CH 7 Power & Conflict

• Procedural Conflict


  Disagreements or tensions arising from differences in how tasks should be executed or how decisions should be made within the group
• Procedural Conflict


  • Focuses on the "how" of group functioning rather than the "what" or "why"
  • Figuring out how to make decisions often causes procedural conflict
  • Procedural conflict might help clear up how things are done or change how decisions are made to handle new situations
  • Dealing with procedural conflict can actually make the group work better together in the end
• Procedural Conflict


  • The Good Doctor; Medical Procedures and Treatment Plans: In many episodes, there are disagreements among the medical staff regarding the best course of treatment for patients. These conflicts often arise when different doctors have different opinions on diagnosis, surgical approaches, or medication choices.
• Substantive Conflict


  Arises when there a disagreements about the task, purpose, or goals itself - its substance
• Substantive Conflict


  • Groups that avoid disagreements tend to stay stagnant
  • Groups who tend to avoid this conflict stage are more prone to conforming to group thinking
  • When in this stage of conflict coming together to voice out possible solutions and the causes can benefit everyone greatly
• Substantive Conflict


  • You and your friend can't decide where you want to have lunch. You want Taco Bell while your friend wants WingStop. This is substantive because it is directly related to the group's goal: figuring out where they want to have lunch
• Interpersonal Conflict


  Centers on the discordant emotional responses individuals have towards other members
• Interpersonal Conflict


  • Some group members may not like other members resulting in conflict
  • Confrontation > avoidance; address the problem and solve
  • Avoidance can lead to groupthink, whether you like or dislike someone
• Assertiveness

  fulfill personal needs and desire in a conflict situation
• Cooperation


  satisfy other people's needs and desires
• Five approaches to conflict

  • Competing
  • Avoiding
  • Accommodating
  • Compromising
  • Collaborating
• Competing


  • Individuals are motivated by his or her interests and have little to no concerns about other's interests
  • Tend to be more aggressive
• Avoiding


  • Individuals tend to be less assertive, and less cooperative
  • The person ignores or postpone the issue until later time

  Ex: Paying parking tickets at a later time
• Accommodating


  • Individuals are more cooperative and less assertive
  • The person is more interested in others than the individual
• Compromising


  • Individuals recognize both the individual interests, and interest of other
  • The person seeks for the middle ground in resolving issues

  Ex: Splitting the difference
• Collaborating


  • Individuals that are collaborating are both assertive and cooperative
  • The person looks for a win-win situation
  • Other members in a group need to be equally motivated
• Conflict is a positive force which leads to development
• Conflict management is about controlling negative components and handling problems
• Conscious groups

  Groups that allow for shared ideas within the groups beliefs and social standing

  
  

  Ex: Baptism, birthdays, and holidays
• Conflict transformation acknowledges that it isn't a quick and easy process
• Conflict transformation

  The approach to conflict is important to the resolution because the group reflects on their individual awareness and their ability to use that awareness to come up with positive strategies for the group
• Transformative approach: promotes personal growth, awareness, and commitment to oneself/others
• Management encourages equality among all group members
• Milgram Experiment


  1. You volunteer for a mysterious study

  2. A man is connected to electrical wires

  3. The researcher says you must shock him when he answers questions incorrectly

  4. Shocks get stronger with each wrong answer

  5. You shock the man with extremely high levels of electricity, even though you don't want to. You are just following orders

  
  

  Afterward: You learn that the man being electrocuted was an actor. You did not really hurt him.
• Sources of Power


  • Legitimate
  • Coercive
  • Reward
  • Referent
  • Expert
• Legitimate power


  Needs group recognition of a social position. The Professor has been given power by CSULB, but it only works if the students accept it.
• Coercive power


  Typically associated with a threat or punishment. A child obeys her parents because she'll be grounded if she will otherwise be grounded.
• Reward power


  The ability to provide things as incentive. Opposite of coercive. CSULB paying the Professor's wages.
• Referent power


  Power coming from popularity or charisma. A celebrity athlete promoting Crest Toothpaste.
• Expert power


  Being the most skilled or knowledgeable. Do great athletes make great coaches? Do great musicians make great teachers?
• How do leaders shift from one type of power to another based on effectiveness? For example, legitimate >> reward >> coercive.
• Sources of Conflict

  • Procedural
  • Interpersonal
  • Substantive
• Procedural conflict: We should decide on the best route together.
• Interpersonal conflict: It's hard to decide as a group because Aileen won't talk to Maria.
• Substantive conflict: We should take streets, not the freeway.
• Dealing with Conflict

  • Competing
  • Avoiding
  • Accommodating
  • Compromising
  • Collaborating
• Competing


  1. Brianna says, 'Let's take my car because it's the fastest car.'

  2. Joy says, 'Let's take my car because it has the best sound system.'

  3. Paul says, 'Let's take my car because it's the biggest.'
• Avoiding


  We will take whichever car is suggested first.
• Accommodating


  Mark needs more leg room because he's tall, and the dog crate will need to fit, so we should take the biggest car.
• Compromising


  Joy's car is the 2nd largest. We should take that one because it will please people who want to take a large car and people who want to listen to the nice sound system.