Constructive Conflict Resolution Research Articles

Beyond the Meeting: How Community Activists Construe Idea Transfer from Intercommunity Encounters ‐ The Cases of Northern Ireland and Kosovo

AbstractIntercommunity dialogue encounters are a crucial tool for constructive conflict resolution. This research examines grassroots dialogue encounters with regard to the societal position of the participants, as well the situation ‘on the ground’ as influential to the transfer process. Interviews in Northern Ireland and Kosovo with community activists stressed the effectiveness of personal characteristics of dialogue participants when it came to transfer. Moreover, the readiness ‐ affected by socio-economic conditions as well as external/secondary conflict parties ‐ of the peer group to listen to its participant seemed fundamental.

A study of relationship on marketing channel power, conflict resolution, and channel performance-an empirical investigation of notebook computer industry

According to past literatures, conflict will result to negative influence to the performance of marketing channel, but there may be greater benefit if the conflict is reconciled very well. The purpose of this research might not lie in terminating conflicts, it should preferably focus on the appropriate conflict management to increase the constructive conflict resolution mechanisms and decrease the destructive conflict resolution mechanisms. In this study, we apply LISREL to understand the relation between power, conflict resolution, and performance of marketing channel. Main empirical findings are summarized as flows 1. Constructive conflict resolution and destructive conflict resolution both have significant influence on channel performance. 2. Both constructive and destructive conflict resolution are mediators, connected the channel power and performance. 3. Channel power has both significant influence on constructive conflict resolution and destructive conflict resolution.

Computerized DSS for Construction Conflict Resolution under Uncertainty

Due to the inherent nature of construction projects, conflicts are unavoidable among the various parties involved. Such conflicts often delay projects and cause losses for all parties. This paper presents the development of a decision support system (DSS) to help in resolving construction disputes. The DSS integrates the elimination method to shortlist promising resolutions to a conflict, the graph model for conflict resolution to determine the best resolution that satisfies all decision makers’ preferences, and the information gap theory to consider uncertain decision preferences. A prototype system has been developed and a case study of a construction conflict used to demonstrate its features. The presented methodology for construction conflict resolution is useful for both researchers and practitioners to better deal with the dispute-prone nature of the construction industry under uncertainty and lack of information. In this paper, the proposed prototype successfully simulated and predicted the sequenc...

A pilot study on the effects of a team building process on the perception of work environment in an integrative hospital for neurological rehabilitation

BackgroundNeurological rehabilitation is one of the most care-intensive challenges in the health care system requiring specialist therapeutic and nursing knowledge. In this descriptive pilot study, we investigated the effects of a team building process on perceived work environment, self-ascribed professional competence, life satisfaction, and client satisfaction in an anthroposophic specialized hospital for neurological rehabilitation. The team-building process consisted of didactic instruction and training in problem-solving, teambuilding and constructive conflict resolution.MethodsSeventy seven staff members and 44 patients' relatives were asked to complete a survey that included the Work Environment Scale (WES-10), a Life Satisfaction Scale (BMLSS), the Conviction of Therapeutic Competency (CTC) scale and the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8). To evaluate the outcome of the team building process, we analyzed changes over time in the WES-10 subscales. Additionally the interrelationship between the WES-10 subscales with other subscales and with sociodemographic parameters like age, gender was calculated by means of a bivariate correlation analysis.ResultsThe team building process had a significant positive effect on perceived work environment in only one area. There was a significant improvement in the ward staffs' perception of their ability to constructively resolve conflicts 3 years after inception of the team building process than there was before inception. However, even in a unit that utilized holistic treatment and nursing in the care of severely disable patients, such care necessitating a very heavy workload, the measurements on the Self Realization, Life Satisfaction and Conviction of Therapeutic Competency scales remained high and unchanged over the three year time period of the study.ConclusionsStrategic interventions might be an option to improve interpersonal relationships and finally quality of patient care.

Comparison of the effectiveness of two forms of the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities Project for promoting cooperative conflict resolution education in Australian primary schools

This study evaluated the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities (ERIS) Project which aimed to promote constructive conflict resolution (CR) in Australian primary school communities through professional development for core teams of three–five staff (n = 33 teachers). Twelve schools were randomly assigned to a full intervention (FI) group or a partial intervention (PI) group with seven and two days professional development respectively and equivalent levels of in‐school support over 16 months. Teachers from the same schools who received no direct intervention (NDI) (n = 33) were comparison groups. Significant positive differences were found between the FI teachers and the PI and NDI participants in their use of CR steps and use of an integrative approach to conflict. At post‐intervention the FI group participants’ attitudes to conflict became most positive. While both FI and PI participants disseminated CR information to staff and students, the FI group reported higher levels of dissemination.

