The beginning of the conflict is determined by the first acts of counteraction of the parties.

It is believed that the conflict began under the condition of the simultaneous presence of three conditions:

• 1. the first participant deliberately and actively acts to the detriment of the other participant (actions - physical movements, information transfer);
• 2. the second participant (opponent) is aware that the specified actions are directed against his interests;
• 3. The opponent starts the corresponding action against the first participant.

If one of the parties to the conflict starts aggressive actions, and the other chooses a passive position, then there is no conflict. There is also no conflict when one of the parties only conceives a conflict interaction, i.e. acting in his imagination, not in reality.

The end of the conflict can take various forms, but in any case, it provides for the termination of the actions of the participants directed against each other.

In the dynamics of the conflict, three periods are distinguished, each of which has specific stages.

The latent period (pre-conflict) includes the following stages:

• 1. the emergence of an objective problem situation;
• 2. awareness of the objective problem situation by the subjects of interaction;
• 3. attempts by the parties to resolve an objective problem situation in non-conflict ways;
• 4. the emergence of a pre-conflict situation.

The emergence of an objective problem situation. The conflict is generated by an objective problematic situation, when contradictions arise between the subjects (their goals, motives, actions, aspirations, etc.). Since the contradictions are not yet conscious and there are no conflict actions, this situation is called problematic. It is the result of the action of predominantly objective causes.

Objective contradictory situations that arise in the process of human activity create the possibility of conflicts that become a reality only in combination with subjective factors. Transition conditions - awareness of an objective problem situation.

Awareness of the objective problem situation. The perception of reality as contradictory, the understanding of the need to start some actions to eliminate contradictions constitute the content of this stage. The presence of an obstacle to the realization of interests contributes to the fact that the problem situation is perceived subjectively, with distortion. The subjectivity of perception is generated by the nature of the psyche, the social differences of the participants in communication (values, social attitudes, ideals, interests).

The individuality of awareness depends on the level of knowledge, needs, characteristics of the participants in the interaction. The more complex the situation and the faster it develops, the more likely it is to be distorted by opponents.

Attempts by the parties to resolve an objective problem situation in non-conflict ways. Awareness of the situation as contradictory does not always automatically lead to conflict opposition of the parties. More often they (or one of them) try to solve the problem in non-conflict ways - persuading, explaining, asking, informing the opponent. Sometimes the participant in the interaction concedes, not wanting the problem situation to develop into a conflict. In any case, at this stage, the parties argue their interests and fix their positions.

The emergence of a pre-conflict situation. The conflict of the situation is perceived as the presence of a threat of danger for one of the parties to the interaction. The situation can be perceived as pre-conflict in case of perception of a threat to certain socially important interests. Moreover, the actions of the opponent are not considered as a potential threat (which exists in a problematic situation), but as a direct one. It is the feeling of an immediate threat that contributes to the development of the situation in the direction of the conflict, is the "trigger" of conflict behavior.

The open period is called the conflict interaction or the actual conflict. It includes:

• 1. incident;
• 2. escalation of the conflict;
• 3. balanced opposition;
• 4. end of the conflict.

Incident

This is the first clash of the parties, a test of strength, an attempt to solve the problem in their favor with the help of force.

If the resources attracted by one of the parties are sufficient for the balance of forces in their favor, then the conflict may be limited to an incident. Often the conflict develops further as a series of conflict events, incidents. Conflict interactions can modify, complicate the initial structure of the conflict, adding new incentives for further actions.

This process can be represented as follows: the transition from negotiation to fighting - fighting inflames emotions - emotions increase perception errors - this leads to an intensification of the struggle, etc. This process is called “conflict escalation”. Escalation is a sharp intensification of the struggle of opponents.

Balanced resistance. The parties continue to oppose, but the intensity of the struggle is reduced. The parties are aware that the continuation of the conflict by force does not give a result, but actions to reach an agreement have not yet begun.

The end of the conflict lies in the transition from conflict resistance to finding a solution to the problem and ending the conflict under any conditions. The main forms of the end of the conflict: resolution, settlement, extinction, elimination or escalation into another conflict.

The latent (post-conflict) period includes two stages: partial normalization of relations between opponents and complete normalization of their relations.

Partial normalization of relations occurs in conditions where the negative emotions that were in conflict have not disappeared. The stage is characterized by the experiences of the participants, their understanding of their position. There is a correction of self-esteem, the level of claims, attitudes towards a partner. Feelings of guilt for their actions in the conflict are aggravated. Negative attitudes towards each other do not make it possible to immediately normalize relations.

Full normalization of relations occurs at the moment when the parties realize the importance of further constructive interaction. This is facilitated by overcoming negative attitudes, productive participation in joint activities, and the achievement of trust.

In the conflict, a period can be distinguished, which is characterized by the differentiation of the parties. The conflict is developing in an ascending line, the differences between the parties are intensifying. The confrontation continues until further escalation loses its meaning. From this point on, the integration process begins. Participants begin to strive for an agreement acceptable to both parties.

2. Periods and stages in the development of the conflict

Any conflict has time limits - the beginning and end of the conflict.

The beginning of the conflict is characterized by the emergence of the first acts of counteraction.

A conflict is considered to have begun if three conditions are met:

* one participant deliberately and actively acts to the detriment of another participant (both physically and morally, informationally);

* the second participant is aware that these actions are directed against his interests;

* the second participant in this regard takes active actions in relation to the first participant.

Thus, the folk wisdom that says that two always argue is quite fair, and not only the initiator is responsible for the conflict.

The end of the conflict is the cessation of actions against each other.

In the dynamics of the conflict, the following periods and stages can be distinguished:

latent period(pre-conflict) includes the stages:

The emergence of an objective problem situation - there is a contradiction between the subjects, but it is not yet recognized and there are no conflict actions.

Awareness of an objective problematic situation is the perception of reality as a problematic one and an understanding of the need to take some action.

Attempts by the parties to resolve the objective situation by non-conflictways(persuasion, clarification, requests, information).

Pre-conflict situation - the situation is perceived as a threat to the security, public interests of one of the parties to the interaction, which provokes conflict behavior.

