Introduction to Conflicts

Introduction:

This note will discuss the meaning of conflict, the distinction between real and perceived conflict, and its effects.

Meaning of Conflict:

In the Course Manual for Alternative Dispute Resolution, conflict is defined as:

Behaviour intended to obstruct the achievement of some other persons’ or groups’ goal. Conflict is based on the incompatibility of goals and arises from opposing behaviour.

Thus, at its core, conflict arises when there are competing or incompatible interests, or a perception of competing interests. When a person believes his interests are at variance or incompatible with another person’s interests, he behaves in a manner intended to obstruct the achievement of that other person’s interests as a way of preserving his own interests.

Distinguishing between Real and Perceived Conflict:

A person’s belief that his interests are incompatible with the interests of another person may be real or perceived. If it is real, the conflict is said to be a real conflict. If it is perceived, the conflict is said to be a perceived conflict.

A conflict is real if it actually exists and the interests are actually incompatible. For example, in the just-ended 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, the interests of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) can be said to be actually incompatible or at variance with those of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). While the NDC would want John Mahama as Ghana’s president, the NPP wanted Dr. Mahamud Bawumia as president. Since there cannot be two presidents of Ghana, the actualisation of the NDC’s interests automatically means the non-actualisation of the NPP’s.

On the other hand, conflict is said to be perceived if it is not based on objective reality. Thus, while a person may think that his interests are incompatible with the interests of another, there is actually no such conflict. The conflict is merely a mirage (an illusion; it appears to be present, but on thorough examination, it is not present).

Causes of Perceived Conflict:

There are three factors that may cause a person to perceive that there is a conflict when there is actually none. These factors are collectively referred to as perceptual problems and are discussed below.

1. Selective Attention:

This refers to the tendency of people to pay attention to only some pieces of information and ignore or tune out others. Those pieces of information they focus on give them the false belief that their interests are incompatible with the interests of others. If, however, they had focused on all pieces of information, they would have realised that the interests are either not incompatible or, even if they were, not to the extent they believed.

Imagine a business negotiation between two companies, A and B. Company B requests a larger share of the profits but also offers to cover more upfront costs. If Company A focuses solely on the profit-sharing terms, it may overlook the fact that Company B is taking on more expenses. This selective attention could lead Company A to falsely believe that its interest in increasing revenue and cutting costs is incompatible with Company B's interests.

2. Selective Distortion:

This is the tendency of people to interpret information in a way that aligns with their existing beliefs. These existing beliefs act as a filter or lens through which all other information is interpreted. For instance, X and Y are co-workers, but X believes Y always wants to take credit for his work and make him look bad in the eyes of management. Consequently, any act by Y is likely to be interpreted by X to be pursuant to Y’s desire to make X look bad, even if that is not really the case.

3. Selective Retention:

Here, people take in information but retain those pieces of information that support their needs, values, attitudes, beliefs, and interests. By retaining certain pieces of information and discarding others, people may selectively distort subsequent information using what they have retained. For example, a woman finds a message on her husband’s phone suggesting he was flirting with another woman. Even though he has no history of cheating and has frequently rejected advances from other women, emphasising his love for his wife, she may selectively retain the flirty message and interpret his future actions through the lens of that message. Consequently, any friendly conversation with another woman may be interpreted by the woman to be against her interest of remaining the love of his life, lol.

Effects of Conflict:

Depending on how it is handled, conflict may either be negative or positive. When managed poorly, conflict can lead to stress, decreased productivity, and damaged relationships. However, when approached constructively, conflict can stimulate creative solutions, foster better understanding, and strengthen relationships by encouraging open communication and problem-solving. Effective conflict resolution helps build trust and promote a collaborative environment, turning potential challenges into opportunities for growth.

Conclusion:

This note merely discussed the meaning of conflict and distinguished between real and perceived conflict. In subsequent notes, we will discuss conflict analysis and responses to conflict.