Sex differences in 2D: 4D ratio, aggression and conflict resolution in African children and adolescents: a cross‐cultural study

This study was conducted on children and adolescents from the three tribal cultures from Northern Tanzania: the Hadza, the Datoga and the Iraqw. The comparative data on aggression and conflict management skills were measured at Endomaga Boarding School, Lake Eyasi, Mangola in Northern Tanzania, in 2005‐2006. The final sample included 219 children, ranging from 7 to 20 years of age. No sex differences were found in self‐ratings or frequency of occurrence of physical, verbal and indirect aggression in Iraqw children and adolescents, or in self‐ratings in Hadza. Hadza boys reported a higher occurrence of physical and indirect aggression during the previous week compared to girls. No differences between the sexes were found in constructive conflict resolution and third‐party interventions practiced by Iraqw and Datoga children and self‐ratings in Hadza. Hadza boys reported a higher frequency of constructive conflict resolution and third‐party interventions compared to girls. Significant sexual dimorphism on the 2D:4D ratio was found for our African sample. A significant negative correlation between the right hand 2D:4D ratio and ratings on physical aggression was found for the girls. The girls with the lowest finger index estimated themselves as more verbally aggressive, compared to girls with a medium 2D:4D ratio.

Anlaşmazlıklarımızı Çözebiliriz: Bir Çatışma Çözümü Eğitim Programı Tanıtımı

This paper provides a description of We Can Resolve Our Conflicts education program designed to prevent and reduce aggression in elementary school students and an overview of its theoretical and empirical foundations. The program was based on the theories of empathy, anger control, social information processing, and constructive conflict resolution. Effectiveness of the program was also examined by two empirical studies. The program aims active participation of the students therefore materials interesting for children such as stories, photos, cartoons, posters, films and different techniques such as pen and paper activities, class discussions, plays, role-plays, drama are utilized in the program. Studies examining the effectiveness of conflict resolution education programs have suggested that social and emotional skills can be taught and aggression can be reduced by these acquisitions.

Affective Qualities of Sibling Disputes, Mothers' Conflict Attitudes, and Children's Theory of Mind Development

AbstractPreschoolers' theory of mind (ToM) was examined in relation to emotional features of their conflicts with siblings, using mothers as privileged informants. Fifty‐four children aged 3 to 5 years and their 54 mothers took part. Children were given 10 standard false belief tasks and a standardized language test. Mothers completed questionnaires, rated vignettes, and kept a conflict diary to provide detailed data on siblings' conflicts, mothers' conflict attitudes, and mothers' use of mental state language to talk about children's disputes. Results revealed that children's ToM scores were significantly correlated with affective dimensions of their sibling disputes, including more frequent expression of positive emotion while disagreeing and less post‐conflict distress. Logistic regression showed these associations were independent of age and verbal ability. Mothers' conflict attitudes were significantly correlated with the affective outcome of their children's disputes but not with the preschooler's level of ToM understanding. Findings are discussed in relation to possible reciprocal influences between ToM development and the growth of affectively positive and constructive conflict resolution skills.

Constructive Dispute and Conflict Resolution: A Technique for Resolving Serious Conflicts in Africa

Arbitration and other ADR procedures for resolving disputes of all sorts are becoming commonplace in Africa. But along with this development is a discernible phenomenon: that the dichotomies that exist between the well-established procedures such as arbitration and mediation, and between techniques such as negotiation and conciliation, are often too formalised to enable African conflicts to be properly or fully investigated, or to deal effectively with the plethora of complex disputes and destructive conflicts spreading all over Africa; and the effect of this constraint is that parties and stakeholders in such problems are compelled to look for alternative ways and means of finding solutions outside the conventional procedures. If it is accepted that these procedures are neither cast in stone nor self sufficient for solving all disputes then there is scope for designing new models that may be more suitable for African conflicts. In this article the author discusses the nature of disputes and conflicts, their escalation on the African continent and the concept and operation of what the author terms ‘constructive dispute and conflict resolution’, as a recognisable technique for achieving durable solutions in African conflicts.

