Types of behavior of people in a conflict situation

Any conflict must go through the main stages: emergence, clash of views, actions, conflict resolution.

For example, a new person headed the management of a department. He sees the situation differently and evaluates the team’s work differently. At the same time, the team already has its own established rules and traditions. All this leads to irritation, hostility and unwillingness to comply with the demands of the new manager.

Conflict resolution is not an easy task, especially when each side insists on its own. Conflict management is also complicated by the fact that it tends to grow from local to universal. The hostility of two employees can divide the entire team into two camps. A tense, hostile atmosphere develops in the team. All this has a negative impact on work productivity and reduces productivity.

§ 2. Classification of conflicts. Types of behavior of people in a conflict situation

In the scientific literature, there are various classifications of conflicts; in our opinion, the most optimal is the division by volume, duration, and source of occurrence.

By volume, conflicts are divided into:

Intrapersonal conflicts arise as a result of the fact that production requirements are not consistent with the personal needs or values of the employee, as well as in response to work underload or overload, conflicting demands.

It must be remembered that this type of conflict does not fully correspond to this definition. Here, the participants in the conflict are not people, but various psychological factors of the individual’s inner world (needs, motives, values, feelings, etc.).

Intrapersonal conflict can take various forms. One of the most common is role conflict, when conflicting demands are placed on one person regarding what the result of his work should be.

Intrapersonal conflict may also arise when job demands are inconsistent with personal needs or values. For example:

The woman head of the department had been planning for a long time and even made a promise to her family to go out of town on weekends, relax, and spend time with the children. But on Friday the manager comes with some problem and insists that the work must be completed by Monday.

And here the cause of the conflict is the mismatch between personal needs and production requirements.

Interpersonal conflict involves two or more individuals who perceive themselves as being in opposition to each other with respect to goals, dispositions, values, or behavior. This is perhaps the most common type of conflict.

It manifests itself in different ways in organizations. Many managers believe that the only reason for it is the dissimilarity of characters. Indeed, there are people who, due to differences in characters, views, and behavior, find it very difficult to get along with each other. However, a deeper analysis shows that such conflicts, as a rule, are based on objective reasons. Most often this is a struggle for limited resources, material means, etc. Conflicts arise between a manager and a subordinate, for example, when the subordinate is convinced that the manager makes unreasonable demands on him, and the manager believes that the subordinate does not want to work to his full potential.

The conflict between an individual and a group manifests itself as a contradiction between the expectations or requirements of an individual and the norms of behavior and work established in the group. This conflict arises due to the inadequacy of the leadership style to the level of maturity of the team, due to the discrepancy between the competence of the leader and the competence of the team’s specialists, and due to the group’s rejection of the moral character and character of the leader.

Conflict may arise between an individual and a group if that individual takes a position different from that of the group.

For example, at a business meeting there is a discussion about the possibility of increasing sales. Most believe that this can be achieved by lowering the price. And some, however, are firmly convinced that such tactics will lead to a decrease in profits and create the impression that their products are of lower quality than those of competitors. Although this person, whose opinion differs from the group, may have the company's interests at heart, he can still be seen as a source of conflict because he goes against the group's opinion.

Intergroup conflicts are conflicts within formal groups of a team (for example, administration and trade union), within informal groups, as well as between formal and informal groups.

Typically, such conflicts are intense and, if not managed correctly, do not result in gains for either group.

Based on how long they last, conflicts can be divided into short-term and protracted. The former are most often the result of mutual misunderstanding or mistakes that are quickly realized. The latter are associated with deep moral and psychological trauma or objective difficulties. The duration of the conflict depends both on the subject of the controversy and on the nature of the people involved. Long-term conflicts are very dangerous, because in them conflicting individuals consolidate their negative state. The frequency of conflict can cause deep and lasting tension in relationships.

Based on the source of their occurrence, conflicts can be divided into objectively and subjectively caused. The emergence of a conflict in a complex contradictory situation in which people find themselves is considered objective. Poor working conditions, unclear division of functions and responsibilities - these types of problems are considered conflict problems, i.e. objectively turn out to be the soil on which a tense situation easily arises.

