Consequences of conflict between friends : closeness moderating culture and gender on conflict resolution styles

Various means of resolution are often employed to counter conflicts within a relationship. Negotiation, coercion and disengagement are some of the frequently utilized resolution strategies in the context of friendship. The use of negotiation strategy was found to be effective in friendship maintenance, coercion more likely to result in friendship termination, while disengagement may or may not disrupt the relationship. The choice of resolution style is influenced by demographic factors, gender and culture, being that females and collectivists are more likely to employ negotiation, and that males and individualists are more likely to endorse coercion. Additionally, the closeness in friendships underlies the influence of the respective demographic factors. A number of findings have suggested that the level of closeness within friendships has a strong impact on the choice of conflict resolution style, which leads us to contend the possibility of closeness being a moderating factor on the choice of conflict resolution strategy. This investigation is vital considering the significance and importance of friends in our lives, as successful conflict resolution seems to have an impact on the general well-being of individuals, on top of the well-being of friendships.Bachelor of Art