The View from Above and Below: The Effects of Power Symmetries and Interdependence on Conflict Dynamics & Outcomes

Amidst the vast literature on social conflict, there are a few basic theoretical models that have helped advance the understanding and practice of constructive conflict resolution. Among these, one of the most important and influential is Deutsch's theory of conflict resolution (1973, 2006). Based on his earlier work on cooperation and competition in groups (Deutsch, 1949a, 1949b), it specified the basic conditions and processes involved in constructive versus destructive conflict. However, the original formulation of the theory assumed equal power of the parties in conflict (Johnson and Johnson, 2005). Thus, the dynamics and outcomes observed in a majority of the empirical studies supporting the theory occurred under conditions of relatively equal power between the parties. The assumption of equal power therefore constrains both the theoretical scope and practical implications of the theory. Although there have been important advances in research on the dynamics of asymmetries of power and conflict (see Blalock, 1989; Deutsch, 1973; Kim, Pinkley, and Fragale, 2005; Rouhana and Fiske, 1995; Rubin and Brown, 1975; Tjosvold, 1981, 1985, 1989, 1991; Tjosvold, Coleman and Sun, 2003; Zartman and Rubin, 2002), the findings in this area have been replete with contradictions and have resulted in a good deal of conceptual confusion (Zartman and Rubin, 2002). This paper will present three studies investigating a new social-psychological model of the dynamics of power and conflict. The model builds on the works of Lewin (1951), Deutsch (1949a, 1949b, 1973, 1982, 1985), and Kelly and Thibaut (Thibaut and Kelly, 1959; Kelly and Thibaut, 1978; Kelly, 1979, 1984, 1991) on interdependence, and of McClelland (1975) on social power. The three studies presented in this paper will include: 1) an exploratory study of survey data on how conflict behaviors differ when negotiating across different levels of power, 2) qualitative research with focus groups exploring the implications of differences in power and interdependence for conflict rules and behaviors, and 3) an experimental study that will test hypotheses derived from the theoretical model. This paper will have three sections: (1) a summary of the main principles and limitations of Deutsch's theory of conflict resolution, (2) a presentation of the main propositions of the model of power and conflict, and (3) a discussion of the implications of the research for future work in the area.

Shifting Spaces and Emerging Voices: Participation, Support, and Conflict in One School Administrative Team

Research Findings: Collaborative work and supportive relationships are highly valued by teachers and school administrators. Collaboration, however, necessitates constructive conflict resolution (P. M. Senge, 1990); yet conflict is often experienced as interpersonally threatening and undermining supportive working conditions. This contradiction is critical for educators wishing to develop prosocial conflict resolution skills in children: It is unrealistic to expect students to resolve conflicts peaceably if adults in the system do not model these behaviors themselves. This study examines the management team of a school engaged in conflict resolution training to assess whether they were able to (a) create a more participatory and supportive team climate and (b) change how team members interacted during conflicts (use of internal state language as well as structural elements—voice and turn-taking behavior—were examined). Results suggest that the team improved its climate along expected dimensions and that, behaviorally, change occurred not according to how much was said or not said by any one teammate, but rather through the shifting dynamics of space among members—how teammates shifted in relation to each other and how much space team members gave to each other to allow for these shifts to happen. Practice or Policy: Theoretical and practical implications for educators and consultants are discussed.

Constructive conflict and staff consensus in substance abuse treatment

Previous studies demonstrated the relationship between consensus among both staff and clients with client engagement in treatment and between client consensus and 1-year treatment outcomes. The present article explores the correlates of staff consensus, defined as the level of agreement among staff as to the importance of treatment activities in their program, using a national sample of 80 residential substance abuse treatment programs. Constructive conflict resolution had the largest effect on consensus. Low client-to-staff ratios, staff education, and staff experience in substance abuse treatment were also significantly related to consensus. Frequency of training, an expected correlate of consensus, was negatively associated with consensus, whereas frequency of supervision was not a significant correlate. The implications of the findings for future research and program improvement are discussed.

‘We Got to Figure it Out’: Information‐sharing and Siblings' Negotiations of Conflicts of Interests

AbstractGiven the importance of mutual understanding for constructive conflict resolution, this study investigated the influence of information‐sharing on siblings faced with conflicts of interests. Thirty‐two sibling dyads (ages 4.5 to 8) participated. Siblings were asked to negotiate the division of five toys between themselves. Half of the pairs first shared information on which toys they wanted and why. Results indicated that information‐sharing increased children's knowledge of one another's interests, the likelihood of achieving maximally beneficial outcomes, and the involvement of younger siblings in problem‐solving.

Constructive Conflict Resolution

Constructive Conflict Resolution

Training Parents to Mediate Sibling Disputes Affects Children's Negotiation and Conflict Understanding

The effects of training parents to use formal mediation procedures in sibling disputes were examined in 48 families with 5- to 10-years-old children, randomly assigned to mediation and control conditions. Children whose parents were trained in mediation were compared with those whose parents intervened normally. Parents reported that children used more constructive conflict resolution strategies, compromised more often, and controlled the outcomes of conflicts more often in mediation families than in control families. Observations indicated less negativity in children's independent negotiations of recurrent conflicts, better understanding of the role of interpretation in assessing blame, and better knowledge of their siblings' perspectives in the mediation group. Thus, both social and social-cognitive gains resulted from experience with constructive conflict resolution.

