All war is a symptom of a man's failure as a thinking animal.
John Steinbeck
Student activity!
With your partner(s), discuss the following questions:
- What does the term conflict mean to you?
- How do you feel about interpersonal conflict? Why do you think that you feel that way?
- Tell us about a time when you were in conflict with another person. What happened? What was the cause of the conflict? Was it resolved? Tell us why. How did this make you feel?
Share your answers with the group.
Conflict and Communication
Peace is not the absence of conflict but the ability to cope with it.
Dorothy Thomas
Anytime there is communication, there is the potential for miscommunication and misunderstandings. The frequency and impact of miscommunication is so prevalent that we explored it in the first unit in lesson 1.3. Conflict can arise from misunderstandings and perceived or real clashes of interests. Conflict is a normal part of human existence and is commonplace in interpersonal relationships, families, societies, countries, and workplaces.
How people feel about conflict is linked to their personality traits and communication style. In the same way that individuals amass perceptions that influence communication and understanding, we each feel differently about conflict. Some people will go to great lengths to avoid it. Others see conflict as a necessary evil, and some even thrive amidst conflict and welcome and encourage it.
communication style - You explored your communication style in Assessment 1.
What is Conflict?
The term conflict is frequently used but infrequently defined. Dictionary.com defines conflict as:
Verb
- “To come into collision or disagreement; be contradictory, at variance, or in opposition; clash
- To flight or contend; do battle
Noun
- A fight, battle, or struggle, especially a prolonged struggle; strife.
- Controversy; quarrel
- Discord of action, feeling, or effect, antagonism, or opposition, as of interests or principles
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