It is important to understand that the threat is not perceived as potential, but as immediate.

open period often referred to as the actual conflict. It includes the following steps:

The incident is the first clash of the parties. With a significant disproportion of forces, the conflict may end in an incident.

Escalation (from lat. scala - stairs) - a sharp intensification of the struggle of opponents. Her signs:

1) narrowing of the cognitive sphere in behavior and activity, transition to more primitive ways of reflection.

2) the displacement of an adequate perception of the enemy by another image, the accentuation of negative qualities (both real and illusory). Warning signals indicating that the "image of the enemy" dominates:

* distrust (everything that comes from the enemy is either bad or, if it is reasonable, pursues dishonest goals);

* laying the blame on the enemy (the enemy is responsible for all the problems that have arisen and is to blame for everything);

* negative expectation (everything the enemy does, he does for the sole purpose of harming you);

* identification with evil (the enemy embodies the opposite of what you are and what you are striving for, he wants to destroy what you value and therefore must be destroyed himself);

* representation of "zero sum" (everything that is beneficial to the enemy harms you and vice versa);

* deindividualization (anyone who belongs to this group is automatically an enemy);

* denial of sympathy (you have nothing to do with your enemy, no information will be able to induce you to show humane feelings towards him, to be guided by ethical criteria in relation to the enemy is dangerous and imprudent).

3) the growth of emotional stress. Arises as a reaction to the growth of the threat of possible damage; decrease in controllability of the opposite side; inability to realize their interests in the desired volume in a short time; opponent's resistance.

4) the transition from arguments to claims and personal attacks. The conflict usually begins with the statement of sufficiently reasonable arguments. But the arguments are accompanied by a bright emotional coloring. The opponent, as a rule, reacts not to the argument, but to the coloring. His answer is no longer perceived as a counterargument, but as an insult, a threat to the self-esteem of the individual. The conflict shifts from the rational plane to the level of emotions.

5) the growth of the hierarchical rank of violated and protected interests and their polarization. A more intense action affects the more important interests of the other side, in connection with which the escalation of the conflict can be seen as a process of deepening contradictions. During escalation, the interests of the conflicting parties seem to be divided into two opposite poles.

6) the use of violence. As a rule, aggression is associated with some kind of internal compensation, compensation for damage. It is important to bear in mind that at this stage, not only the real threat matters, but sometimes to a large extent more - the potential threat.

7) 7) 7) loss of the original subject of disagreement

8) 8) 8) expansion of the boundaries of the conflict (generalization) - the transition to deeper contradictions, an increase in potential points of conflict.

9) there may be an increase in the number of participants.

If you want to better imagine the external side of the conflict, I recommend that you use the theory of "symmetrical schemogenesis" by G. Bateson.

If you are interested in the internal causes of the conflict, refer to the theory of evolutionary epistemology by G. Volmer and K. Lorenz. This theory draws interesting parallels between human behavior in conflict and human behavior at the moment of threat in general, such properties of the human psyche as, for example, craving for the unknown. As the conflict escalates, according to this theory, a person goes through all stages of ontogeny, but only in reverse order.

The first two stages reflect the development of the pre-conflict situation. The importance of one's own desires and arguments increases. There is a fear that the ground for a joint solution of the problem will be lost. The mental tension grows.

Third stage- the beginning of the escalation. Forceful action (not necessarily physical impact, but any effort) replaces useless discussions. The expectations of the participants are paradoxical: both sides hope, through pressure and firmness, to cause a change in the positions of the opponent, but no one is ready to voluntarily give in. This level of mental response, when rational behavior is replaced by emotional, corresponds to the age of 8-10 years.

Fourth stage- the age of 6-8 years, when the image of the "other" is still preserved, but the person no longer takes into account the thoughts, feelings, position of this "other". The emotional sphere is dominated by a black and white approach. Everything that is "not me" and "not we" is bad and is rejected.

At the fifth stage there is an absolutization of the negative assessment of the opponent and the positive assessment of oneself. At stake are "sacred values", all the highest forms of belief and the highest moral obligations. The opponent becomes an absolute enemy and only an enemy, depreciates to the state of a thing and loses human features. But in parallel with this, in relation to other people, a person continues to behave like an adult, which prevents an inexperienced observer from understanding the essence of what is happening.

At the time of the escalation of the conflict, a person is often led by aggression - i.e. the desire to bring harm or pain to another.

There are two types of aggression - aggression-an end in itself (hostile aggression) and aggression-a tool to achieve something (instrumental aggression.

AGGRESSION



HOSTILE INSTRUMENTAL

The dispute about the nature of aggression has been going on since time immemorial and has not ceased to this day. What is aggression. J.J. Rousseau believed that this was a consequence of the distortion of human nature. Z. Freud spoke about the naturalness of this state and partially explained it by the existence of the death instinct (Thanatos), which manifests itself in a direct and sublimated form. Rather, aggression is a function of a complex interplay between innate tendencies and learned responses.

Next stage- balanced opposition - the parties continue to counteract, but the intensity of the struggle is reduced.

End of the conflict- the transition to finding a solution to the problem.

The main forms of the end of the conflict are resolution, settlement, attenuation, elimination or escalation into another conflict.

Post-conflict period includes stages - partial and complete normalization of relations between opponents.

Partial normalization occurs when negative emotions have not completely disappeared and is accompanied by feelings, understanding of what happened, correction of the opponent's assessments, and a sense of guilt for one's actions during the conflict.

Full normalization of relations occurs when the parties realize the importance of further constructive interaction.

All these periods and stages can have different duration. Some stages may be omitted or take so little time that it is almost impossible to distinguish between them.

R. Walton singles out the stages of differentiation and integration of the parties in the conflict. The latter comes from the moment of realizing the futility of further escalation.

So, the conflict is a phenomenon with a complex structure and dynamics, and therefore the tactics of its resolution should differ depending on the stage, period and their duration.

