Conflict and Interpersonal Communication
Read this section to define interpersonal conflict, compare and contrast the five styles of interpersonal conflict management, explain how perception and culture influence interpersonal conflict, and list strategies for effectively managing conflict. For the time being, skip the "Culture and Conflict" section, which we will cover in Unit 6.
Handling Conflict Better
Conflict
is inevitable and it is not inherently negative. A key part of
developing interpersonal communication competence involves being able to
effectively manage the conflict you will encounter in all your
relationships. One key part of handling conflict better is to notice
patterns of conflict in specific relationships and to generally have an
idea of what causes you to react negatively and what your reactions
usually are.