If people are placed in such conditions, then regardless of their mood, characters, moods that have developed in the team and calls for mutual understanding and restraint, the likelihood of

conflict is quite large. Conflicts caused by such reasons can be eliminated only by changing the objective situation. In these cases, the conflict performs a kind of signaling function, indicating trouble in the life of the team.

Subjective will be the emergence of a conflict in connection with the personal characteristics of those in conflict, with situations that create obstacles to the satisfaction of our aspirations, desires, and interests. The decision made seems wrong, the job evaluation is incorrect, the behavior of colleagues is unacceptable.

People behave differently in conflict situations: some more often give in, giving up their desires and opinions, while others rigidly defend their point of view. Doctor of Psychological Sciences N. Obozov identifies three types of behavior in conflict: the behavior of a “practitioner”, “interlocutor”, and “thinker”. Depending on the types of personalities involved in the conflict, it can proceed in different ways.

“Practician” operates under the slogan “The best defense is attack.” The “effectiveness” of people of the practical type contributes to increasing the duration of the conflict. His insatiable need to transform the external environment, including changing the positions of other people, can lead to various clashes and tension in relationships. When solving problems that arise in the “manager-subordinate” system, conflict is inevitable if their relationship is defined by official instructions. The “practitioner” is less sensitive to minor omissions, so as a result of the conflict, relationships are greatly disrupted.

The “interlocutor” is characterized by the slogan “A bad peace is better than a good war.” The main thing for him is communication with people. “Interlocutors” are more superficial in their relationships; their circle of acquaintances and friends is quite large, and close relationships are compensated for this. “Interlocutors” are not capable of long-term confrontation in a conflict. They know how to resolve conflict in such a way as to affect deep feelings as little as possible. This type of personality is sensitive to changes in the partner’s mood and strives to smooth out the emerging contradiction at its very beginning. “Interlocutors” are more open to accepting the other’s opinion and are not very eager to change this opinion, initially preferring cooperation. Therefore, very often they become unofficial emotional and confessional leaders of the team.

“Thinkers” tend to have the attitude “Let him think that he has won!” The “Thinker” is focused on understanding oneself and the world around us. In a conflict, he builds a complex system of proof that he is right and that his opponent is wrong. "Thinker"

thinks through the logic of his behavior well, is more careful in his actions, although less sensitive than the “interlocutor”. In communication, “thinkers” prefer distance, so they are less likely to find themselves in conflict situations, but are more vulnerable in close personal relationships, where the degree of involvement in the conflict will be very high.

People are sensitive to contradictions and conflicts that affect them in different ways. Thus, “thinkers” are most sensitive to contradictions and conflicts in the sphere of spiritual values or ideas. “Practice” is more important than the unity of practical outcomes and goals of joint activity. “Interlocutors” react sharply to assessments of emotional and communication abilities, while assessments of intellectual qualities or practical acumen affect them much less.

Some experts believe that every sufficiently large institution has its own “quarrelsome” and “anti-quarrelsome”. A quarrelsome person is a universally conflicting personality type, for whom the state of confrontation is as natural as cooperation is for an “anti-quarrelsome person.” And if a quarrelsome person inflames the conflict, then the “anti-quarrelsome person” tries to put it out by any means.

The ability to define a conflict, clearly delineate its boundaries, and identify the causes is the key to success in business communication.

The concept of human behavior strategies in a conflict situation

A person, finding himself in a conflict situation, strives to choose a certain model of behavior that corresponds not only to objective data, but also to his subjective state. Thus, when faced with a conflict situation, a person seeks to choose a strategy of behavior in the conflict.

The general characteristics of the strategy of behavior in conflict are similar, but the individual characteristics of any conflict will be different. Just as there are no two absolutely identical people, there are no identical types of conflict. In order to be able to effectively resolve conflicts, a person needs knowledge of how to act when they arise, that is, what manner of behavior should be chosen, what words to choose, what specific actions are suitable for a given situation.

