FINAL IS

MAY 4 (FRIDAY)
@ 9AM
INTERPERSONAL
CONFLICT
Chapter 11
 THE NATURE OF
INTERPERSONAL
CONFLICT
Defining Interpersonal Conflict

■ An expressed struggle between interdependent parties who perceive incompatible

goals, scarce resources, and interference from on another
Defining Interpersonal Conflict

■ Conflict is an Expressed Struggle

– Disagreement is not necessarily conflict
Defining Interpersonal Conflict

■ Conflict Occurs between Interdependent Parties

– In short…can’t be in conflict with someone you do not personally
know
Defining Interpersonal Conflict

■ Conflict is about Goals the Parties Perceive As Incompatible

Defining Interpersonal Conflict

■ Conflict Arises over Perceived Scarce Resources

– Ex: time or money

Defining Interpersonal Conflict

■ Conflict Includes Interference

– It isn’t conflict until the individuals act in ways that prevent the
other from achieving his/her goals
CONFLICT IN PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS
Characteristics of Interpersonal Conflict

■ Conflict is Natural
– All relationships will experience conflict at some point
Characteristics of Interpersonal Conflict

■ Conflict has Content, Relational, and Procedural Dimensions

– Content dimension

– Relational dimension

– Procedural dimension
Characteristics of Interpersonal Conflict

■ Conflict can be Direct or Indirect

– Direct
■ Deal with conflict openly

– Indirect
■ Express conflict, but is an indirect way
Characteristics of Interpersonal Conflict

■ Conflict can be Harmful

– Can elevate stress
Characteristics of Interpersonal Conflict

■ Conflict can be Beneficial

– Can help prevent small issues from festering into something bigger
– Can increase confidence in interpersonal communication skills
Most Common Sources of Conflict

■ In one study of husband and wives the same top 3 conflicts were identified

– Combined account for ~42% of all conflict topics mentioned by the couples
– Topics are nearly identical across all sexual orientations
 MANAGING
INTERPERSONAL
CONFLICT
p. 365
Problematic Behaviors during Conflict
Gottman’s “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”
1. Criticism

2. Contempt

3. Defensiveness

4. Stonewalling
Strategies for Managing Conflict
Successfully
■ Based on two underlying dimensions
– Concern for Self
– Concern for Other

■ Creates a grid with 4 conflict management styles, with a circle in the middle
– Styles: Competing, Avoiding, Compromising, Collaborating, Accommodating
– Review this grid on p.367 and know what these styles look like in examples
 DECEPTIVE
COMMUNICATION
Ch. 12
The Nature of Interpersonal Deception

■ Despite what your feelings might be about the value of honesty, reality is most
people conceal some truth on a regular basis
– What about lying to protect someone? Is that wrong?

■ We can conceptualize lying as the “misrepresentation of the truth”*

Defining Deception

■ Deception
– The knowing and intentional transmission of information to create a false
belief in the hearer

■ Can fall on a continuum from high-, medium-, & low-stakes lies

Elements of Deception

1. Sender must know the information is false

2. Sender much be transmitting the information on purpose

3. Sender must be attempting to make the receiver believe

the information
Elements of Deception

■ Some exceptions
1. You aren’t lying if you believe that what you’re saying is true

2. You aren’t lying if you don’t intend for others to believe what
you’re saying
COMMUNICATION
BEHAVIORS AND
DECEPTION
p.385
Detecting Deception is Difficult

■ Under normal conditions, the avg. person can detect deception about 55% of the
time

■ Why are we only at a chance level

Some Behaviors are Common during
Acts of Deception
■ False Information is Often Inconsistent

■ Deceivers Often Commit Speech Errors

■ Deception Often Increases Vocal Pitch

Some Behaviors are Common during
Acts of Deception
■ Two Eye Behaviors are Associated with Lying

■ Liars Often Use False Smiles

■ Many Liars Use Minimal Body Movement

 DETECTING LIES IN
DIFFERENT CONTEXTS
Detecting Lies in Different Contexts

■ Familiarity Affects Our Ability to Detect Deception

■ Expressive People are Better Liars

■ Motivation Affect Our Ability to Deceive

■ Suspicion May Not Improve Deception Detection

 FINAL IS
MAY 4 (FRIDAY)
@ 9:00 AM