PSY263 Group Dynamics: Group Conflict Analysis and Resolution Strategies

Question 1

Rare is the group that avoids conflict at all times. Conflict is disagreement, discord, and friction that occur when the actions or beliefs of one or more members of the group are unacceptable and resisted by the other group members. Because conflict is a ubiquitous aspect of working in a group, it must be managed to minimise its negative effects.

Select one group that you currently belong to or used to belong to in the past. The group should have experienced a certain degree of conflict. Demonstrate knowledge of the roots of conflict in the group and examine the confrontation, escalation, and the eventual conflict resolution. Thereafter, create a 10-minute MP4 video to present your findings.

Your ECA submission should comprise File 1 (10-page-limit supporting documentation) which constitutes 20 marks and File 2 (10-minute-limit video) which constitutes 75 marks.

In this ECA, students should:

• Develop an understanding of the roots of conflict in the group.
• Appraise the confrontation and escalation with supporting evidence.
• Apply relevant concepts and discuss the eventual conflict resolution.

Additional notes and instructions:

• About the 10-minute-limit video:
  • The video can be in any format, such as narrated PowerPoint presentation, skit, role-play or other creative presentation format.
• About the 10-page-limit Supporting Documentation word file:
  • Supporting Documentation can contain any material that documents your experience.
  • Some examples of such materials are text paragraphs or bullet points describing the roots of conflict, flowchart of the confrontation and escalation, short transcript of any interview, diagrams showing the eventual conflict resolution, or word clouds to illustrate the prevalence of certain issues or concepts.
• To do well, you need to:
  • Plan your video well. The 10 minutes video should focus on pertinent points.
  • Provide specific and useful details in the supporting documentation to support your answer.

Expert Answers on Above Conflict Management Questions

Group conflict analysis and resolution

Conflict is when there are differences identified within members which leads to this agreement on a common discussion. In group work conflict is quite common and it occurs mainly because of differences in goals, values or communication styles. Effective conflict management is therefore essential and it is crucial from the point of view of strengthening teamwork and productivity.

Selected group

The group that is selected for the purpose of analysis is a project team assigned to complete the presentation task from the management subject. The group comprises 6 members and they are assigned with their individual roles which need to be merged together for final submission.

Roots of conflict

The conflict was evidence between members and it was mainly because of poor communication, and unequal distribution of workload leading to dissatisfaction among few of the members. Some of the members also have differing opinions which also contributed towards conflict between members. The role of personality clashes and unclear leadership was also crucial in contributing towards conflict within members.

Confrontation and escalation

The disagreement between the members was so severe that none of them were ready to come to a solution. There was no initiative undertaken initially to resolve the issue and each and every member started blaming each other leading to frustration between them.  The misunderstanding through online chat further contributed towards escalation of the conflict.

Conflict resolution

In order to resolve the conflict, the meeting was conducted where each and every member were asked to express their concerns, and the third party was involved to listen to each and every member. By way of utilising active listening and problem solving techniques, the mediator suggested recommendations specifying clarity in roles, clear deadlines, and making decisions collaboratively.

Application of concepts

The readiness of group members to start discussing and coming to a solution over the conflict is best explained by Thomas Kilmann model, whereas reduction in the misinterpretation through improved clarity and feedback is best explained through the communication theory. Emotional intelligence is evident as the members have learnt to manage emotions and respect the views of each other.

Conclusion

This conflicting scenario has demonstrated the importance of open communication, empathy and structured decision making in working in groups and leading to success. Proper conflict management strategies are crucial in solving differences in opinion among group members and thereby in solving the conflict.

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