Conflict Handling Modes

Conflict Handling Modes as a Moderator
Theoretically, conflict handling modes were influenced by Blake and Mouton’s researches. Their researches were built on two main dimensions of conflict handling modes. One of them is “the desire to satisfy person’s own concern” and the other one is “the desire to satisfy other’s concern” (Thomas, 1976). These researchers state that the personal conflict mode has some degree between these dimensions. However there arises a question: Is there really a conflict mode that every person has? If when these conceptions are accepted, the view that conflict modes of the individuals can’t be changed easily and are very stable should be accepted as well (Pruitt, 1983). That’s why, some researchers usually label them

Which is one of the Lazarus and Folkman’s two kinds of group of strategies in Transactional theory that people use when they came face to face with stress: Concentrating on emotions or concentrating on the problems (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Problem focused coping consists of the particular behaviors, using instrumental support, and the plans to end the stress that derived from the problem. In emotion focused coping, the concentration is on the reappraisal of the stress factors, using some cognitive strategies and applying friends or family to take emotional support. Differences in the locus of control may predict the preferred coping styles. So, people who believe that they have responsibility, self-control, and self-improvement to solve the problem which creates stress, copes better (Roberts et al., 1997). One of the main coping strategy of the problem focus coping is being assertive (Bartram & Gardner, 2008). Assertiveness involves the sense of control and asserting personal positions. Researches sign that people who have low assertiveness don’t use problem focused coping, don’t talk about the problem enough with other party, don’t be active while choosing the strategy, and don’t struggle for the solution. However, people who have high assertiveness try to solve the conflicts more effectively, experience less problems and are healthier in work life. Because, as a personality characteristics, assertiveness leads increase in sense of control which results in coping with stress and low perception of