Conflict Theory
Adapted from Dr. Scott Plunkett's FCS 432 Course Pack
and Professor Scott Williams' Class Notes
Conflict theory has wide and varied roots that range from the individual intra-psychic approach of Freud to the systemic societal approach of Karl Marx.
Became popular during the 1960’s when feminists and African Americans challenged the current family theories
Conflict
theory examines the ways in which groups of people disagree, struggle for power
and compete for resources (such as wealth and prestige)
Thomas Hobbes: How is social
order possible?
First law: self-preservation and self-assertion
Human beings think of themselves first and will assert themselves to exist
Second law: humans form a social contract giving up
rights of self-interest to live in a stable and secure society of laws
We want to live in a
stable world, so will give up certain rights and form arrangements with others
to have that stable world.
Much of human interest is regulated and governed by laws, not negotiation
Conflict Theory and Families
Conflict theory as applied to families challenges the myth that families are harmonious, and instead focuses on the ability of the family to deal with differences, change, and conflict
Conflict Theory begins by asserting that conflict in families is the normal
state of affairs and that family dynamics can be understood by identifying the
sources of conflict and the sources of power.
Solutions
are a result of:
1.
Establishing better communication
2.
Developing empathy and understanding
3. Being motivated to change
1.
If you have interaction, you have conflict
No human society or group exists which does not
possess conflicts of interest
Conflict
is necessary for growth and social change
2.
Conflict and change are normal, inevitable and
ubiquitous (i.e., everywhere) in family relationships and society
3. Conflict is endemic
Goal is to manage conflict so it
does not
escalate to damaging levels to reduce the group to totally separate individuals.
The problem with allowing conflict to increase to damaging levels is the couple or group will inevitably split apart and individuals will become separate.
Oftentimes this is what occurs in a
divorce with chronic unresolved anger and conflict.
4.
There is a scarcity of resources
a.
With surplus of resources, humans pursuing
self-interest would not pursue conflict
b.
Our conflict arises because there is not enough
resources for all to have what they want.
c. If everyone could get what they want, there would never be conflict.
So for example, three brothers are watching the television and one decides to play Nintendo. Since the boys cannot play the game and watch the TV show at the same time the brothers begin to argue. The limited resource is the television. If there were more than one television, the conflict may not occur. This would be because there would be a surplus. However, if each brother wanted to watch or play on one particular television and not the other, the resource would be limited and the conflict would re-occur.
Think about how SES influences conflict according to conflict theory
5.
Human societies consist of varying degrees of
inherently unequal elements
Therefore
hierarchies emerge since power is not distributed equally
Individuals and groups usually try to maximize their
own positions within the hierarchies instead of completely changing the
society.
Conflict
The confrontation between individuals or
groups over scarce resources.
Disagreement, clashes, and
discordance in interests or ideas
Consensus
con·sen·sus (ken-sèn¹ses) noun
General agreement or accord: Government by consensus.
An opinion or position reached by a group as a whole or by majority will: The voters' consensus was that the measure should be adopted
Preferable outcome of negotiation
Both sides
persuasively present their positions
Consensus is achieved when parties of a negotiation agree
Agreement is a vital component
of a consensus.
Opposite of consensus is disagreement
Both parties may negotiate, but if no agreement is met
it is called a ‘disagreement’.
Competition for resources
In a family, members will compete for limited
resources such as power, time, affection, privilege, material items, money,
food.
Conflict is endemic
en·dem·ic
(èn-dèm¹îk)
adjective
Prevalent in or peculiar to a particular locality, region, or people: diseases endemic to the tropics.
Inequalities
Within the family inequalities will exist such
as parents having more power than
children.
The unequal distribution creates hierarchies within the family which
depict family structure and influence family functioning
Negotiation
Major technique used in
families and groups to manage conflict
Occurs when both parties state their goals and then use resources to induce or coerce the other to move closer to their goal
Both sides must express what their interest is. Of course each side wants to see the other side adjust their position to their own side. People will do many things to see their own goal met.
As mentioned above the preferable outcome of negotiation is:
Both sides
persuasively present their positions
Consensus is achieved when parties of a negotiation agree
Agreement is a vital component
of a consensus.
Resources
Defined as all knowledge, skills, techniques, and
materials that are at the ready disposal of a person or group
Resources provide a potential base for power
Other important concepts of conflict theory include:
cooperation
competition
threats
negotiation
bargaining
aggression.