Emotions & Conflict

           Emotion plays an important role within conflict resolution.  “Whether in negotiation of large-scale political issues or of everyday conflicts between colleagues or spouses, emotions have the potential to impede or facilitate a wise agreement” (Moffitt & Bordone, 2005, p. 67).  While tension, anger, apprehensiveness, etc. may interfere with the process, enthusiasm, felicity, and affection may fuel it.  Emotions affect body language, eye contact, arousal, and defense mechanisms.  In addition, people perpetuate their feelings.  The longer one dwells on negativity, typically the longer they will feel bad.  The same can be said for positive thinking, happiness begets happiness.  Since having emotion is inevitable, people must learn to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative in order to achieve favorable resolutions and minimize adversity.

            In short, “negative emotions reduce affective satisfaction” (Moffitt & Bordone, 2005, p. 71).  Attempting to work cohesively (collaboration) is difficult when the opposing sides criticize, express contempt, counterattack, and stonewall one another.  Unless likeability and relationship quality are unimportant, negative emotions are more prone to cause destruction rather than uniting both parties for a common cause or positive outcome. 

            On the other hand, “positive emotions tend to aid instrumental goals” (Moffitt & Bordone, 2005, p. 73).  Therefore, having the capability to induce positive emotions in ourselves and others is critical.  “By dealing constructively with people’s relational identity concerns, specifically for autonomy and affiliation” (Moffitt & Bordone, 2005, p. 79), positive emotions may be stimulated.  “These types of actions will tend to stimulate enthusiasm and cooperation in you and others.  Joint work will become more efficient, more effective, and more amicable than if you haggle as adversaries over the issues facing each of you” (Moffitt & Bordone, 2005, p. 78).

Moffitt, M.L. & Bordone, R.C. (2005) The Handbook of Dispute Resolution.

            San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.