6.1 Introduction to Conflict within Relationships
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to
- Discuss the concept of communication climate and factors that influence it
- Describe conflict patterns and conflict management strategies
- Discuss effective strategies in handling communication challenges and conflict
- Identify “crazymaking” and other conflict behaviours that can detrimentally affect communication
- Discuss the stages and importance of negotiation
- Explain the concept of forgiveness and the factors that contribute to it
- Discuss strategies for negotiating cultural differences in conflict resolution
Chapter Overview
In the previous chapter, we discussed emotions and the role they play in our relationships. When we think of emotions, conflict often comes to mind. Conflict is not necessarily a dramatic fight, though it could be. It occurs for many reasons and can result from us perceiving another person in any type of relationship to have different goals than our own. This can lead to different levels of conflict, from ignoring the issue to “having it out.” In this chapter, we will dive into different forms of relationship conflicts and, more importantly, discuss how to handle conflict effectively. When dealt with appropriately, conflict can strengthen relationships by building trust and increasing relational satisfaction.
Attribution
Unless otherwise indicated, material on this page has been reproduced or adapted from the following resource:
University of Minnesota. (2016). Communication in the real world: An introduction to communication studies. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, except where otherwise noted.
