Main stages of the conflict

The conflicts, as well as any other processes, proceed in time. In any conflict it is possible to allocate four main phases or stages of its development and permission.

Conflict stages

The first stage

The main contradictions between participants of the relations already arose, but still are not realized by them. Further the contradiction even if it was hidden, becomes noticeable as amplifies on an initial initiative of one of participants.

The second stage

Participants of the conflict accurate understanding (or understanding) situations is registered. As reaction to a situation, there are corresponding emotions. The situation is assessed, there is a definition of occasions and causes of conflict and also the list of participants and their distribution is relative on the parties (the last there can be more than two). Participants analyze options of possible actions and solve how it is more favorable to work (at their subjective view). Actions begin.

Aspirations and actions of participants can have two vectors:

• to avoid the conflict, to seek to leave it and/or to find a compromise solution, to prevent its further development;
• to make active, aggravate the conflict, to enhance dynamics and to achieve the.

It is necessary to notice that the victory in the conflict often is imaginary or temporary. The spent forces and means and also ways of action can not answer the purpose.

The third stage

There comes the apogee of external manifestations of the conflict. Participants engage in open combat, at the same time each of the parties works in compliance with the intentions and the made decisions. Parties of the conflict try to block actions of the opponent. If the parties agree to look for a compromise, the conflict seeks to be resolved through negotiations (sometimes through the third party). The parties are ready to make reciprocal concessions.

The fourth stage

The conflict comes to the end (at the same time it is not always allowed). Participants assess the consequences of actions (both parties and all participants). The achieved result is compared with the initial purposes. Depending on the analysis the conflict either stops, or develops further (in the form of the new conflict with passing through all stages, certainly, at other level).

It is necessary to understand that accurate allocation of stages of the conflict is conditional. Each case demands the separate analysis. It is necessary to notice that the reasons of actions of subjects (even very reasonable) contrary to the point of view which settled in the Soviet psychology can not always proceed from motives and the purposes.

Besides, resolution of conflict can be partial and/or imaginary. In these cases the participants can have negative emotions as a result of dissatisfaction. The temporary termination of confrontation is characterized only by external manifestations of consent. The true relation to adverse party masks.

The analysis of stages of course of the conflict can help to aggravate it or to soften. The parties and participants can make decisions on the choice of the most expedient ways of permission and prevention of possible negative consequences.