Conflict phase	Stage of conflict	Conflict Resolution Opportunities (%)
Initial phase	The emergence and development of a conflict situation; awareness of conflict...	92%
escalation	The beginning of open conflict interaction	46%
Conflict Peak	Development of open conflict	Less than 5%
Fall phase	-	About 20%

mixed conflict - a conflict that arose on a false basis, when the true cause of the conflict is hidden

an incorrectly attributed conflict is a conflict in which the true culprit, the subject of the conflict, is behind the scenes of the confrontation, and the conflict involves participants who are not related to the conflict.

If the mental state of the parties and the behavior of people in conflict situations corresponding to this state is taken as the basis for the classification, then conflicts are divided into rational and emotional. Depending on the goals of the conflict and its consequences, conflicts are divided into positive and negative, constructive and destructive.

Usually, four stages of development are distinguished in a social conflict: pre-conflict, the conflict itself (the stage of conflict development), the stage of conflict resolution, and the post-conflict stage:

Pre-conflict stage

The conflict is preceded by a pre-conflict situation. This is the growth of tension in relations between potential subjects of the conflict, caused by certain contradictions. Only those contradictions that are recognized by potential subjects of the conflict as incompatible opposites of interests, goals, values, etc., lead to an aggravation of social tension and conflicts.

Social tension is also not always a harbinger of conflict. This is a complex social phenomenon, the causes of which can be very different. Here are some of the most characteristic of the reasons causing the growth of social tension:

a) real "infringement" of the interests, needs and values ​​of people;

b) inadequate perception of the changes taking place in society or individual social communities;

c) incorrect or distorted information about certain (real or imaginary) facts, events, etc.3

Social tension essentially represents the psychological state of people and is latent (hidden) before the start of the conflict. The most characteristic manifestation of social tension during this period is group emotions.

One of the key concepts in social conflict is also "dissatisfaction". The accumulation of dissatisfaction with the existing state of affairs and the course of events leads to an increase in social tension.

The pre-conflict stage can be divided into three phases of development, which are characterized by the following features in the relationship of the parties:

The emergence of contradictions about a certain controversial object; growth of distrust and social tension; the presentation of unilateral or mutual claims, the reduction of contacts and the accumulation of grievances;

- the desire to prove the legitimacy of their claims and the accusation of the enemy of unwillingness to resolve controversial issues by "fair" methods; closing on their own stereotypes; the appearance of prejudice and hostility in the emotional sphere;

— destruction of interaction structures; transition from mutual accusations to threats; growth of aggressiveness; the formation of the image of the "enemy" and the attitude to fight.

Thus, the conflict situation is gradually transformed into an open conflict. But the conflict situation itself can exist for a long period of time and not develop into a conflict. In order for the conflict to become real, an incident is needed.

Incident- this is a formal reason for the start of a direct clash of the parties. An incident can happen by chance, or it can be provoked by the subject (subjects) of the conflict. An incident may also be the result of a natural course of events. It happens that an incident is prepared and provoked by some "third force", pursuing its own interests in the alleged "foreign" conflict.

The incident marks the transition of the conflict to a new quality. In this situation, there are three main options for the behavior of the conflicting parties:

The parties (party) strive to resolve the contradictions that have arisen and find a compromise;

One of the parties pretends that “nothing special happened” (avoidance of the conflict);

The incident becomes a signal for the beginning of an open confrontation.

The choice of one or another option largely depends on the conflict setting (goals, expectations) of the parties.

Stage of development of the conflict

The beginning of an open confrontation of the parties is the result of conflict behavior, which is understood as actions aimed at the opposing side with the aim of capturing, holding the disputed object or forcing the opponent to abandon their goals or to change them. There are several forms of conflict behavior:

a) active-conflict behavior (challenge);

b) passive-conflict behavior (response to a challenge);

c) conflict-compromise behavior;

d) compromise behavior.

Depending on the conflict setting and the form of conflict behavior of the parties, the conflict acquires its own logic of development. A developing conflict tends to create additional reasons for its deepening and expansion.

There are three main phases in the development of the conflict:

1. The transition of the conflict from a latent state to an open confrontation of the parties. The struggle is still being waged with limited resources and is local in nature. There is a first test of strength. At this stage, there are still real opportunities to stop the open struggle and resolve the conflict by other methods.

2. Further escalation of confrontation. To achieve their goals and block the actions of the enemy, more and more resources of the parties are introduced. Almost all opportunities to find a compromise are lost. The conflict is becoming more and more unmanageable and unpredictable.

3. The conflict reaches its climax and takes the form of a total war with the use of all possible forces and means. At this phase, the conflicting parties seem to forget the true causes and goals of the conflict. The main goal of the confrontation is to cause maximum damage to the enemy.

Stage of conflict resolution

The duration and intensity of the conflict depend on many factors: on the goals and attitudes of the parties, on the resources at their disposal, on the means and methods of waging a struggle, on the reaction to the conflict. environment, from the symbols of victory and defeat, from the existing and possible ways (mechanisms) of finding consensus, etc.

At a certain stage in the development of the conflict, the conflicting parties may significantly change their ideas about their capabilities and the capabilities of the enemy. There comes a moment of “reassessment of values”, due to new relationships that have arisen as a result of the conflict, a new alignment of forces, the realization of the impossibility of achieving goals or the exorbitant price of success. All this stimulates a change in the tactics and strategy of conflict behavior. In this situation, one or both of the conflicting parties begin to look for ways out of the conflict, and the intensity of the struggle, as a rule, subsides. From this moment, the process of ending the conflict actually begins, which does not exclude new aggravations.

At the stage of conflict resolution, the following scenarios are possible:

1) the obvious superiority of one of the parties allows it to impose its own conditions for ending the conflict on a weaker opponent;

2) the struggle goes on until the complete defeat of one of the parties;

3) lack of resources, the struggle takes on a protracted, sluggish character;

4) having exhausted resources and not identifying a clear (potential) winner, the parties make mutual concessions in the conflict;

5) the conflict can also be stopped under the pressure of a third force.

Social conflict will continue until there are obvious, clear conditions for its termination. In a conflict, such conditions can be determined even before the start of the confrontation (for example, as in a game where there are rules for its completion), or they can be developed and mutually agreed upon already in the course of the development of the conflict. But there may be additional problems with its completion. There are also absolute conflicts in which the struggle is fought until the complete destruction of one or both rivals.

