Evidence suggests that self-reports of the frequency of an event, the most common way of measuring rates of conflict, are an unreliable source of data and that minor changes in question format can result in major changes in the results obtained (Bless, Bohner, Hild & Schwarz 1992; Schwarz, 1991; Schwarz, 1999; Winkielman, Knauper & Schwarz, 1998). In the conflict literature, different studies report different rates of conflict and different associations between conflict frequency and individual adjustment. Therefore, the present study examined how alterations in the measurement of conflict frequency affected how many conflicts participants reported and whether different measures of conflict were differentially associated with psychological adjustment outcomes (i.e., alcohol use, drug use, depression, delinquency, and interpersonal support). Response scales, reference periods, and question formats of conflict measures were manipulated to examine differences in conflict frequency reports. Results indicate that the changes in conflict measurement produce varied amounts of conflict across conditions and that changes in the measurement of conflict frequency change the associations between conflict frequency and adjustment outcomes. / by Karinna Vazquez. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

This thesis applies Higgins (1997) Regulatory Focus Theory to the study of conflict by exploring the relationship between power and promotion vs. prevention orientation. After considering the earlier work of Keltner, Gruenfeld & Anderson (2003) that established the considerable effect that power has on approach and avoidance behaviors, the present research shows that this link also applies to regulatory focus. In this study, participants had their sense of power experimentally manipulated by a set of vignettes and then answered follow-up questions to determine what effect this had on their regulatory focus orientation. Results indicated that high power is associated with a promotion focus, while low power, a prevention focus. The implication of these findings were discussed and were integrated with the work of Cesario, Higgins & Scholer (2008) on regulatory fit and persuasion to create a novel strategy for conflict resolution. / by Noel J.M. Trew. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Introdução: A gerência no nível local da atenção básica (AB) busca promover condições propícias para atenção integral à saúde de usuários, com a participação destes, dos trabalhadores e gestores e inclui a gestão de conflitos no cotidiano de trabalho. Objetivo: O estudo teve como objetivo compreender a emergência e o manejo de conflitos que ocorrem na interação entre trabalhadores e coordenadores de unidade básica de saúde (UBS) e suas relações com os processos de reconhecimento mútuo e desrespeito. Método: A pesquisa foi realizada em duas fases. Na primeira, exploratória, foram caracterizados o perfil dos coordenadores e os instrumentos gerenciais utilizados, a partir de um questionário semiestruturado, aplicado aos coordenadores de 108 UBS de 21 municípios da região norte do Paraná, Brasil. Os resultados dessa fase possibilitaram compreender o contexto da atuação gerencial e definir o campo de pesquisa da segunda fase: um município de médio porte cujos gerentes das UBS eram todos enfermeiros, apresentavam experiência na gerência de UBS e utilizavam, com certa regularidade, instrumentos para a gestão do trabalho. Na segunda fase foi desenvolvido um estudo de caso, de caráter compreensivo e interpretativo de abordagem critico-hermenêutica. As técnicas de coleta foram: grupo focal com coordenadores, observação do cotidiano de trabalho e entrevista semiestruturadas com trabalhadores. Na análise utilizou-se o quadro teórico-conceitual do processo de trabalho em saúde, das teorias do agir comunicativo de Jürgen Habermas e do reconhecimento de Axel Honneth e a triangulação dos resultados. Resultados: O conflito foi compreendido como fenômeno relacionado ao trabalho e permeado pela interação social; se manifesta no contexto organizacional como obstáculos que tensionam ou levam ao rompimento da contratualidade prevista nas relações de trabalho. Os conflitos foram provocados por situações de desrespeito em três esferas de relações: primárias; jurídicas; ou da solidariedade. Foram tipificadas seis modalidades de conflitos, relacionados à: falta de colaboração no trabalho; desrespeito por relações assimétricas entre os trabalhadores; comportamento do funcionário-problema; problemas pessoais; assimetria com outros níveis de gestão e infraestrutura deficitária