The Nature of Emotion Emotion is a complex

The Nature of Emotion • Emotion is a complex phenomenon • Cognitive Component - the appraisal of an event, object or person • Physiological Component - the “felt” conflict • Expressive Component - the behavioral manifestation of emotion

Previous Treatment of Emotion in Conflict • Conflict Literature has largely ignored the function of emotion in conflict • Emotion is usually considered as something separable from conflict and conflict process • Emotion has been treated as something to be “repressed”, “avoided”, “handled” • Emotion has been largely restricted to issues of anger and anger management

Relationship Between Emotion and Conflict • Conflict is emotionally defined (although intensity of emotion may vary throughout conflict process) • Emotional communication morally frames conflict • Emotional communication is strongly linked to individual and group identity issues in conflict

Conflict is Emotionally Defined Traditional theory sees emotion as separate from realization of conflict Latent Perceived Felt Conflict Management • Events that trigger emotion are the same as the events that trigger/define conflict – perceived interruption of plans – differences between goals/desires and reality • To recognize that we are in conflict is to acknowledge that we have been triggered emotionally

Emotional Communication Morally Frames Conflict • Values impact our emotions and our emotions reveal what we value • We have conflict and try to manage conflict in ways that maximize the morality (“our morality”) of the process and the outcome • Emotional communication reveals our view of the “rightness” of issues, relationships, actions, outcomes

Emotional Communication in Conflict is Linked to Identity • Emotion AND conflict result from a perception that something personally important is at stake • Threats to identity produce emotions (e. g. , shame, pride, guilt, anger) which are very strongly linked to conflict escalation • Emotional response to identity threat demands attention in conflict