Introduction
Interpersonal and intergroup conflicts have varying sources. Interpersonal conflicts arise from different sources key among them which include incompatibility, personalization and cognition, and behavior. In that context, the elements identifies above have varying implications on interpersonal and group conflicts.
Incompatibility
Incompatibility can either be due to communication or group structure. Here, communication is a key component for conveying meaning and eliciting action in response to a message. Incompatibility because of communication results from misunderstandings, sematic difficulties, and noise in communication channels.
Semantic difficulties results from phrases, words, symbols, and signs and the express meaning communicated using the signifiers. That is in addition to selective perceptions, differences in training, and lack of adequate information. In this case, messages should be communicated succinctly to ensure the correct meaning is conveyed.
When messages are not communicated clearly, the meaning is obliterated causing the intended audience not to get the precise meaning. Other sources of conflicts because of communication problems include use of jargon that deprives a message its true and precise meaning and different word connotations and noise which adds external elements to a message in a communication channel.
In addition to that, structure is an additional element that influences the level of conflicts, acting as a source of conflict in a group or individual. Here, structure is defined in the context of the level of leadership style, member goal compatibility, the degree of dependence enjoyed by team members, the degree of specialization, and the size of a group.
In that context, the group turnover increases with young members, the potential for conflicts increases when the messages are communicated ambiguously, and when group members have diverse goals. In that case, leadership increases conflict when it is of the close style nature, and when one group depends on another group.
Here, personal variables such as personal characteristics and individual value systems which results in differing opinions with varying perspective. On the other hand, personalization and cognition are additional sources of conflicts.
Cognition and Personalization
Conflicts can be generated in a group by antecedent conditions if group members are aware and affected. On the other hand, it is possible to personalize conflicts in the event group members develop emotional involvement. With emotions contributing to the level of conflicts in a team, it becomes possible to produce oversimplified issues that lead to emotions.
Emotion related conflicts lead to lower levels of trust and negative interpretations of the behavioral characteristics of individuals in a group. It is possible to understand the fact that conflicts generate influence on the perceptions of group member, leading to the deficiency of the lack of innovation and other positive actions within a group. In that case, cognition and personalization underlies the influence due to behavior.
Behavior
Conflict can be initiated because of behavioral characteristics of group members based on statements made by group members resulting in negative behavior. In this case, negative behavior leads to dynamic group process interactions into lower levels of continuum. In the process of rising up the continuum, conflict is seen to rise significantly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the source of conflict, which includes incompatibility, personalization and cognition, and behavior provide the core sources of conflict. In this case, the functional and dysfunctional outcomes can be overcome by introducing measures which include conflict resolution into the groups which includes the win-win approach, the lose-lose approach, or the win-lose approach.