dos serviços do SUS. Na gestão dos conflitos, observou-se a referência também aos usuários, por serem os destinatários da atenção à saúde, e a menção ao coordenador como mediador de conflitos que utiliza como recursos de manejo: reconhecimento, atitude dialógica, sabedoria prática e sua autoridade, articulando ações técnico-científicas e comunicativas. Conclusão: O estudo mostrou que os conceitos de processo de trabalho em saúde e as teorias do agir comunicativo e do reconhecimento, ao serem articulados, constituiu quadro teórico com potência explicativa e de compreensão do fenômeno estudado. Os resultados mostraram complementaridade da ação instrumental e comunicativa na gestão de UBS e, em particular, dos conflitos, evidenciando uma modalidade de gestão comunicativa. Também permitiram identificar que a ausência de reconhecimento nas esferas das relações primárias, do direito e da solidariedade está na origem dos conflitos no trabalho, bem como construir uma tipologia de conflitos que pode subsidiar o seu entendimento e manejo. A pesquisa aponta para a necessidade de estudos futuros sobre o caráter interprofissional da gerência na AB e a presença expressiva de enfermeiras nessa atuação. / Introduction: The management at the local primary care (PC) setting seeks to promote conducive conditions to provide comprehensive health care, with the participation of workers, managers and udders. It includes conflict management in everyday work. Objective: This study aims to understand the emergence and handling of conflicts that occur in the interaction between workers and coordinators of the basic health unit (BHU) and their relations with the processes of mutual recognition and disrespect. Method: The study was conducted in two phases. First, the exploratory study characterized the profile of coordenatores and the management tools appling a semi-structured questionnaire to the managers of 108 BHU of 21 municipalities in northern Paraná, Brazil. The results of this phase enabled to understand the context of managerial performance and to define the field of search of the second phase. It was chosen a medium-sized city whose BHUs managers were all nurses, had experience in the management of BHU and used tools for managing the work process. In the second phase we developed an understanding and interpretive case study of critical-hermeneutics approach. The techniques used were: focus group with coordinators, observation of daily work and semi-structured interviews with workers. In the analysis was used the theoretical and conceptual framework of the work process in health, of Jürgen Habermas theories of communicative action and Axel Honneth\'s recognition. Addionnaly was used triangulation of results. Results: The conflict was understood as a phenomenon related to the work process and permeated by social interaction. It is manifested in the organizational context as obstacles that stress or lead to disruption of contractually established labor relations. The conflicts were caused by situations of disrespect in three levels of relationships: primary relations, juridical, or mutual solidarity. Six modes of conflict were specified: lack of collaboration at work; disrespect for asymmetric relations between workers; behavior of the \"problem employee\"; personal problems; asymmetry with other levels of management and infrastructure deficit of the services of the Health System. In the area of conflict management were observed references to the users, because they are the health care recipients; and the mention of the coordination as mediatorI in conflicts using as management resource: recognition, dialogical attitude, practical wisdom and its authority, articulating technical-scientific and communicative actions. Conclusion: The study showed that the concepts of work process in health and theories of communicative action and recognition, when articulated, have composed a theoretical framework with explanatory power and understanding of the phenomenon under study. The results showed complementarity of instrumental and communicative action in managing a BHU and, in particular, the conflicts, showing a communicative management approach. Findings have identified that the lack of recognition in the spheres of primary relations, of law and of mutual solidarity is at the origin of the conflicts at work. The study allows to build a typology of conflicts that may improve their understanding and management. The research also points to the need for future studies on the interprofessional nature of management in PC and on the expressive presence of nurses in this role

