Interpersonal Communication Ch 12 - Managing Conflict
You would like to see a new documentary but let your friend who prefers horror films pick the movie you'll see together. This is an example of which conflict style?
Accomodation
You tell your roommate, "I want to talk about how your friends come over all the time, make a lot of noise, eat our food, and leave a mess." He responds by crossing the hall to visit one of these friends who also lives in your apartment building. Your roommate is exhibiting which conflict style in this situation?
Avoidance
After living together for several months, you and your romantic partner have decided you're ready to adopt a pet. You are a dog person; your partner, a cat person. Which approach would be best for resolving this conflict?
Collaboration
Which approach to conflict involves a high degree of concern for both self and others, with the goal of solving problems not "my way" or "your way" but "our way"?
Collaboration
You want steak for dinner, but your romantic partner wants seafood. You say, "OK. Let's go to Outback, where they serve both." You are demonstrating which conflict style?
Collaboration
Access to each other's personal items and food, how clean/messy the rooms are, who can use what furniture, and how involved they should be in each other's personal lives are common sources of conflict among whom?
College roomates
Kathleen's boss requests that she work overtime on the weekend. She replies, "You should ask David instead. He's never busy on the weekend, and I have young children at home to care for." Kathleen's response reflects which conflict style?
Competition
When your spouse confronts you about all the time you spend working at home, you retreat to your study with the company laptop and shut the door. Which approach to conflict does this demonstrate?
Complementary fight-flight
When both people get at least some of what they want, but also sacrifice some part of their goals, they are engaging in ____________
Compromise
Which approach enjoys a positive reputation that it may not deserve?
Compromise
Which conflict style is justified as a backup mode when collaboration doesn't work and when you jeopardize nothing important on either side?
Compromise
Which communication pattern may be familiar and comfortable but is not the best way to solve the variety of problems that come up in any relationship?
Conflict rituals
"Don't blame me for our Olive Garden bill. You ordered the expensive pasta and dessert." Which of Gottman's "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" does this response communicate?
Defensiveness
Which is the first step of the seven-step approach to conflict management described in the textbook?
Define your needs
Julia considers the new partner of her friend Cassie a bad influence. Since they have become a couple, Cassie has started skipping classes, and her grades have suffered. Julia calmly yet assertively expresses her concerns to Cassie, who tells her to mind her own business. This is an example of which approach to conflict?
Destructive Complementary
A coworker told your boss that you had complained about her. Your boss, in turn, responded by criticizing you. This is an example of which type of conflict?
Destructive Symmetrical
Swearing and ridicule are both types of __________
Direct Aggression
You are embroiled in a conflict with a coworker. You want to carefully craft your next message to him and retain a permanent record of your correspondence. Which communication channel should you choose?
What can occur when both partners treat one another with matching hostility, one threat and insult leading to another?
Escalatory spiral
A dirty look is an example of which characteristic of conflict?
Expressed struggle
Brittany doesn't think twice about eating whatever food her roommate, Elaine, puts in their fridge. Elaine resents this but hasn't shared her frustration with Brittany. Which pertinent element of the definition of conflict is not present in this scenario?
Expressed struggle
Your roommate doesn't think twice about eating whatever food you put in the fridge. You resent this but haven't mentioned it. Which element of conflict of is absent in this scenario?
Expressed struggle
At which stage of the seven-step process for conflict management might you discover that solutions that seem good in theory don't work well in practice?
Implement the solution
You and your brother-in-law have never got along, but you can't avoid interaction because of your sister. This reflects which characteristic of conflict?
Interdependence
You would like to avoid working with a colleague you find difficult but can't because you're in the same research unit. This reflects which characteristic of conflict?
Interdependence
At which stage of the seven-step process for conflict management is it a good time to engage in paraphrasing?
Listen to the other person's needs
At which stage of the seven-step approach to conflict-management is paraphrasing most beneficial?
Listening to the other person's needs
The skillful __________ of conflict can open the door to healthier, stronger, and more satisfying relationships, as well as to increased mental and physical health.
Management
__________ seem to be based on the assumption that people who love each other know each other's thoughts without a word being said.
Mind reading expectations
What seems to be based on the assumption "You should know why I'm upset—and if you don't, I'm not going to tell you."
Mind-reading expectations
In terms of conflict styles, ghosting can be an act of __________ or an act of avoidance.
