How does human temperament affect conflict resolution?
Answers
Based on temperament, there are three basic ways that people approach conflict resolution: passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive. People with passive temperaments tend to not get upset easily. They prefer to give way rather than engaging in conflict. They tend to be calm and non-confrontational. The downside to passive conflict resolution is that not all conflicts can be solved through passive means.
Those with aggressive temperaments have an opposite approach. They directly address conflict and do not like to back down from their positions. If you have a conflict with an aggressive person, they will make sure you know the cause of the conflict. Aggressive people have less trouble acknowledging conflict, but they sometimes lack the necessary flexibility to solve problems diplomatically.
If you have a passive-aggressive temperament, you deal with conflict, just not in a direct way. People with passive-aggressive temperaments solve problems without stating their desires outright. Instead, they work inside the situation and try to shape other peoples' behavior in order to resolve problems. People with this temperament are often empathetic individuals who are acting from a genuine desire to resolve tension, but they can be seen as manipulative because they prefer indirectly influencing people instead of stating their goals outright.
Although these are the three main ways people approach conflict, these types all exist on a spectrum, and individuals can change types based on the situation. For example, a student might be passive at home and with friends, but aggressive in school. We often change our conflict resolution styles to fit different environments.