Group conflict: the concept, the essence of the question, who is to blame and what to do

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Group conflict is a confrontation between groups of people with different value systems and interests. In any society there are groups that are hostile to each other. It's quite normal. But in order for people to communicate normally with each other, you need to be able to find compromises. How to do it? Read below.

Definition

Group conflict is a confrontation between parties with different interests, aspirations and goals. The subjects of the conflict are members of two or more groups. People tend to rally to defend their interests and value systems. Like-minded people help to understand that there are people in this world who share and support the individual's value system. What is the object of the conflict? Disputes between groups are different. People defend their interests, ideological values and personal benefits. Groups compete for status, power and resources. Such a struggle has been going on between people since time immemorial.

What is conflict? This is a confrontation between two groups. The conflict isinconsistency of interests, which leads to serious disagreements between people. Most often, such opposition is accompanied by a strong emotional upsurge. And as a rule, emotions are very negative.

Views

Conflicts are different. There are three main types:

1. Open. People do not hide their emotions and feelings from others. They openly declare their rights and desires. Collective intelligence helps each individual to feel their importance. A group of like-minded people can resist another group for longer. One individual is incapable of waging a long struggle without moral support. Such conflicts are resolved quickly, as they are too obvious and impossible to ignore.
2. Hidden. A group of people will not always state their demands openly. Often people try to veil their demands so that they sound more censorship and tact. Such conflicts can often be seen in the enterprise. Dissatisfied employees are afraid to immediately express their dissatisfaction. They will hide their true intentions under various pretexts. A latent conflict cannot be resolved quickly unless its cause is immediately identified.
3. Potential. Group conflict, which at the moment is not too serious, can be brewing for years. And it will flare up when circumstances will strengthen the position of the group.

Solutions

How to resolve the conflict? There are two solutions that help solve problems.

1. Antagonistic. group conflict inthis case will be decided until some group wins. This method is considered very hard. The opposing sides will use any method to defeat the enemy. In this case, the saying “the end justifies the means” fits perfectly. The affected group will dislike the winner and will immediately try to take revenge.
2. Compromise. The development of the conflict will occur without any consequences. Groups of people will find a solution to the problem that will satisfy both opposing sides. This way of troubleshooting is the most reasonable, as relations between people do not deteriorate, because both opposing groups achieve partial satisfaction of their demands.

Functions

Conflicts are an integral part of any relationship. Therefore, it should not be surprising that they have both positive and negative functions.

• Unity of like-minded people. Collective intelligence helps you quickly achieve your goals. People bond and function well as a group. United by common interests, they can create something new, find interesting solutions to problems and quickly achieve their goals.
• Voltage discharge. Any misunderstanding leads to a tense atmosphere in the group. People cannot think soberly, as their nervous system is in tension. Successful conflict resolution helps a person to express their emotions and feel better.
• Emotional cost. People who are in conflict with someone injure their nervous system. They can notfocus on nothing else but your problems. And until the conflict is resolved, they will be in limbo.

Steps

Each conflict goes through several stages of development from the beginning to a successful resolution.

• A problem has occurred. At the first stage, the essence of the issue is revealed, and a group of people tries to achieve their goals by adequate methods. Negotiations are underway, the views of the parties are revealed, and opponents appear.
• Open conflict. If at the first stage it is not possible to reach a common opinion, then a cold or open war ensues. The groups talk loudly, get annoyed and try in every possible way to get what they want.
• Building relationships. After the conflict is resolved, it is not always possible to quickly establish relations between members of different groups. If a particular group has won, then opponents can hold a grudge, which will become a reason for a new conflict. Therefore, when resolving any controversial issue, a compromise must be found.

Reasons

The sources of conflict in any group are the same. People want to achieve their goals, so they unite. What causes conflict most often?