There are many ways to end a conflict. Basically, they are aimed at changing the conflict situation itself, either by influencing the participants in the conflict, or by changing the characteristics of the object of the conflict, or in other ways.

The final stage of the conflict resolution stage involves negotiations and legal registration of available agreements. In interpersonal and intergroup conflicts, the results of negotiations can take the form of verbal agreements and mutual obligations of the parties. Usually one of the conditions for starting the negotiation process is a temporary truce. But options are possible when, at the stage of preliminary agreements, the parties not only do not stop "hostilities", but go to aggravate the conflict, trying to strengthen their positions in the negotiations. Negotiations involve a mutual search for a compromise by the conflicting parties and include the following possible procedures:

Recognition of the existence of a conflict;

Approval of procedural rules and regulations;

Identification of the main controversial issues (drawing up a protocol of disagreements);

Exploring possible solutions to problems;

Search agreements for each controversial issue and conflict resolution in general;

Documentation of all agreements reached;

Fulfillment of all accepted mutual obligations.

Negotiations can differ from each other both by the level of the contracting parties and by the disagreements existing between them. But the basic procedures (elements) of negotiations remain unchanged.

Post-conflict stage

The end of the direct confrontation of the parties does not always mean that the conflict is completely resolved. The degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction of the parties with the concluded peace agreements will largely depend on the following provisions:

ADD A COMMENT[possible without registration]
before publication, all comments are considered by the site moderator - spam will not be published

Dynamics of the conflict

An important characteristic of the conflict is its dynamics.

The dynamics of conflict as a complex social phenomenon is reflected in two concepts: stages of conflict and phases of conflict.

Stages of conflict reflect the essential moments characterizing the development of the conflict from its inception to resolution. Therefore, knowledge of the main content of each of the stages of the conflict is important for its forecasting, evaluation and selection of technologies for managing this conflict.

1. The emergence and development of a conflict situation. A conflict situation is created by one or more subjects of social interaction and is a prerequisite for conflict.

2. Awareness of the conflict situation by at least one of the participants in social interaction and his emotional experience of this fact. The consequences and external manifestations of such awareness and the emotional experiences associated with it can be: mood changes, critical and unfriendly statements about your potential enemy, limiting contacts with him, etc.

3. The beginning of open conflict interaction. This stage is expressed in the fact that one of the participants in social interaction, who has realized the conflict situation, proceeds to active actions (in the form of a demarche, statement, warning, etc.) aimed at causing damage to the “enemy”. At the same time, the other participant is aware that these actions are directed against him, and, in turn, takes active retaliatory actions against the initiator of the conflict.

4. The development of open conflict. At this stage, the parties to the conflict openly declare their positions and put forward demands. At the same time, they may not be aware of their own interests and may not understand the essence and subject of the conflict.

5. Conflict resolution. Depending on the content, conflict resolution can be achieved by two methods (means): pedagogical(conversation, persuasion, request, clarification, etc.) and administrative(transfer to another job, dismissal, decisions of commissions, order of the head, court decision, etc.).

The phases of the conflict are directly related to its stages and reflect the dynamics of the conflict, primarily from the point of view of the real possibilities for its resolution.

The main phases of the conflict are:

1) initial phase;

2) lifting phase;

3) the peak of the conflict;

4) decline phase.

It is important to remember that the phases of the conflict can be repeated cyclically.

For example, after the decline phase in the 1st cycle, the rise phase of the 2nd cycle may begin with the passage of peak and decline phases, then the 3rd cycle may begin, etc. At the same time, the possibilities for resolving the conflict in each subsequent cycle narrow. The described process can be depicted graphically (Fig. 2.3):

The relationship between the phases and stages of the conflict, as well as the manager's ability to resolve it, are shown in Table. 2.3.

Rice. 2.3. Phases of conflict

Table 2.3. The ratio of phases and stages of the conflict

Also distinguished are the following three main stages of conflict development:

1) latent stage ( pre-conflict situation)

2) the stage of open conflict,

3) the stage of resolution (completion) of the conflict.

On the hidden (latent) stage, all the main elements that form the structure of the conflict, its causes and main participants, i.e. there is the main base of prerequisites for conflict actions, in particular, a certain object of possible confrontation, the presence of two parties capable of simultaneously laying claim to this object, the awareness of one or both parties of the situation as a conflict.

At this “incubation” stage of the development of the conflict, attempts can be made to resolve the issue amicably, for example, to cancel the order for disciplinary action, improve working conditions, etc. But in the absence of a positive reaction to these attempts, the conflict turns into open stage.

2. A sign of the transition of the latent (latent) stage of the conflict to the open is the transition of the parties to conflict behavior. As noted above, conflict behavior is the outwardly expressed actions of the parties. Their specificity as a special form of interaction lies in the fact that they are aimed at blocking the achievement of the enemy's goals and the implementation of their own goals. Other signs of conflict actions are:

• expanding the number of participants;
• an increase in the number of problems that form a complex of causes of the conflict, the transition from business problems to personal ones;
• shifting the emotional coloring of conflicts towards the dark spectrum, negative feelings, such as hostility, hatred, etc.;
• an increase in the degree of mental tension to the level of a stressful situation.

The whole set of actions of the participants in the conflict at its open stage is characterized by the terms escalation, which is understood as the intensification of the struggle, the growth of destructive actions of the parties against each other, creating new prerequisites for a negative outcome of the conflict.

The consequences of the escalation, which entirely depend on the position of the parties, especially the one that has large resources and strength, can be two types.

In case of incompatibility of the parties, the desire to destroy the other side, the consequences of the open stage of the conflict can be catastrophic, lead to the collapse of good relations or even to the destruction of one of the parties.

There are several stages of a conflict situation - the dynamics of S.K. - the process of change and development of the conflict.

1. PRE-CONFLICT SITUATION. Situations on the eve of the conflict are considered. Background: intrigue, rumors. Contradictions are outlined, but there is no clash.

