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GROUP CONFLICT.
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Discusses group management concepts.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Discusses group management concepts. The inevitability of conflict. How management affects the institution and group. Dangers of internalization. Conflict-Response styles. Conflict management strategies that lead to a positive outcome. Problems of bullying and scapegoating. Interventions.
Paper Introduction:
Conflict in Groups
The following paper will discuss concepts involved in group conflict and how these concepts are demonstrated in a case study in the generalist practice.
Group Conflict Concepts
Reid (1997) reported that conflict, defined as a disagreement of collision in ideas and interests, is inevitable; however how it is managed will affect the individual and the group. Conflict when left unmanaged is either suppressed resulting in apathy or passive aggressive behavior, or it is manifested outwardly in some form of chaos. Internalization of conflict disrupts interpersonal relationships and externalization of conflict leads to social, familial, or legal problems. Conflict in a group results when two or more individuals perceive th
Text of the Paper:
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Concepts applied in a Case Study in Generalist Practice Buntain (2 ) reported on a case example of mediating differences ina group format. Parry (Ed.), From prevention to wellness through group work. Conflict can bring misconceptions to thesurface for clarification; disagreements therefore have the potential toincrease self-disclosure within a group. The group leadermust be able to tolerate and manage group conflict and this ability isperceived by group members; the surfacing of conflict is dependent on thisleader's ability. People bring to a group,their past conflicts and struggles, making conflict in a treatment groupunavoidable. Factors that contribute to scapegoating includehigh levels of anxiety, inability or unwillingness to recognize one's ownweaknesses, a culture that promotes the notion of fault, and leaders whoare sensitive to criticism. Within the group, there may beindividuals who react to conflict in a severe manner. Since conflict is foundin all types of interactions and it is a part of the developmental process,there are gains to be had from conflict when it does not exceed anindividual's tolerance. Hull (Eds.), Case studies in generalist practice. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.Hirayama, H., & Hirayama, K. Conflict can reverse tendenciesfor passivity and a lack of involvement. Preventingscapegoating can be achieved in some cases by maintaining opencommunication with group members, developing standards which discouragecomplaining, being tolerant of individual differences, and developingcommunity levels of interventions by targeting community groups (schools,neighborhoods). Some expressedwanting to get along but no efforts had been made in this direction. No mad dog looks." The meetingended with polite behavior but suspicion. Conflict management in group treatment: "Get out of my face, you S.O.B.!" In J. Rivas, & G. F. New York: Haworth Press. Cultural and gender differences mayaffect conflict-response styles. Some of theconflicts may be relevant to the group and others may reflect outsideexperiences with little group relevance (transference). Theworker in this case determined causes of the conflict and brought them outinto the open. Interventions for dealing with the scapegoat problem include:squashing, protection, diversion, reducing interaction, ego support,targeting the scapegoat, and targeting the group as a whole. Open communication with groupmembers was encouraged by asking questions directly related to conflictissues. Fear is associated with conflict since it may result indisintegration of the group or feelings being hurt. Some conflicts areeasier to resolve than others. Reid (1997) listed conflict management strategies: establishingnorms, dealing in the here and now, keeping calm, exploring differences,affirming conflict, monitoring communications, confronting constructively,and remaining undefensive. The group wastargeted as a whole to prevent scapegoating. The worker established norms, dealt in the present, remainedcalm, explored differences in perceptions, monitored communications,confronted group members, and remained undefensive. Aggression can become temperedwith humiliation. The second meeting, after twoweeks, evaluated progress and reinforced cooperation efforts. While bullying and scapegoating may appear to be resolvedshort-term, long-run consequences such as decreased morale and well-being,may be more serious. This individual may be the first to formalize acomplaint, which is a typical way that conflict is first expressed.Sources of group conflict can be many, depending of the degree ofdifferences, life experiences, and perceptions of its members. In R. Concerns were addressed and rules were written down.Members brainstormed ideas for getting along and came up with 15 ideas.They agreed to things like "no dirty looks. Conflict tends to surface in a groupfollowing an initial stage of getting to know each other. As part of a fieldpracticum, a worker was assigned by the school principal to resolve theconflict. (1997). The first meeting began with welcoming of the members and stating thegroup purpose. Conflict when left unmanaged iseither suppressed resulting in apathy or passive aggressive behavior, or itis manifested outwardly in some form of chaos. Next the worker recruited members and oriented thegroup members regarding the group purpose. The meeting place was established and the meetings began. For thethird meeting the girls brought purses full of food and stated thateverything was ok and "let's eat." Findings of this case study demonstrated Reid's (1997) comment thatwhen conflict is unmanaged, it can result in social problems, and when itis managed, it