The 11 types of conflicts (and how to solve them)

Problems between people: this is how they arise and how to try to solve them.

Conflicts are a common occurrence in interpersonal relationships, as each person has his or her own idea and vision of the world.Each person has his or her own idea and vision of the world. This can cause differences that go beyond simple disagreements.

Poor communication can be the origin of conflict, so this is a necessary element in mediation and proper conflict management. In this article we review the 11 types of conflicts and how to solve them..

Causes of conflicts

Efficient communication is a necessary tool for understanding others and the problems that can lead to conflict, because it allows us to understand differences in cultural and ideological values that may be at the root of the problem, and it can also prevent the conflict from getting out of hand.

The causes of conflicts can be different, since there are different types of conflicts.. For example, there can be conflicts over economic interests between two companies, emotional conflicts in internal conflicts within a person, political conflicts between two countries, religious conflicts between two communities or conflicts of competence between two police forces.

Although conflict is seen as something negative, sometimes it can be an opportunity to improve things that are not going well or not working.

Types of conflicts

As you can see, the causes of conflict can vary: values and ideologies, resources, expectations within relationships between people, clash of personalities, protection of territory, etc. These causes tend to be more common in different types of conflicts. But how do we classify conflicts? How are conflicts classified? What types of conflicts are there?

Conflicts can vary according to their content, their veracity or according to the participants. Below you can find the different types of conflicts and their characteristics.

1. Conflicts according to their veracity

Depending on their veracity, conflicts can be:

1.1. Real conflicts

Real conflicts are those that actually exist, and are caused by various factors, either structural or environmental (e.g., the environment).They may be structural or environmental (economic, legal, relational, etc.), among others.

• For examplePablo rents his house to Adrian at a monthly cost of 600 euros, because the latter has moved to the big city. Everything is going well until Adrian loses his job and, as a consequence, stops paying the rent. This creates an economic conflict that is real.

1.2. Imaginary conflicts

Imaginary conflicts derive from misunderstandings, interpretations or perceptions.. In this type of conflict there is no will on the part of the parties.

• For exampleMary thinks that John, her partner, no longer feels the same way about her. John has run out of battery power and has not been able to call her as he does every night. In reality, John is worried about not being able to call her, but he does not have the possibility to call her at that moment. There is no conflict, but Mary thinks that the reason John is not calling is because he is with another woman.

1.3. Invented conflicts

Invented conflicts, just like imaginary conflicts, are not real.. However, unlike these, there is an intention on the part of one of the parties who, generally, wants to obtain some benefit. This means that a large part of this phenomenon is actually manipulation or gaslighting.

• For exampleA person who fakes an accident so that the insurance company will pay for the repair of a rear-end collision that occurred because he hit a light pole while backing up.

2. Conflicts according to the participants

Depending on the actors involved in the conflict, the conflict may be:

2.1. Intrapersonal conflict.

This conflict occurs internally, in the mind of the individual.. This means that it has its origin in private events: thoughts, values, principles, emotions... These conflicts can have different degrees.

• For exampleFrom an everyday conflict about what to eat today, to an existential crisis that causes great suffering to the person who suffers from it. Intrapersonal conflicts can help us grow as people if we resolve them satisfactorily.

2.2. Interpersonal conflict

Interpersonal conflicts are those that occur in the processes of interaction between people.. They usually appear quickly, since it is only necessary for a single person to feel attacked to start one, which means that they can arise as a result of misunderstandings. They can arise for almost any reason, from jealousy to conflict of interest in relation to the use of a type of resource.

• For examplebetween two friends. The origin can be found in a clash of personalities, values, opinions or expectations.

2.3. Intra-group conflict

Intergroup conflicts occur between members of a group or team for various reasonsFor various reasons: interpersonal differences or because some of the group participants do not share the ideas of the organization, among others. This type of conflict can destabilize the smooth running of a team or group and affect its effectiveness and cohesion, as it creates extra concern or even completely blocks the collective's ability to operate, which in turn can lead to further conflict in a chain reaction.

2.4. Intergroup conflict

Intergroup conflict is a conflict between groups and can be very destructive, because, in extreme cases, the violence resulting from this type of conflict can be very destructive, violence resulting from such conflicts is aimed at group reinforcement and may even be justified.. It usually has its causes in ideologies, prejudices or territorial disputes.

On the other hand, unlike what happens in interpersonal conflicts, it is more difficult for them to arise from misunderstandings, since the presence of other people delays the "contagion effect" necessary to be considered an intragroup conflict. In addition, a larger number of observers makes it less likely that misunderstandings may arise and persist over time.

• For exampleA conflict between two companies for economic reasons, a war between peoples over their religion or between "hooligans" over their soccer team.
• If you want to know more about the negative impact of intergroup conflicts, you can read our article: "Hooligans: the psychology of soccer hooligans".

3. Depending on the content

Depending on the content, the conflict can be

3.1. Relational conflicts.

These conflicts occur between family members, friends or partners..

• For exampleA conflict of interest: because of poor communication between the two members of a married couple, they end up arguing about any everyday trifle.

3.2. Conflicts of interest

Conflicts of interest have to do with motivations. and the needs of each person or group and with the resources present at the time.

• For exampleFor example: when a worker wants more money for the workday and the company does not want to pay him more.

3.3. Ethical and value conflicts

They have to do with the culture and the environment in which the person has grown up.. They are frequent and complex, since it is not easy for a person to change the principles that govern his behavior. In the case of ethical conflict, it usually occurs when a person has to make a decision that does not agree with his or her deepest values.

3.4. Leadership and power conflicts

Leadership conflicts mainly affect organizations and can affect the performance and health of workers. and the health of workers. A characteristic phenomenon of conflicts has to do with the struggle for power, since many authors speak of the relationship between conflict and power as one of the most common causes.

3.5. Personality conflicts

Personality is a set of stable traits and qualities that make up a person's way of being and make us unique. Personality, being an inflexible phenomenon, can be the basis of many interpersonal conflicts, can be the basis of many intergroup conflicts..

How to resolve conflicts

Conflicts, on many occasions, can bring about positive changes.. For this it is necessary to manage them correctly. It is important to understand that a correct diagnosis of the conflict will determine the success in the resolution of the different problems. If we approach an inter-group or inter-individual conflict as if it were an intra-individual conflict, the chances of success may be slim.

For example, we can find ourselves working in a company where the main problem is bad practices in the human resources department, which are generating a role conflict in the workers. They do not know exactly what their functions are, and this conflict generates stress and discomfort in the employees. If we approach this situation as an employee problem, we will be attacking the wrong target.

We may be able to reduce the symptoms momentarily, but the problem will still be there, in organizational mismanagement. Therefore, before taking any action to alleviate the effects of the conflict, it is necessary to know what the root or basis of the problem is.

Now then, there are some principles that we must apply if we want to resolve the conflict:

• Do not pretend that the problem does not exist. Face it and try to solve it.
• Be critical and analyze your failures.
• Treat the other party with respect and politeness.
• Explain your opinions and establish common ground.
• Be empathetic with the other party and understand their position.
• Avoid confrontation.
• Improve communication: active listening, assertiveness...

If you want to know how to improve your negotiation skills, this post may interest you: "How to be a great negotiator, in 10 psychological keys".