In psychology, a conflict is understood as a situation at the root of which there is a contradiction. Views, goals, desires, interests of the parties may diverge. There are five main strategies for resolving a conflict situation.
Which path each side chooses to resolve the contradiction depends on a whole set of factors. This includes personal characteristics, degree of harm done, availability of resources, status, severity of the problem, assessment of consequences.
Competition strategy
The rivalry strategy is expressed in an attempt by one side of the conflict to impose a favorable solution for itself on the other. This strategy is appropriate to resort to if the decision is clearly constructive. Also if a group benefit is meant, not an individual.
Rivalry is often used by those for whom a specific result is very important. Such people are firmly committed to their principles. Rivalry can also be used in the absence of the necessary time to implement a more loyal strategy.
Compromise and cooperation
Finding a compromise consists in a mutual desire to resolve the conflict, mutually yielding to each other. At the same time, opponents partially abandon some of their demands, are ready to forgive and admit the claims of the opposite side. A compromise will be effective if each side accepts the fact that the opponent is equal.
Cooperation is one of the best conflict resolution strategies. At the same time, the parties constructively discuss the situation, considering each other as allies. Both sides must abandon prejudices, ignore differences in the social status of each other.
Accommodation and avoidance
The adaptation strategy is a forced or voluntary refusal to fight. The yielding party can admit its mistakes or the frivolity of the problem. She may be dependent on the opposing party, have a need for a good relationship with her.
The concession is sometimes resorted to under pressure from a third party. There are also conflict situations that cause significant damage to both sides. In this case, one of the parties may surrender so as not to lose everything.
The avoidance strategy is expressed in avoiding solving the problem, when one of the parties tries to get out of the conflict situation with the least losses. It is very common to avoid conflict after a series of failures in the application of other strategies. Thus, the extinction of the conflict is initiated.
One of the opponents may get tired of the conflict, lose the desire to resolve the situation. He may run out of time for this, and he tries to buy time by avoiding. Sometimes avoidance is used when it is necessary to deal with one's own behavior strategy.