can have a positive effect on individuals and a group. For example, theworker would monitor with a statement about norms such as "Angelica,remember the ground rules." She confronted group members with commentssuch as "Calling someone a chicken is a personal attack." The workerexplored different perceptions with a comment such as "Veronica, could yourestate what Angelica said, how she sees the problem?" The worker controlled for bullying and scapegoating in the group bymaking rules such as refraining from violence or threats toward others, andcommitting to helping the group members to feel protected. The worker recaptured statements made, andnoted that each group leader believed the problem was due to name callingand people talking behind each other's back; each did not want to fight butwould if necessary. Reid (1997) pointed out that social scientists and practitionersfocus on negative effects of conflict, trying to determine causes andresolution. For example, aperson with paranoid ideation may be extremely sensitive to latenthostilities in a group. E. Dealing with problemsallows for group members to become motivated toward understandingthemselves and others. Conflict in Groups The following paper will discuss concepts involved in group conflictand how these concepts are demonstrated in a case study in the generalistpractice. Bullying and scapegoating in groups: Process and interventions. The misconceptions were cleared up and thegroup members learned that they were not a threat to each other after all.Clearly, the management of conflict resulted in a positive outcome. The group was composedaccording to the students belonging to the two different groups, and waskept small (8 members). Parry (Ed.), From prevention to wellness through group work. The scapegoat role is interactive and fulfills a functionalrole within the group. The positive outcomes of the conflict were that resolutionresulted in increased communication and positive interaction betweeninitially opposing groups. Thegirls became more interested in the menu than in fighting. This bullying is defined as an effortto intimidate another with superior size or strength, and a scapegoat isone who bears the blame for another as well as their hostility. Group members responded initially withhostility, which reflected their manner outside of the group (as stated byReid), however, once conflict was resolved, their behavior includedpositive interactions in the group, which were reflected outside the groupas well. She learned that there were two girls who wereleaders of opposing groups and the others were followers. Group procedures were contracted with rules suchas being on time, attending all sessions, listening carefully to others,refraining from violence or threats, and keeping contents confidential.The worker also promised to adhere to rules such as timeleness, providingadequate space, evaluating sessions, remaining neutral, and maintainingconfidentiality. For this case, junior high school female students werefound fighting in the school and neighborhood. The worker's good listening ability was commented onby a group member "that's about it; you're a good listener." Dealing with conflict brought misconceptions to the surface forclarification (Reid, 1997). As pointed out by Reid, the mention of a problem began with acomplaint against a member. Theplanning process involved establishing a group, the group's purpose(mediate differences and open positive communication), sponsorship, andpotential membership. No mad dog looks: Group work and mediating differences. The worker began with interviewing students to ascertainpreliminary information. Conflict forces the individual to examine self-concepts and make new decisions. For example, those who are hostile in the group aresimilarly hostile outside the group. Thus it is beneficial for all when group workers canprevent or change this process. ReferencesBuntain, C. Hirayama and Hirayama (1997) reported on the problems of bullying andscapegoating in the group process. Another source of group conflict can stem from angertoward the group leader. So hey, we don't want to fight." Reid's conflict management strategies are also exemplified in thiscase example. Group Conflict Concepts Reid (1997) reported that conflict, defined as a disagreement ofcollision in ideas and interests, is inevitable; however how it is managedwill affect the individual and the group. When conflict is managed in a positive way, itcan serve as a catalyst for positive outcomes. Group members must learn to becomegenuine, open, and accountable to each other instead of relying onscapegoating (Hirayama & Hirayama, 1997). A groupscapegoat is one who is attacked verbally or physically by another groupmember. (2 ). In J. (1997). The scapegoat serves the function of carrying the projection of anegative part of another. Individual differences in perceptions were explored, and (as Reidpointed out) it was discovered that each leader perceived that their owngoals were mutually exclusive. Internalization of conflictdisrupts interpersonal relationships and externalization of conflict leadsto social, familial, or legal problems. Bullies project their negative feelings ontothe scapegoat. Alternatively, Reidalso reported on the positive effects of conflict. The way a person responds in a group reflects their overall manneroutside of the group. This conflict is also necessary, since it provides input forthe therapeutic process or group task. Complaints were then brought out into theopen, and the misconception "they want to fight because they think Blancais messing with her boyfriend" was cleared up "And she wasn't even near herboyfriend. Conflict in a group results whentwo or more individuals perceive that their own goals are exclusive and canonly be reached at the expense of another's goal. This anger can result in an increase incommitment by the member, once the anger is dealt with (Reid, 1997). H. New York: Haworth.Reid, K.
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