2. OWN CONFLICT AND ITS STAGES.

- Stage of open confrontation:

- incident (the beginning of the conflict),

- a case (imitating conflict) skirmish, the parties are divided into friends and foes. An incomprehensible situation arises. It is possible to resolve the conflict peacefully.

- Escalation, actions aimed at achieving goals, set to fight. A negative image of the enemy is created. Strength is demonstrated in order to eliminate the opponent, violence is used.

— Expansion and behavior of the conflict.

3. COMPLETION.

The weakening of one or two sides is characteristic when resources are exhausted.

The main stages of the development of the conflict

Awareness of hopelessness. The predominance of one of the parties is its ability to suppress the opponent. The emergence of a third party capable of suppressing the confrontation.

1. Management of social conflicts. Ways to resolve them.

If the conflict is ignored or resolved verbally, it will unfold spontaneously, uniting with other conflicts and ending in destruction. Management refers to the suppression of S.K. in the interests of society as a whole or an individual subject. In a broad sense, conflict management is related to the impacts on the conflict.

1) a warning about K. i.e. prevent it from spreading.

2) Prevention, i.e. overcoming contradictions.

3) Prevention, elimination of the causes of confrontations. If it is not possible to "strangle the conflict", then the task is reduced to the localization of confrontation.

4) Regulation of the dynamics of K. i.e. elimination and resolution K. Elimination involves:

- the victory of one side, and the destruction of the other.

- destruction of both sides;

the escalation of one conflict into another.

Resolution methods:

- smoothing (persuasion);

- quick resolution, in a short time;

- method of hidden actions;

- method of compromise (through negotiations);

- cooperation;

- the method of violence (the imposition of one of the parties of their position).

⇐ Previous45678910111213Next ⇒

Publication date: 2014-11-29; Read: 155 | Page copyright infringement

Studopedia.org - Studopedia.Org - 2014-2018. (0.001 s) ...

Stages of conflict development

The process of conflict development goes through several stages, each of which may differ in tension between the conflicting parties and the degree of change in their relationship to each other.

Some authors propose to consider the conflict and the process of its resolution as a whole, highlighting the following points: 1) the pre-conflict stage; 2) the actual conflict; 3) conflict resolution; 4) post-conflict stage.

V.Yu. adheres to a slightly different approach to the development of the conflict. Pityukov, who describes precisely the stages of the conflict.

At the first stage, at least one of the partners develops discontent , i.e. feeling dissatisfied with something or someone. It can be expressed by dissatisfied looks, appropriate facial expressions, intonation of voice, posture and, of course, words of disagreement, denial, irritation or some kind of grumbling. At the same time, signs of discontent may not reach the partner, do not hurt him.

Stages of conflict development

At this stage, there is a kind of personal excitement of one of the potential participants in the conflict (and possibly both participants), which is a sign that a contradiction is brewing between the subjects. Dissatisfaction can last quite a long time and does not necessarily develop into an aggravation of relations. Especially if the partners do not have the opportunity to express their state directly or through intermediaries to each other.

However, if the partners get the opportunity to mutually present their dissatisfaction, then a new stage will come - disagreement , i.e. different voices, different voices. At this stage, the subjects present their different opinions to each other and will, first of all, take care that their opinions, their views are expressed to the partner, brought to him.

If each of the parties persists, then the disagreement develops into opposition , i.e. an action that interferes with the action of a partner. Here, any arguments and arguments of the opposite side will run into peculiar obstacles in the form of sarcastic remarks, counterarguments and examples of resolving the conflict issue in their favor.

In case of failure to find ways of reconciliation, the conflict may drag on and go into the stage of confrontation . Standing on its own, each of the parties will demonstrate the steadfastness of its position, its special "principledness". “It will still be in my opinion!”, “I will never give in!”, “Let me lose this and that, but I will prove it to him” - approximately such “self-hypnosis formulas” are often used by partners. Such stubbornness testifies to an even greater increase in tension between the subjects, who are increasingly driving themselves into a hopeless situation.

The confrontation often escalates into confrontation , i.e. in a fight against someone or something. In an effort to achieve their interests, the subjects are not shy in choosing ways to suppress their opponent, using all sorts of verbal insults, the use of physical force.

The confrontation of the parties can develop into one of two forms: the end of the relationship or compulsion . Breakdown of relations, as a rule, occurs when rivals have approximately the same strength or occupy equal positions. If one of the rivals is significantly superior to the other, then their confrontation ends with the coercion of the weaker side.

For example, a conflict between two students who do not want to reconcile usually ends with a break in their relationship, since each of them has almost the same status in school.

A conflict between a director and a teacher, or between a director and a student, can end with coercion on the part of the director, who has more "leverage" than the teacher and the student, "levers" of influence on his subordinates.

The considered forms of conflict development are sometimes presented in the form of a kind of "ladder" of the conflict:

• break or coercion
• confrontation
• confrontation
• opposition
• disagreement
• discontent

The higher the conflicting parties climb this "ladder", the more tension in their relations grows, the closer they are to breaking off relations with each other. This is the case when the conflict develops along a destructive path.

VIEW MORE:

Causes of conflicts in the process of communication. Stages of conflict development

⇐ PreviousPage 19 of 28Next ⇒

Conflict- clash of oppositely directed goals, interests, positions, opinions, views of opponents or subjects of interaction.

The basis of any conflict is a situation that includes conflicting positions of the parties on any occasion, or controversial goals and means of achieving them in these circumstances, or a mismatch of interests, desires, and finally, keeps the subjects of a possible conflict and its object. However, in order for the conflict to begin to develop, an incident is necessary when one of the parties begins to act, infringing on the interests of the other side. If the opposite side responds in kind, the conflict moves from potential to actual.

In modern psychology, a number of basic elements of conflict are distinguished:

parties (participants, subjects) of the conflict;

conditions for the passage of the conflict;

images of a conflict situation;

possible actions of the parties to the conflict.

Causes of conflicts

Basically, the main causes of conflicts are different axiological (value) attitudes of the communicants. A.P. Egides proposes to define two main types of communicative behavior - conflictogenic and syntonic.

