Effects of sex on commitment and conflict resolution.

Supervisors rated 106 subordinates' use of 5 conflict resolution strategies identified by R. R. Blake and J. S. Mouton (1964). The relationship between the commitment measures and conflict resolution strategies depended on the sexual composition of the supervisor–subordinate dyad. For example, males reporting to females used smoothing, compromise, and confrontation when they were committed to the position. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of two-chair dialogue and focusing on conflict resolution.

Examined the effect of the Gestalt 2-chair method on conflict resolution by comparing it, in an analog study, with the focusing technique followed by emphatic reflection. Ss were 42 graduate students in counseling psychology. Results show that (a) the 2-chair dialog applied at a split produced significantly more depth of experiencing (Experiencing Scale) than did focusing plus emphatic reflection, and (b) both treatments produced significantly greater reported shifts in awareness and progress than the no-treatment controls. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The resolution of conflict.

Describes a series of studies investigating the influence of predisposition, structure, and experience on interpersonal conflict. These factors are all inextricably and nonrecursively related. Structure and predisposition influence motive and perceived motive. Experiencing cooperation in a dynamic process conflict situation had little influence on trust or competition, and the experience of noncooperation was far more persistent than the experience of cooperation. The validity of experimental conflict research is explored, and conflict resolution in practice is discussed, focusing on Canada's role in the quest for world peace. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Styles of conflict resolution.

Investigated whether individuals exhibit consistent cross-situational styles of conflict resolution and whether any styles so identified can be predicted from intellectual and personality characteristics. 16 female and 16 male undergraduates were administered measures of vocabulary, deductive and inductive reasoning, conflict-resolution, personality (the EPPS), and opinions. They were then given 9 stories involving conflict situations in 3 domains: interpersonal, interorganizational, and international relations. Ss were asked to evaluate the quality of each of 7 possible solutions for resolving each of the conflicts. Each of the 7 solutions represented 1 of 7 modes of conflict resolution: physical action, economic action, wait and see, accept the situation, step-down, 3rd-party intervention, and undermine esteem. It was found that Ss were quite consistent in their modes of conflict resolution both within and across content domains and that mode of conflict resolution could be well predicted from certain intellectual and personality characteristics. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Deeper into divorce: Using actor-partner analyses to explore systemic differences in coparenting conflict following custody dispute resolution.

Divorce is an inherently interpersonal experience, yet too often adults' reactions to marital dissolution are investigated as intrapersonal experiences that unfold outside of the relational context in which they exist. This article examines systemic patterns of interpersonal influence between divorced parents who were randomly assigned to either mediate or litigate a child custody dispute in the mid-1980s. Reports of coparenting conflict and nonacceptance of the divorce were assessed 5 weeks after the dispute settlement, 13 months after the settlement, and then again 12 years later. One hundred nine (N = 109) parents provided data over this 12-year period. Fathers reported the highest initial levels of conflict when their ex-partners were more accepting of the divorce. Mediation parents reported decreases in coparenting conflict in the year after dispute settlement, whereas litigation parents reported increases in conflict. Litigation parents evidenced the greatest long-term increases and decreases in coparenting conflict. Mediation is a potent force for reducing postdivorce conflict, and this article highlights the usefulness of adopting a systemic lens for understanding the long-term correlates of marital dissolution. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-criticism and conflict resolution in romantic couples.

120 heterosexual college student couples (mean age 21.5 yrs) completed measures of self-criticism and relational schemas and then attempted to resolve 2 conflicts while being videotaped. Overt hostility was rated from the videotapes. In both girlfriends and boyfriends, self-criticism was associated with negative relational schemas and more negative cognitive-affective reactions during the conflict resolution task. Self-critical women displayed greater overt hostility towards their partners. Structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrated that negative relational schemas functioned as mediating variables that explained negative cognitive affective reactions during the task. The SEM also showed that, in women, negative cognitive-affective reactions predicted overt hostility, which in turn predicted partners' distress and overt hostility. The results bolster cognitive interpersonal analyses of depression by illustrating how cognitive structures associated with a hypothesized vulnerability (self-criticism) can have important interpersonal correlates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of conflict management strategies on perceptions of intragroup conflict.

