Module 5: Confrontation and Conflict Resolution

Table of Contents

1. Think About It!
2. In This Module
   1. The Key to Positive Relationships
   2. Creating a Positive Communication Climate
   3. Defensiveness in Communication
   4. Preventing Defensiveness in Others
   5. Responding Non-Defensively to Criticism
   6. What is Conflict?
   7. Conflict Styles
   8. Steps to Conflict Resolution
   9. Conflict Outcomes
3. Review
4. Resources used in preparing this Module

What is Conflict?

Conflict can be defined in a number of ways. Here are a few definitions:

• to come into collision or disagreement; be contradictory, at variance, or in opposition; clash
• to fight or contend; do battle
• discord of action, feeling, or effect; antagonism or opposition, as of interests or principles: a conflict of ideas (Source: www.dictionary.com).

Your text defines conflict as: an expressed struggle between two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from the other party in achieving their goals (LOOK, p. 277).

There are two general types of conflict: dysfunctional and functional. Dysfunctional conflict is conflict that "creates animosity, causes interpersonal stress, and hinders a group's progress", whereas functional conflict "focuses on issues rather than personalities". (Adler, Rolls, Proctor, Towne, 2009).

Conflict is a natural and necessary part of every relationship, whether it is a mother/child, employee/employer or husband/wife relationship. No matter how stable a relationship is, conflict will occur at some point. Since conflicts cannot be avoided, we must learn how to handle them in ways that turn the conflicts into valuable learning experiences.