• Social inequality. It just so happened that always some people are in a privileged position. Such persons are smart, educated and we althy. They do not want to let people with less income into their circle. This state of affairs does not suit the oppressed. They want a better life and a raisestatus.
• Misunderstanding. Each person is free to interpret events due to his development, intellect and morality. It is never possible to look at the same problem in the same way. Therefore, conflicts arise that divide society into several parts.
• Struggle for power. No matter how good the government is, there will always be dissatisfied. Who is to blame and what to do in such a situation, everyone decides for himself. Most often, people are divided into groups. Some support the current order of things, while others want to change management, believing that life will be better with a change in power.
• Generation difference. Younger people are liberals, while older members of society are most often conservatives. Differences in views and interests often cause conflicts.

Stages of conflict resolution

To successfully resolve a contentious issue, you need to sort out the problem on the shelves and then eliminate it.

• Diagnosis. At this stage, the groups develop their requirements, choose a strategy that they will follow in order to win over the opposing side.
• Discussion. Collective bargaining between two opposing groups helps to understand the opinion of opponents better. Groups put forward their demands and bring opponents up to date. After clarifying all the circumstances, you can make some decision.
• Conflict resolution. Who is to blame and what to do is decided at the first two stages of the emergence of a disputable situation. The third stage is finding a compromise or a complete victory for one ofopposing sides.

Conflict Adjustment

The science of conflictology solves all issues related to disputable situations that arise in various teams. To solve any problem, you need the desire to make contact. For this purpose, each of the groups has its own leader. The person in charge expresses the interests of his fellow men of reason. If all members of the group participate in conflict resolution, a bazaar will result. Therefore, the problem will be settled by two people or a small group of representatives of each team. Adjustment comes through discussion. The opposing sides express their opinion regarding the solution of the conflict. As a result, the controversial situation is resolved according to one of two scenarios:

• clear winner emerges;
• a compromise is being made.

Negative effects of conflict

They are not so many, but they are quite significant:

• The destruction of friendships. If the members of two opposing groups were friends, then the further development of such relations is a big question. Companions will try to disrupt the connection of their supporters and will prove with all their might that there is no need to maintain old ties.
• Any conflict interferes with the normal course of things. If the company has a discord between employees, then the normal functioning of the enterprise will be in question. Instead of fulfilling their duties, people will be engaged in sorting out the relationship.
• Lossreputation. Few people know how to control their words and be responsible for every uttered phrase. Often people throw words to the wind without thinking about the consequences. Public statements made with zeal can backfire on any member of the group. People can say something in the heat of the moment, and they will have to spend a lot of time and effort to restore their reputation.

The positive impact of conflict

Conflict between people should not be taken as a tragedy. Human misunderstandings are the norm. After all, it was not in vain that our ancestors came up with the expression that truth is born in a dispute. What are the positive aspects of the conflict?

• Any controversial situation helps a group of people, as well as each individual, to better understand themselves. A person reviews the value system and makes sure that he thinks correctly. Never be ashamed to admit your mistakes. It is a shame to go the wrong way, which the person considers right.
• Any problem can rally the team. People have the opportunity to look at their allies and understand what kind of society surrounds them. Friendships are often formed during the emergence of disputes, which, after the conflict is resolved, continue to be maintained for many years.
• Each person begins to properly prioritize personal priorities. The essence of the issue of any controversial situation is quite clear. The group is fighting to defend its interests. And each individual can understand that the issue being addressed is vital for him. Prioritization helps a person grow and stay on track.chosen course of life.

Tips

Do you want to quickly resolve the conflict? Then follow these tips:

• Groups that are in conflict should be forced to work together for social benefit. Work brings people together. Joint engagement in useful activities forces members of warring groups to look at their opponents from a different angle. The emerging sympathy will help relieve tension and bring it to naught.
• If you can not quickly resolve the controversial issue, you should replace the value system. Let what seemed to be a priority fade into the background. The main thing is to make people believe that the essence of the conflict is not important, and it is not necessary to find a winner and a loser now.
• Members of groups should interact not only with each other, but also with other people. A person who communicates with independent persons who do not take part in resolving a difficult situation can get good advice or reconsider their views on some things.