Conflict behavior provokes conflict, which occurs when the needs of one person interfere with the satisfaction of the needs of another.

Conflict situations arise at every step. For example, two people are talking, a third one comes up. The interlocutors fell silent (conflict situation) or included him in their conversation (synthonic situation).

Or: I give a person advice when she asks me (syntonous situation) I give advice when she does not ask me for it (conflict situation). When they switch to “you” with you without permission, this can become the beginning of a conflict situation - where people feel equal, say, in line (“I didn’t herd pigs with you!”). But even if you have to endure such rudeness with party or boss, then a sincere friend, in your face, he, you see, will not acquire a like-minded person.The right way to start a conflict is feigned benevolent phrases like "How would you explain this to you?", "You don't understand ...".

Many conflicts arise due to the fact that people understand the same word differently or painfully perceive logical and linguistic errors (illogical presentation or use of the word in the wrong sense). At one time, the famous philosopher B. Russell created a "semantic philosophy": she argued that all conflicts, including wars, arise solely due to inadequate perception and interpretation of a foreign language and foreign words. For example, in the Ukrainian, Russian and Polish languages ​​there is a different semantic saturation of the word "sorry". In Ukrainian and Polish, “regret” is empathy, understanding the interlocutor’s problems as one’s own. In Russian, the word "regret" is perceived as a humiliation.

The conflict flares up especially hot when verbal aggression is observed - unambiguous images and humiliation of the interlocutor or odious denial of his statements (especially without argumentation). If you want to be noble, you should never stoop in conflict to this kind of thing.

However, to create a conflict situation, no special offensive words are needed. A neutral word or sentence can create both a syntonous and a conflict situation if non-verbal factors are included. For example, “thank you” can be said in such an icy tone that the interlocutor will lose all desire to continue the conversation. Thus, conflict situations are formed not only in line with the actual speech activity. For example, defiantly not noticing or not listening to a person when he addresses you, not responding to a greeting (such a primitive imitation of “aristocratism”, as this subject imagines it) is a conflict situation. And even such a factor as a gloomy facial expression can also lead to a quarrel.

Syntonic behavior (from Latin “tone” - “sound”) is behavior that meets the expectations of the interlocutor. These are any forms of gratitude, smiles, friendly gestures, etc. - what is called "tuning" to the interlocutor in the above-mentioned Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) technique. Example: the wife broke the cup, I, the person, blame her - and this is a conflict situation, but if I blame myself for putting the cup on my own to the edge of the table - this is a syntonic situation.

Most people in most cases adhere to neutral behavior. So, if we take the fulfillment of the requirements of the law, here we can distinguish 3 options for behavior: not obliged, but did (syntonously) obliged, and did not (conflictogenic) obliged and did (neutral). It is not always possible to keep a neutral line: for example, only a moral monster can calmly listen to how a person close to her is insulted.

Stages of conflict development

First stage- birth. It is characterized by amorphousness, universality and inclusion in all the diverse relationships between subjects. Contradictions at this stage exist potentially. They are contained in different and even contradictory values, norms, needs, knowledge, etc. There is a starting point around which the conflict can develop in the future; this is a common interest, new connections, relationships, a common space, etc. Therefore, any person is a potential adversary in a future conflict.

Second phase- maturation.

Stages of conflict development:

From numerous connections and relationships, the subject begins to choose those that he considers acceptable or unacceptable. It can be anything: work, sex, a form of behavior, money, power, the process of cognition, etc. Specifically, a subject (group) stands out as a carrier of one or another attractive or repulsive feature, and certain information begins to concentrate around it. There is a search for people who sympathize with a particular group or person. The second stage is characterized by:

Isolation of a specific opponent;

Accumulation of certain negative information about the subject;

A clear allocation of the scope of the conflict situation;

The concentration of groups of supporters and opponents;

Strengthening and awareness of the psychological tension between the oppositions.

Third stage- Incident. Often before him there is some calm, waiting. The positions of “provocateur”, “victim”, “judge”, “bazaar woman”, fighter for justice are highlighted. No matter how carefully the opposition behaves, there will be a reason for the incident. It can be anything: it was said in the wrong tone, looked in the wrong way, didn’t warn or, on the contrary, shouted, made a remark - this is just a “hook”. The incident itself is a “small pebble” that can cause a collapse, setting in motion the full power of the elements. Its fixation does not allow to see the main contradictions and the subject of the conflict between the subjects, however, it is the starting point for the collision. The participants in the situation are ripe for open confrontation, and a clash begins, i.e. conflict.

Fourth stage- collision (conflict). It can be compared with an explosion, as a result of which both “waste” rock and “valuable” rock are thrown to the surface. Direct collision manifests itself on several levels: emotional-psychological, physical, political, physical, political, economic, etc.

Demands, claims, accusations, emotions, stresses, scandals cause struggle, confrontation and confrontation. The ability to distinguish "valuable breed" from "empty" depends on which path the conflict takes: rational or irrational. This stage is characterized by:

Pronounced confrontations;

Isolation of the subject of the conflict, realized by the subjects;

defining the scope and boundaries of the conflict;

The appearance of a third party (observers, support groups, etc.);

Determination of the scale and boundaries of the conflict situation;

Presentation of means of control and manipulation of subjects in conflict;

The emergence of factors confirming the need for a collision.

The conflict becomes an event for others, they see it, they talk about it, a certain attitude is developed towards it.

Fifth stage- the development of the conflict. Speaking of development, we mean a change in some of the elements and characteristics that are present in the situation, as well as factors that have one or another influence on the conflict. At this stage, there are factors that do not develop and do not change, i.e. static, constant: the subject of the conflict; social factors; core values; strategic goals.

Elements that partially change: connections and relations between subjects (groups); interpretation of facts; interests; needs; tactical tasks; ideas about the conflict, the subjects of relations. Elements that can be replaced by others: semantic context; positions, roles; means of struggle; social norms, principles of interaction; reactions; the senses; emotions. This is where the conflict develops. The actions of the conflicting parties are determined by these elements.