Although conflict over ideas is thought to be beneficial to task performing groups, research documents a strong interrelation between idea-based task conflict and emotionally laden relationship conflict. The current study posits the manner in which task conflicts are managed influences subsequent relationship conflict. Two hundred seventy participants formed dyads to discuss a task issue. The conflict management strategy of one member was manipulated to examine the resulting level of relationship conflict perceived by the partner. The level of relationship conflict after the meeting was significantly impacted by the management style used during the meeting: competing produced the most, and collaborating the least, relationship conflict. Findings suggest competing to resolve task-based differences may be particularly harmful by generating relationship conflict. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Critical issues in the development of custody and access dispute resolution services.

Outlines the development and working assumptions of the London Custody and Access Project in the context of the needs of separated families involved in the legal process. Clinical issues (psychological parent, bonding, adjustment problems, interrupted development, and sexual abuse) are overviewed, and 3 types of service (assessment, mediation, and arbitration) are described. Data are presented on a sample of 68 cases outlining the nature of the issues involved, factors considered during the assessment, and clinical/legal recommendations. Future issues in research and practice are suggested. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Longitudinal relations between forgiveness and conflict resolution in marriage.

Does forgiveness predict later conflict resolution in married couples? Twelve-month follow-up data on conflict resolution were collected from the couples studied by F. D. Fincham, S. R. Beach, and J. Davila (see record 2004-11293-007), who had provided earlier reports of forgiveness and conflict resolution. For wives, the positive dimension of forgiveness or benevolence predicted husbands' later reports of better conflict resolution controlling for initial levels of conflict resolution. This finding was independent of wives' marital satisfaction and the degree of hurt engendered by husbands' transgressions. For husbands, the only predictor of wives' reports of later conflict resolution was initial level of conflict resolution. The findings are discussed in terms of the direction of effect between forgiveness and conflict resolution and of the mechanisms that might link them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of ego disjunction and manifest anxiety to conflict resolution.

The purpose of this study was to discover the influence of 2 determinants, ego disjunction (ED) and manifest anxiety (MA), on conflict resolution. ED, defined as antagonistic response tendencies within an individual, was measured by the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, and MA by the Taylor MA scale. From a sample of 56 college Ss, it was found that Ss high in both ED and MA required significantly more time to resolve approach-approach and avoidance-avoidance conflicts than Ss high in only one determinant but low in the other and Ss low in both determinants. No significant differences in conflict scores were found when Ss low in both determinants were compared with Ss high in only one determinant but low in the other. The results were interpreted as indicating that ED and MA interact, producing interfering responses which hinder efficient resolution of conflicts when ED and MA are both high within an individual High MA and high ED scores, when taken alone, did not yield any conclusive results. It is only when both determinants are taken into consideration that greater confidence can be invested in those measures to predict conflict performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some evidence for conflict resolution in impression formation.

This experiment is designed to reveal, in a S's "first impressions" of a purportedly living stimulus person, tendencies to resolve a conflict experimentally created in that stimulus person. In the condition of strong conflict, the person is simultaneously a member of groups characterized by an upper socioeconomic orientation and the Communist party. In the weak stimulus condition, the stimulus person is a member of the same socioeconomic groups and the Socialist party. In the control situation, there are no incompatible memberships. The majority of S's under both stimulus conditions attempt to resolve the stimulus person's conflict; however, a greater proportion of the S's, under the strong condition, fail to attempt a resolution. The direction of conflict resolution is more equally distributed in the strong condition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Procedure and outcome effects on reactions to adjudicated resolution of conflicts of interest.

Examined the effects of outcome on reactions to an adjudication procedure and the effects of procedures on reactions to an adjudication outcome. 111 male undergraduates were led to believe they had been charged with wrongdoing of which they knew they were innocent. The charge was tried, and the Ss outcomes were determined using procedures (adversary or nonadversary) high or low in perceived procedural justice. Ss were then told that they had been found innocent or guilty. Perceptions of the trial process were assessed either before or after the verdict was announced. After the verdict, additional questionnaires assessed perceptions of the verdict and overall perceptions of procedural and distributive fairness. Results show that disputants saw the adversary procedure as fairer than the nonadversary and that they saw the verdict as more fair and satisfying, and as more accurate and unbiased, when it followed an adversary trial. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The intersection of therapeutic jurisprudence, preventive law, and alternative dispute resolution.

The author examines the intersection of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) with the theory of therapeutic jurisprudence (TJ) and the practical advice suggested by preventive law (PL). The 1st part of this article has a brief review of each of these approaches and notes similarities in their underlying concepts. In the 2nd part of the article, the use of TJ and PL in the practice and pedagogy of ADR is examined. A framework provided by the integration of TJ and PL can help lawyers counsel their clients in choosing between ADR methods and in designing dispute resolution systems. Finally, lessons and ideas that both TJ and PL could draw from ADR are examined. Empirical ADR research can support the premise of TJ. The implementation of ADR programs can also demonstrate the importance of balancing therapeutic factors with legal and financial factors while providing lessons for other areas of the law seeking to implement TJ and PL ideas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The varying effect of individualism-collectivism on preference for methods of conflict resolution.