Aggression, conflict resolution, popularity, and attitude to school in Russian adolescents

The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of aggression and conflict-managing skills on popularity and attitude to school in Russian adolescents. Three types of aggression (physical, verbal, and indirect), constructive conflict resolution, third-party intervention, withdrawal, and victimization were examined using the Peer-Estimated Conflict Behavior (PECOBE) inventory [Bjorkquist and Osterman, 1998]. Also, all respondents rated peer and self-popularity with same-sex classmates and personal attitude to school. The sample consisted of 212 Russian adolescents (101 boys, 111 girls) aged between 11 and 15 years. The findings attest to significant sex differences in aggression and conflict resolution patterns. Boys scored higher on physical and verbal aggression, and girls on indirect aggression. Girls were socially more skillful than boys in the use of peaceful means of conflict resolution (they scored higher on constructive conflict resolution and third-party intervention). The attributional discrepancy index (ADI) scores were negative for all three types of aggression in both sexes. Verbal aggression is apparently more condemned in boys than in girls. ADI scores were positive for constructive conflict resolution and third-party intervention in both genders, being higher in boys. In girls, verbal aggression was positively correlated with popularity. In both sexes, popularity showed a positive correlation with constructive conflict resolution and third-party intervention, and a negative correlation with withdrawal and victimization. Boys who liked school were popular with same-sex peers and scored higher on constructive conflict resolution. Girls who liked school were less aggressive according to peer rating. They also rated higher on conflict resolution and third-party intervention. Physical aggression was related to age. The results are discussed in a cross-cultural perspective.

Regulating anger and sadness: an exploration of discrete emotions in emotion regulation

Do emotion regulation processes vary as a function of discrete emotions? Focusing on anger and sadness, this study examined: (a) the strategies that men and women use to regulate each emotion, (b) the extent to which strategies differ in their use and effectiveness, and (c) the relationship between effective regulation of these emotions and social functioning. One hundred ninety participants described recent situations that evoked anger and sadness and how they regulated each emotion. Emotion regulation attempts for anger and sadness differed to some extent in both use and effectiveness. In addition, effective regulation of each emotion was associated with different aspects of social functioning. Effective anger regulation was associated with constructive conflict resolution style, and effective sadness regulation was associated with positive social relations. The findings suggest that global approaches to studying emotion regulation may be limited and emphasize the importance of moving toward a discrete emotions framework.

Brief Report: Promoting Postformal Thinking on the Job: A Protocol for Interpersonal Conflict Resolution Training

In this paper, we discuss the relevance of training in the constructive resolution of interpersonal conflicts that occur at work. Research indicates that such conflicts may be a source of stress for adults, particularly young adults who have just entered the workforce. We present a training protocol in constructive conflict resolution that has been adapted for application to work-related conflicts. Most conflict resolution training protocols for use in the workplace focus on resolving company-wide problems. We do not know of any that focus on individual conflicts between employees, while emphasizing skills that may offer some benefits for the development of postformal thinking. Postformal thinking has been postulated as relevant to becoming an expert in one’s chosen profession. We present this protocol to stimulate ideas on how to further develop and refine training efforts for working adults in conflict resolution.

Anger or Compromise? Adolescents' Conflict Resolution Strategies in Relation to Gender and Type of Peer Relationship

ABSTRACT This study examined gender differences in conflict resolution across three types of adolescent peer relationship. We predicted that adolescents would vary in their use of overt anger and compromise in accord with gender stereotypes, depending on the type of peer relationship under consideration. It was predicted that, in conflicts with opposite-gender friends, adolescents would modify the strategies typically used with same-gender friends to more closely match those of the opposite gender. Furthermore, it was predicted that, in romantic relationships, compared with cross-gender friendships, adolescents would use more compromise and less overt anger. Broad support for these propositions was found, the main exception being girls' greater use of overt anger than expected, in all three types of peer relationships. Possible reasons posited were changing male and female roles in society and the use of overt anger questionnaire items that reflect social aggression. It was concluded that efforts to promote constructive conflict resolution by adolescents should consider reasons why young people choose different conflict resolution strategies in different types of peer relationships.

Managing Conflict Constructively in Program Evaluation

Evaluators almost inevitably experience conflict in the course of conducting evaluation studies. This article first presents two theoretical frameworks from social psychology - conflict strategies theory and constructive conflict resolution theory - useful for constructively managing conflict in evaluation settings. Second, we discuss theory-derived skills related to structuring cooperative goals and tasks in evaluation studies as well as how to use integrative negotiation procedures to address disputes that arise during the evaluation process. Finally, we explain how these theories can provide evaluators with a lens through which to analyze evaluation contexts, thereby helping them to make wise decisions for effective evaluation practice.