Research on dynamical systems theory has demonstrated the vital role that higher levels of complexity play in the constructive management of complex conflicts. Requisite complexity theory proposes that there are stable individual complexity attributes that contribute to a dynamic complexity process that allows an individual to more effectively engage with complex and dynamic decision-making scenarios over time. However, to date, no research has empirically tested the relationships between these attributes and patterns of thought, affect and behavior in individuals engaging with complex tasks. This research examined the relationships between five proposed individual complexity attributes – cognitive complexity, perceived emotional complexity, tolerance for ambiguity, consideration for future consequences and behavioral repertoire – and level of integrative complexity, complexity of emotional experience and patterns of decision making while engaging with a complex conflict resolution simulation. Results provide initial support for the requisite complexity model, with cognitive complexity, perceived emotional complexity, tolerance for ambiguity and consideration for future consequences all demonstrating predictive validity for various aspects of the dynamic decision-making process. Implications for theory and practice are discussed, along with proposed avenues for future research.

This study documents three cases of protracted conflict in an institution of higher education. Work groups in conflict were studied for one year in order to create cases and to describe factors influencing conflict escalation. From these cases, autistic conflict as a descriptive construct was developed to illustrate one phase of protracted conflict escalation. The following research questions guided this study. 1. How and why does protracted conflict develop and escalate in higher education work groups? 2. What is the nature of chronic autistic conflict? 3. How do higher education cultures and system affect the development of protracted autistic conflict? The population studied included the administration and three distinct work groups from one university where conflicts had continued for an extended period of time. The stories of group conflict are fully reported in this study, and process maps illustrate incidents and influences related to conflict escalation. To study conflict and human behavior in this context and to describe the effect of the institutional culture on conflict escalation, ethnographic methodology was used. Cases were developed from interviews, participant observation, and document review. The researcher worked with the university in a number of settings for over a year, which provided opportunities to observe daily life in these disputant groups and to develop a broader understanding of the organizational culture. From findings in this study, it was possible to form a number of hypotheses regarding protracted conflict escalation. These hypotheses include the following: 1. Protracted conflict in institutions of higher education develops in five phases. 2. When conflicts escalate among groups in higher education without successful resolution, disputants develop dysfunctional behaviors which contribute to conflict escalation. 3. A number of contextual factors evident within institutions of higher education contribute to autistic conflict development. Additional research questions with broader implications for conflict in organizations and recommendations regarding the improvement of practice regarding conflict within institutions of higher education were also generated by this study. / Graduation date: 1999

Thesis (D. Min.)--Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-159).

Despite the crucial importance of Hamilton's (1964) kin selection theory in evolutionary behavioral biology, psychological studies of family relationships have been relatively slow to incorporate a Darwinian perspective. One practical reason may be that existing evolutionary models of animal families, such as the honest signaling models, are applicable only if all family members fall into the same class in terms of age, sex, or health. The animal models are thus of limited use for investigating human families, in which the relative age of the child, as a corollary of birth order, may have played a pivotal role in shaping evolved family psychology. My dissertation has two main objectives: 1) to construct evolutionary mathematical models of family interactions that fully take into account the role of reproductive value and hence can be directly applied to human families; 2) to characterize the design features of evolved psychological mechanisms of human kinship by empirically testing a priori predictions derived from the models. I first examine how parents are expected to allocate their limited resources among offspring of differing ages. I show that the optimal strategy that serves parental interests is to bias parental resources toward the older offspring (chapter 2). I then empirically test the predictions derived from the first study, in comparison with previous evolutionary hypotheses of parental favoritism. The empirical results confirmed the predictions derived from the first study: in hypothetical allocation tasks, participants allocated more tangible resources toward older children (chapter 3). Next, I investigate how intrafamilial conflict over the allocation of parental resources occur when each family member (a parent, its senior offspring, and its junior offspring) are allowed to differ in age. The results gained in this study may require a substantial revision of Trivers' (1974) classical theory of parent-offspring conflict. Moreover, it will open a fruitful avenue for inferring the adaptive design of psychological mechanisms dealing with sibling relationships (chapter 4). I then show that evolutionary insights can be also applied to the psychological study of distant kin relationships such as cousins (chapter 5).

There is no abstract available for this dissertation. / Department of Educational Psychology

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