Determined whether people from individualistic societies show a preference for confrontational procedures such as arbitration, while those from collectivist cultures prefer harmony-enhancing procedures like negotiation and mediation, in resolving disputes. 95 Canadian and 90 Nigerian respondents were asked to indicate their preferences for methods of resolving a dispute between neighbors. Because Nigerians had been found to be more collectivist on a neighbor subscale, it was hypothesized that, as a method of resolving this dispute they would prefer negotiation to a greater extent than Canadians. The study also examined the effect of type of conflict (whether a conflict was interpersonal or intergroup) on method preference. The main hypothesis regarding individualism-collectivism was confirmed. However, there was also a culture by type of conflict interaction. Nigerian Ss indicated a different preference pattern for threats, acceptance of the situation, and arbitration in the interpersonal conflict over the intergroup conflict. Differences in preference according to type of conflict were found only on acceptance of the situation in the Canadian sample. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Enhancing interest and performance with a utility value intervention.

We tested whether a utility value intervention (via manipulated relevance) influenced interest and performance on a task and whether this intervention had different effects depending on an individual's performance expectations or prior performance. Interest was defined as triggered situational interest (i.e., affective and emotional task reactions) and maintained situational interest (i.e., inclination to engage in the task in the future). In 2 randomized experiments, 1 conducted in the laboratory and the other in a college classroom, utility value was manipulated through a writing task in which participants were asked to explain how the material they were learning (math or psychology) was relevant to their lives (or not). The intervention increased perceptions of utility value and interest, especially for students who were low in expected (laboratory) or actual (classroom) performance. Mediation analyses revealed that perceptions of utility value explained the effects of the intervention on interest and predicted performance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of psychology in the resolution of international conflict.

The theme was set by the question "What effective assistance can Psychology give to the elimination of tension and conflict in the world community of men and nations?" raised by Ralph Bunche serving as conference chairman at the dedication of Gerry Hall, Dartmouth College's new psychology laboratory. The participants included Doob, Cantril, H. H. Sargeant, Osgood, Dore Schary, K?hler, Skinner, Gerald Sykes, and Leonard Mead. Brief summary statements to indicate positions advanced by the participants are presented. Optimism was reflected in the final conference remarks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal decision making: The resolution of a dyadic conflict.

"The cooperative resolution of a dyadic conflict was studied as a special case of decision making. Two subjects were required to select a joint decision. The instructions and the task were designed to induce a reasoning set and achievement orientation. The efficiency of the joint decisions was related to the type of choice situation (conflict), the magnitude of individual differences, and the nature and amount of interpersonal influence (interaction). Latency and rationality of choice were the measures of efficiency. Maximal inefficiency was associated with the possibility of gambling, outcomes of loss rather than of gain, moderate individual differences, increasing degrees of verbal interaction, and a weak leader-follower relationship. The dyadic resolution of a decision conflict was conservative in strategy." From Psyc Abstracts 36:01:3GE14A. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward a task analysis of conflict resolution in Gestalt therapy.

Compared 14 Gestalt 2-chair dialog conflict resolution performances with 14 nonresolution performances on structural analysis of social behavior, depth of experiencing, and voice quality. These performances were used to test a proposed 3-stage sequential model of conflict resolution. 28 21–52 yr old clients in therapy were assessed with a battery of tests that included the Experiencing Scale and Structural Analysis of Social Behavior Scale. The pattern of results within the resolution group supported the 3 phase model of conflict resolution. It was found that the degree of affiliation in the previously harsh critic in the dialog clearly distinguished resolvers from nonresolvers. In addition, in all the resolution performances, the 2 sides of the conflict appeared to first go through a stage of opposition and then entered a merging phase, in which the critic softened its attitude as measured by degree of affiliation, voice, and depth of experiencing. The final integration phase, in which the 2 chairs become more autonomous and affiliative and engage in a negotiation, marked the resolution of the conflict. An example of a dialog is provided to indicate some of the processes discussed. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cooperation and conflict resolution: Implications for consulting psychology.

In this invited address, the author reviews his theoretical and empirical work on cooperation and competition, conflict resolution, and distributive justice. Suggestions are offered regarding the implications and typical effects of this work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)