Episodes of conflict can be among the most distressful experiences while interacting with others or within a relationship. There are a number of behaviors that occur to compose a conflict, however there are two behaviors that serve to restore a relationship following a conflict, those of apologizing and forgiving. While substantial attention has been provided to the issues of interpersonal conflict, apologizing, and forgiving from more traditional approaches, these accounts contrast with the views of behavior analysis in a number of ways. When the behaviors involved in interpersonal conflict are assessed from a behavioranalytic perspective, many of these traditional views are directly challenged. Furthermore, we find that the manner in which conflicts are normally resolved within relationships may be contributing to harmful patterns of interacting. The present paper aims to provide a thorough behavioral analysis of the operating contingencies and behaviors that occur during episodes of interpersonal conflict. With such an understanding, suggestions are made based on behavioral principles and procedures as to how resolution may be more readily achieved and further conflict may be avoided. KEYWORDS: conflict, apology, forgiveness, relationships, behavior analysis Relationships of every kind can be complicated and at times difficult for the individuals involved. While the majority of interactions within a relationship ideally are positive, it is almost unavoidable to experience a conflict of some sort. Individuals disagree, argue, insult, or cause pain to the other, all of which are likely distressing to those involved. These interactions can result in an array of unpleasant circumstances, such as avoidance, retaliation, or even the termination of a relationship. However, the behaviors of apologizing and forgiving serve to restore the relationship following a conflict; therefore, an examination seems warranted.The behaviors of apologizing and forgiving have become common features of our repertoires. The types of situations in which we engage in one or the other can vary greatly, such as when we abruptly walk in front of an individual at a grocery store to more substantial offenses as when a leader apologizes to a nation for wrongful action in war. These behaviors also occur across various types of relationships; a parent demands her child apologize to a sibling, and a partner proclaims to a spouse, "I deserve an apology." Being such common behaviors, apologizing and forgiving have received a great deal of attention from traditional fields. However, these accounts pose an array of differences when compared to those of behavior analysis. These differences, in general, pertain to the treatments of emotion, the emphasis on the form rather than the function of the responses involved, and the treatment of one independent individual's behavior.