One of the outstanding conflictologists, Kenneth Thomas, divided all types of human behavior in conflict into two main situations:

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the subject seeks to defend his personal interests in the conflict;
the subject takes into account the interests of other people when resolving a conflict.

Strategies for dealing with conflict

Kenneth Thomas identifies the following effective strategies for human behavior in conflict:

rivalry;
device;
evasion;
compromise;
cooperation.

Some scholars also identify two additional effective conflict resolution strategies: suppression and negotiation.

Rivalry is the main strategy that most people choose when conflict arises. When competing, a person assumes that he is obliged to defend his point of view, but if he takes into account the point of view of another person, he has the opportunity to lose. The opposite position is not taken into account by him.

Pros of the “ Rivalry ” strategy:

Establishing strict control over the development of the conflict and the actions of the opponent.
Rigidly defending your position, taking into account your own interests.
Improving the quality of your personal performance through the use of a competitive strategy.

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Disadvantages of the “ Rivalry ” strategy:

The possibility of using deception, cunning in order to create an advantage in one’s favor, provoking an opponent, which can lead to negative consequences.
The use of this strategy is impossible in cases where long-term relationships, friendship, love are implied between the subjects; it is necessary to take into account the interests of the other person.
Rivalry indicates a party’s reluctance to enter into a constructive dialogue due to their own insecurity.

Adaptation characterizes a special way of human behavior in a conflict, when the subject puts his personal needs and interests into the background, makes concessions to the opponent, and aims to prevent further development of the conflict.

Pros of the “ Adaptation ” strategy:

The ability to save personal resources.
Due to the content of victory, the opportunity to gain the upper hand, to assert oneself, in the absence of claims to victory and resistance.

Disadvantages of the “ Accommodation ” strategy:

The subject is forced to constantly agree with the opponent’s demands, please him, and demonstrate a passive position in active ways.
The subject is forced to take and indulge the opponent.
Due to the subjective side, the use of this strategy is impossible in cases where the cause of conflicts is something significant. Otherwise, the conflict will not be resolved; negative emotions arise, which again lead to conflict.

The avoidance strategy is that a person tries in any way to postpone the conflict and making important decisions until “later.”

Advantages of the " Avoidance " strategy:

This strategy is useful when no further relations with the opponent are planned or the essence of the conflict is not particularly important for the parties.
It implies a refusal to use force and a denial of the importance of the conflict.

Disadvantages of the Avoidance :

Demonstrates the opponent's fear of making a counter move.
It is not applicable in cases where the relationship with a person is important for the opponent; the avoidance strategy in this case will only worsen the situation, leading to a break in the relationship.

Compromise acts as a partial way to satisfy the needs of the parties.

Advantages of the “ Compromise ” strategy:

The parties occupy equal positions.
The parties can offer their options for resolving the conflict.
Opponents strive to find a mutually beneficial solution that takes into account the interests of both parties. The decision must comply with the principle of fairness.

Disadvantages of the “ Compromise ” strategy:

Compromise is an intermediate stage of conflict resolution that does not exhaust all problems.
Sometimes parties use cunning or flattery to induce good intentions in the other party.

The cooperation strategy involves resolving the conflict in a way that is beneficial to both parties. Moreover, it is important not only to take into account the opponent’s position, but also to strive to be as satisfied as possible with the results of conflict resolution.

Advantages of the “ Collaboration ” strategy:

Complete collection of information about the subjects of the conflict, the causes and conditions of the conflict.
Using sufficient resources to resolve the conflict between the parties:
The opportunity to openly discuss the conflict and objectify it

Disadvantages of the “ Collaboration ” strategy:

It is not applicable when the essence of the conflict is not important for the parties, the parties measure their strength.
It is not applicable if one of the opponents is not inclined to cooperate, in which case the conflict will not be resolved, at best, its resolution will be delayed for an indefinite period.

Figure 1. Options for behavior in conflict situations. Author24 - online exchange of student work