Passive Aggression
You finally relent and agree to see The Magic Flute with your spouse, who is an opera fan. As you find your seats and settle in, you say sarcastically, "This is going to be fun." Your comment is an example of which conflict style?
Passive Agression
Darius makes a deliberately critical joke about a colleague, Zoey, which he then dismisses by saying, "Just kidding, Zoey." Darius is using what kind of conflict style in this instance?
Passive aggression
When your roommate opts to use earbuds rather than play her music loud enough to distract you, which element of conflict has been resolved?
Perceived incompatible goals
What communication skill might couples who handle conflicts effectively use?
Perception checking
You love large parties as either a guest or a host, while your romantic partner prefers to spend time with you alone or in small groups. This source of ongoing friction results from __________.
Personality characteristics
In a tense situation, when it may not be easy to start sharing your needs, what activity do researchers do?
Ritual sharing
Frustration with recurring unresolved problems can lead to which behavior?
Rumination
In a conflict situation, time and affection can be perceived __________.
Scarce resources
In a conflict situation, time and affection can be perceived ____________.
Scarce resources
Problematic behaviors, personality characteristics, and communication styles and practices can all cause __________.
Serial Arguments
Repetitive conflicts about the same issue in a relationship are known as ____________.
Serial arguments
Choosing a suitable time and place is a guideline that first becomes important at which stage of the seven-step process for conflict management?
Share your needs with the other person
In conflict-management practice, it is important to choose a suitable time and place when ____________.
Sharing your needs with the other person
Whenever you get really angry with someone, you withdraw and stop communicating. Which of Gottman's "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" does this response eonvey?
Stonewalling
Partners who use the same tactics exhibit which type of conflict?
Symmetrical
What has research revealed about how men and women approach conflict?
The "talk it out" person in a conflict scenario is likely female.
The angrier dating subjects with mind-reading expectations become, the more likely they are to use __________ to punish their partners.
The silent treatment
Which statement is TRUE about satisfied couples and conflict?
They let the other person know they understand the other side of the dispute.
John Gottman's "four horsemen of the apocalypse" are all types of ____________.
Toxic Conflict
Critical, contemptuous communicators have an increased risk of cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure and chest pain.
True
Serial arguments are more likely than nonrecurring ones to use hostile communication.
True
Which type of problem solving can be enacted through a seven-step approach to conflict that incorporates many of the skills discussed throughout the textbook?
Win-win
What is the flip side of accommodation?
competition
Tired of arguing about money, you and your spouse clam up and unhappily withdraw from each other when the topic comes up. This behavior is a(n) __________.
de-escalatory spiral
You habitually argue for your position instead of deferring to others. Like many people, you have a(n) __________ style of handling conflict, which may work well in some situations but not others.
default
Research suggests that taking conflict personally (TCP) is less a(n) __________ trait than a(n) __________ trait.
individual; relational
Which type of language is recommended when you feel comfortable sharing your needs with your partner in conflict management?
"I" language
After two weeks of your doing the dishes and your romantic partner doing the cooking, you discuss over dinner how well the new division of domestic labor is working for you. This occurs at which stage of the seven-step process for conflict management?
Follow up on the solution
Which stage of the seven-step process for conflict management occurs after you listen to your partner's needs?
Generate possible solutions
What has research about conflict and happiness in couples established?
Happy couples view disagreements as healthy and know that conflicts need to be faced
When defining the problem, you should explore both the apparent content of your dissatisfaction and the __________ issues that may lurk behind it.
Relational
You are from a high-context, collectivistic culture. Which conflict style are you likely to employ as a face-saving approach?
Accommodation and Avoidance
Which is a lose-lose style of conflict?
Avoidance
Which style generally reflects a pessimistic attitude toward conflict?
Avoidance
"The first person to raise his voice loses the argument" is a proverb from ____________ culture.
Chinese
When compromises are successful and satisfying, they become __________.
Collaboration
The key to success in brainstorming is to seek __________ without worrying about __________.
quantity; quality
How many steps are featured in the comprehensive approach to conflict management described in the textbook?
7
Which approach to conflict is recommended to improve relationships?
Collaboration
Two powerful variables affect the way people manage conflict: gender and ____________.
Culture
The skillful ____________ of conflict can open the door to healthier, stronger, and more satisfying relationships, as well as to increased mental and physical health.
management
John Gottman's "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" are all types of __________.
toxic communication