Sixth stage post-conflict situation, the consequences of the conflict. From the point of view of highlighting the stages of the conflict, it should be noted that often the conflicting parties begin to realize the situation from the third and fourth stages, when the conflict has matured and many processes have gone out of control. In other words, the subjects are already inside the conflict and act in accordance with its logic of struggle and confrontation, destruction and suppression.

Based on the allocation of stages in the development of a conflict situation and the allocation of specific characteristics, it is possible;

Formulate tasks for the implementation of targeted intervention in conflicts at different stages;

Apply patterns in management practice and in the educational process;

Apply a scheme for diagnosing a conflict situation;

Professionally manage a conflict situation by changing the main characteristics and elements;

Professionally "embedding in the conflict" in order to manage the situation from the inside, etc.;

Thus, by methodically “splitting” the conflict and determining the place of the conflict, we are building a certain structure that allows us to get closer to the richness of content and recognize the finest nuances of this social phenomenon.

⇐ Previous14151617181920212223Next ⇒

Stages of conflict development

The conflict in its development takes place, as a rule, several stages. Tsoi, a modern conflict researcher, identifies three main stages of conflict: pre-conflict, conflict and post-conflict situation, presented in six stages. This is a successive change of processes and events, each of which is characterized by certain features, elements, connections and relationships that increase or decrease social tension (Fig. 1.3).

Fig.1.3. Stages of conflict development

First stage - birth. It is characterized by amorphousness, universality and inclusion in all the diverse relationships between subjects. Contradictions at this stage exist potentially. They are contained in different and even contradictory values, norms, needs, knowledge, etc. At this stage, there are reference points around which the conflict may develop in the future. This is a common interest, new connections, relationships, a common space, etc. Therefore, any person is a potential adversary in a future conflict.

Second phase - maturation. From the diverse connections and relationships, the subject begins to choose those on which the acceptance or non-acceptance of something is centered. It can be work, sex, a form of behavior, money, power, the process of learning, etc. The subject stands out specifically as a carrier of one or another attraction or repulsion, and certain information begins to concentrate around him. There is a search for people who are sympathetic or not sympathetic to a particular group or person.

Third stage - incident. Often before this stage there is some "calm", waiting. The positions of “provocateur”, “victim”, “judge”, “fighter for justice”, etc. are singled out. No matter how carefully the opposition behaves, there will be a reason for the incident. It can be anything, for example, “it was not said in such a tone”, “it looked wrong”, “did not warn”, or, conversely, criticized, or remained silent - all this is just a “hook”.

Fourth stage - clash (conflict). This is an open presentation of contradictions. This stage can be compared to an explosion. A direct collision manifests itself in all plans: emotional-psychological, physical, political, economic, etc. Demands, claims, accusations, emotions, stresses, scandals capture subjects in struggle, confrontation and confrontation. This stage is characterized by: pronounced oppositions; highlighting the subject of the conflict, realized by the subjects; the emergence of a third party (observers, support groups, etc.); determining the scale and boundaries of the conflict situation; presentation of means of control and manipulation of subjects in conflict; the emergence of facts confirming the need for a collision.

Fifth stage - development of the conflict. Speaking of development, we mean a change in some of the elements and characteristics that are present in a conflict situation, as well as factors that have a different impact on the conflict. In dynamic shifts, conflict develops.

Sixth stage - effects. They can develop in two directions. The first is the dominance of destructive processes, the second is the dominance of creative processes.

In terms of time, the conflict situation and conflicts can be fleeting or sluggish, but the sequence, at the same time, is preserved. Carrying out diagnostics at different stages of a conflict situation allows you to determine the degree of intervention in the management of processes, depending on which characteristics dominate in them.

At the same time, it should be taken into account that in long-term conflicts, the share of business content often decreases over time and the personal sphere begins to dominate, which is shown in Fig. 1.4.

Fig.1.4. Correlation of business and personal spheres of conflict

Knowing the patterns of development of the stages of the conflict situation and the place of the conflict in it, it is necessary to develop a rational attitude towards the conflict, as an opportunity to identify contradictions that exist relatively objectively and subjectively.

Thus, interpersonal conflicts are always preceded by conflict situations in which disagreements are manifested, mutual contradictions and manifestations of negative emotions, as well as conflictogenic character traits of individuals, accumulate. Interpersonal conflicts often tend to escalate into intergroup conflicts.

Dynamics of the conflict

An important characteristic of the conflict is its dynamics. The dynamics of conflict as a complex social phenomenon is reflected in two concepts: stages of conflict and phases of conflict.

The stages of the conflict reflect the essential points that characterize the development of the conflict from its inception to resolution. For this reason, knowledge of the main content of each of the stages of the conflict is important for its prediction, assessment and choice of technologies for managing this conflict.

Table 2.2

Types of conflict situations

The nature of the conflict situation	Manifestations
Dishonest performance of duties	Violation of labor discipline Marriage at work
Unsatisfactory management style	Errors in the selection and placement of personnel Errors in the organization of control Mistakes in planning Violation of the ethics of communication
Inadequate understanding of specific situations	Incorrect assessments, judgments about the actions of other subjects of social interaction Errors in conclusions regarding specific situations
Individual psychological characteristics of personality	Violation of the rules of relationships accepted in the social group Violation of the ethics of communication
Low professional training	Marriage at work Failure to make an adequate decision

1. The emergence and development of a conflict situation. A conflict situation is created by one or more subjects of social interaction and is a prerequisite for conflict.

2. Awareness of the conflict situation by at least one of the participants in social interaction and his emotional experience of this fact. The consequences and external manifestations of such awareness and the emotional experiences associated with it are: mood changes, critical and unfriendly statements about your potential enemy, limiting contacts with him, etc.

3. Beginning of open conflict interaction. This stage is expressed in the fact that one of the participants in social interaction, who has realized the conflict situation, proceeds to active actions (in the form of a demarche, statement, warning, etc.) aimed at causing damage to the “enemy”. At the same time, the other participant is aware that these actions are directed against him, and, in turn, takes active retaliatory actions against the initiator of the conflict.

