Coleman argues that there are three different criteria for how we might adapt our interpersonal conflict strategies: relational importance, goal type, power differences. These different criteria lead to seven basic types of interpersonal situations.
These include:
- where the conflict is of low importance (independence),
- compassionate responsibility (high power, cooperative goals),
- partnership (equal power, cooperative),
- cooperative dependence (low power, cooperative),
- command and control (high power, competitive),
- enemy territory (equal power, competitive), and
- unhappy tolerance (low power, competitive).
Research has shown that each of these situations tends to elicit from us a particular orientation to conflict, which is culturally normative or expected for each situation:
- autonomy (in situations of independence),
- benevolence (in compassionate responsibility),
- cooperation (in partnership),
- support (in cooperative dependence),
- dominance (in command and control),
- competition (in enemy territory), and
- appeasement (in unhappy tolerance).
Coleman, P. T., K. Kugler, A. Mitchinson, C. Chung, and N. Musallam. (2010). The view from above and below: The effects of power and interdependence asymmetries on conflict dynamics and outcomes in organizations. Negotiation and Conflict Management Research 3(4):283–311
Coleman, P. T., and R. Ferguson. (2014). Making conflict work: Harnessing the power of disagreement. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
