Psychology of Aggression

The causes of conflicts were already mentioned above – the aggression arising from these conflicts may occur at different levels – an intra-individual, inter-group or inter-organisational conflict.[1]

         Any conflict goes through five stages: 

- latent stage (there is a potential for the development of conflict)

- perceived stage (individuals perceive some negative feeling – scarcity, frustration)

- intention to act stage (if the conflict isn´t calmed, it comes to this stage that something must be done to stop it

- manifest stage (only when both parties cannot agree, the conflict comes into the open one

- aftermath (this aftermath is a direct consequence of the strategy)

It is clear that conflict management at the earlier stages of perception would reduce the emotions and cognitions from becoming really hostile. It is necessary to bear in mind that we generally tend to explain the negative behaviour of others as being caused by personal dispositions while our negative behaviour is caused by situations beyond our control (self-serving bias).

The next factor affecting conflict situations are stereotypes – cognitive frameworks consisting of beliefs (generalization) about specific social groups.[2] Stereotypes cause persons to pay greater attention to information dealing with the stereotype. It reduces cognitive effort for person perception and so leads to more negative intentions. Even when one attempts to supress stereotypes, it often produces a “rebound” effect – stereotype thinking actually increases.[3]

Our cognition is often also influenced by our momentary moods and emotions and our judgments are then not guided only by rationality. In this regard, it seems to be better to solve a conflict by managing emotions (recognizing and understanding) rather than by trying to suppress them. Very often it is the inability to search for the alternatives that is the main obstacle to resolving the conflict – it is necessary to focus on interests, not on positions and to search for options.[4]

Strategy GRIT – Graduated and Reciprocated Initiatives in Tension Reduction[5] is a very important example of an integrative negotiation – attitudes and behaviour involve firstly:

• willingness to trust, 
  
• share information and 
  
• ask question 
  

• separate people from problems
  
• focus on interests not position
  
• avoid premature judgment
  
• use objective criteria