4. Development of an open conflict. At this stage, the parties to the conflict openly declare their positions and put forward demands. At the same time, they may not be aware of their own interests and may not understand the essence and subject of the conflict.

5. Conflict resolution. Given the dependence on content, conflict resolution can be achieved by two methods (means): pedagogical (conversation, persuasion, request, clarification, etc.) and administrative (transfer to another job, dismissal, decisions of commissions, order of the head, court decision, etc. . P.).

The phases of the conflict are directly related to its stages and reflect the dynamics of the conflict, primarily from the point of view of the real possibilities for its resolution.

The main phases of the conflict are:

1) initial phase;

2) lifting phase;

3) the peak of the conflict;

4) decline phase.

It is important to remember that the phases of the conflict can be repeated cyclically. For example, after the decline phase in the 1st cycle, the rise phase of the 2nd cycle may begin with the passage of peak and decline phases, then the 3rd cycle may begin, etc. At the same time, the possibilities for resolving the conflict in each subsequent cycle narrow. The described process can be depicted graphically (Fig. 2.3):

The relationship between the phases and stages of the conflict, as well as the manager's ability to resolve it, are shown in Table. 2.3.

The ratio of phases and stages of the conflict

Table 2.3

Sources for in-depth study of the topic

1. Antsupov A. Ya., Shipilov A. I. Conflictology. - M.: UNITI, 1999. - Sec. IV.

2. Grishina N.V. Psychology of conflict. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2000.

3. Conflictology / Ed. A. S. Karmina. - St. Petersburg: Lan, 1999. - Ch.2.

4. Samygin S.I., Stolyarenko L.D. Psychology of management. Tutorial. - Rostov n / a: Phoenix, 1997.

test questions

1. Define conflict.

2. Formulate the necessary and sufficient conditions for the emergence of a conflict.

3. What characterizes the confrontation between the subjects of social interaction?

4. Draw graphically the structure of the conflict.

5. Define the basic structural elements of the conflict: "parties to the conflict", "subject of the conflict", "image of the conflict situation", "motives for the conflict", "positions of the conflicting parties".

6. Give a classification of conflicts.

7. Define the causes of the conflict.

8. Give a classification of the causes of the conflict.

9. Give definitions of the concepts: "conflict situation" and "incident".

10. List the types of conflict situations.

Lesson 2.1. Topic: "The essence of the conflict and its causes." Business game "Complaint"

The purpose of the game. Development of students' ability to analyze the conflict on the basis of their understanding of the basic conflictological concepts; formation of skills to apply the simplest methods of studying and evaluating conflict situations.

game situation. The management of the firm received a complaint from one of the employees*.

The CEO of the firm appoints a working group to study the complaint and develop proposals for a decision. The composition of the working group: HR manager - head; public relations specialist; firm's lawyer.

The order of the game

Preparatory stage. In one or two weeks, students receive an instruction to conduct a business game. They are told the topic and purpose of the lesson, as well as the topic of the business game, its purpose and the game situation.

Students receive instructions on independent study of literature and understanding of the basic concepts: "conflict", "structure of the conflict", "subjects of the conflict", "subject of the conflict", "image of the conflict situation", "motives for the conflict", "position in the conflict". At the same time, students are reminded that they must demonstrate during the business game the ability to use various methods of studying and analyzing conflicts: observation, analysis of performance results, conversation, expert survey, etc.

During the game

1. The study group is divided into three teams.

The first team is the company's management: general director, deputy general director for public relations, financial director.

The second team is the working group for the study of the complaint (see the composition in the “Game situation” paragraph).

The third team is experts (3-5 people).

The time for the distribution of roles is 5 minutes.

Note. The composition of the teams can be determined at the request of the students.

2. All teams are given a written complaint and a task for the game. The first team is preparing to listen to proposals for making a decision developed by the working group (second team). The second team prepares proposals for making a decision on the complaint. The third team is preparing to evaluate the content of the work of the first and second teams.

Preparation time - 15 minutes.

3. Listening to proposals to develop a solution to the complaint, making a decision and evaluating the content of the work.

Game scenario. The "General Director" opens the meeting, announcing its topic, and gives the floor for the report to the "senior working group" to study the complaint and develop proposals for a decision (the time limit for the report may be limited to 10 minutes). After the report, the management team asks questions to the members of the working group (the time for questions and answers can be set within 15-20 minutes). After answering the questions, the opinions of the “deputy general director for public relations” and the “financial director” are heard (5 minutes can be allocated for listening to opinions).

The decision based on the discussion is made by the "general director".

4. Summing up the results of the game by the teacher.

Lesson 2.2. Practical lesson on the topic: "Conflict situations" (solution of situational problems)

The purpose of the lesson. Consolidation of students' knowledge about the nature of the conflict͵ development of their skills in analyzing conflict situations of various types and the formation of the ability to make managerial decisions in difficult situations of social interaction.

The order of the lesson

Preparatory stage. In one or two weeks, students receive an orientation to conduct a lesson in the form of solving situational problems. They are told the topic and purpose of the lesson. They give instructions on independent study of literature and mastering the basic concepts: “conflict”, “cause of conflict”, “conflict situation”, “incident”. Particular attention is paid to understanding the relationship between these concepts.

During the lesson. Students are asked to solve problems with specific situations by answering the questions given at the end of each problem.

Options for solving problems are discussed in the study group.

You have recently been appointed Human Resources Manager. You still do not know the employees of the company well, the employees do not yet know you by sight. You go to a meeting with the CEO. You pass the smoking room and notice two employees who are smoking and talking animatedly about something. Returning from the meeting, ĸᴏᴛᴏᴩᴏᴇ lasted one hour, you again see the same employees in the smoking room for a conversation. Question. What would you do in this situation? Explain your behaviour.

You are the head of the department. There is a tense situation in the department, deadlines for the completion of work are missed. There are not enough employees. Going on a business trip, you accidentally meet your subordinate - a young woman who has been on sick leave for two weeks. But you find her in perfect health. She is looking forward to meeting someone at the airport.

Question. What will you do in this case? Explain your behaviour.