.

Displaced conflict is an obvious conflict, behind which you can find a hidden, underlying explicit.

This happens if, for some reason, individuals cannot even admit to themselves the causes and sources of conflict.

Many recommendations have been developed concerning various aspects of people's behavior in conflict situations, the choice of appropriate behavior strategies and means of conflict resolution.

The basis of the model of human behavior in a conflict situation in terms of its compliance with psychological standards is based on the ideas of E. Melibrudy, V. Siegert and L. Lange .

Constructive conflict resolution depends on the following factors:

1) the adequacy of the perception of the conflict;

2) openness and efficiency of communication, readiness for a comprehensive discussion of problems;

3) creating an atmosphere of mutual trust and cooperation.

K. W. Thomas and R. H. Kilmennom developed the most acceptable strategies of behavior in a conflict situation .

There are five styles of behavior in the conflict: adaptation, compromise, cooperation, ignoring, rivalry (competition).

The style of behavior in a particular conflict is determined by the measure in which you want to satisfy your own interests, acting passively or actively, and the interests of the other party, acting jointly or individually.

A style of rivalry , competition can be used by a person with a strong will, sufficient authority, power, not very interested in cooperation with the other side and seeking first of all to satisfy his own interests.

The style of cooperation can be used if, in defending your own interests, you are forced to take into account the needs and desires of the other party.

The purpose of its application is the development of a long-term mutually beneficial solution.

This style requires the ability to explain their desires, listen to each other, restrain their emotions.

The absence of one of these factors makes this style ineffective.

Compromise style. Its essence lies in the fact that the parties seek to resolve differences in mutual concessions.

This style is most effective, both sides want the same thing, but they know that at the same time it is impracticable.

The evasion style is usually implemented when the problem concerned is not so important, the participant in the conflict does not defend his rights, does not cooperate with anyone to come up with a solution, and does not want to waste time and energy on solving it.

This style is recommended in cases where one of the parties has more power or feels that he is wrong, or believes that there are no serious reasons for continuing contacts.

This style is not an escape from a problem or a deviation from responsibility.

Leaving or delaying may be a suitable response to a conflict situation.

The style of adaptation means that the participant in the conflict acts together with the other party, but at the same time does not try to defend his own interests in order to smooth the atmosphere and restore the normal working atmosphere.

None of the conflict resolution styles can be singled out as the best.

It is necessary to learn how to effectively use each of them and consciously make one or another choice, taking into account specific circumstances.