Deutsch’s theory of conflict resolution is a vital model for understanding the fundamental dynamics of conflict and its constructive resolution. However, the original formulation of the theory assumed equal power and equal degrees of interdependence between the parties in conflict. Although subsequent research has investigated the effects of relative power and interdependence differences on negotiations and conflict, they have yet to be integrated into one model that can account for interactions between the dimensions. This article presents research investigating propositions from a new, integrated model of power, interdependence, and conflict, which extends Deutsch’s theory into situations of asymmetrical power and interdependence. First, two exploratory studies are described that set the foundation for our model. Then, an experiment is presented that induced differences in relative power and interdependence through different versions of a work conflict scenario. The findings supported our model. Different combinations of relative power (high, equal, or low), types of interdependence (cooperative, competitive, or mixed), and degrees of interdependence (high or low) led to significantly different conflict orientations—which affected perceptions, experiences, and responses to conflict. Implications for future research are discussed.

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"The other day I was taking a walk across the shore of Jaffa [a Palestinian town prior to 1948] and I was looking at the houses that now have been converted into these galleries […] (anonymous Palestinian, 2007).The pernicious effects of a conflict should not be judged solely by its intensity, its duration, or even its consequences. These criteria are not to be dismissed as unimportant, of course, but in focusing on them scholars and practitioners may be overlooking a feature of conflict that may prove to be more predictive of the long-term social landscape in which the conflict is embedded. As the above quote illustrates, the enmity associated with some social conflicts can spread and permeate previously unaffected aspects of community life; transforming them into triggers or symbols of resentment and hate. We see this occur when a walk at the shore and the sight of beautiful homes fuels a latent sense of outrage and once again turns person against person, group against group. The current paper aims to enhance our understanding of how negativity in conflict spreads, and to suggest some preliminary methods for measuring how this form of contagion occurs in conflicts overtime. Accordingly, the paper employs basic principles from dynamical systems theory (see , a theoretical perspective that informs how complex systems evolve and develop over time. These 2 principles can move the field forward in terms of the conceptualization and measurement of the spread of negativity in conflict over time.The paper includes the following sections: 1) a discussion of the characteristics of malignant social conflicts, 2) a review of the literature on psychological, social, and structural dimensions related to conflict pervasiveness, 3) findings from an exploratory study conducted with Israelis and Palestinians on the spread of destructive conflict, and 4) a discussion of the relevance of dynamical-systems theory for conceptualizing and measuring the spread of negativity in conflict.

"The other day I was taking a walk across the shore of Jaffa [a Palestinian town prior to 1948] and I was looking at the houses that now have been converted into these galleries […] (anonymous Palestinian, 2007).The pernicious effects of a conflict should not be judged solely by its intensity, its duration, or even its consequences. These criteria are not to be dismissed as unimportant, of course, but in focusing on them scholars and practitioners may be overlooking a feature of conflict that may prove to be more predictive of the long-term social landscape in which the conflict is embedded. As the above quote illustrates, the enmity associated with some social conflicts can spread and permeate previously unaffected aspects of community life; transforming them into triggers or symbols of resentment and hate. We see this occur when a walk at the shore and the sight of beautiful homes fuels a latent sense of outrage and once again turns person against person, group against group. The current paper aims to enhance our understanding of how negativity in conflict spreads, and to suggest some preliminary methods for measuring how this form of contagion occurs in conflicts overtime. Accordingly, the paper employs basic principles from dynamical systems theory (see , a theoretical perspective that informs how complex systems evolve and develop over time. These 2 principles can move the field forward in terms of the conceptualization and measurement of the spread of negativity in conflict over time.The paper includes the following sections: 1) a discussion of the characteristics of malignant social conflicts, 2) a review of the literature on psychological, social, and structural dimensions related to conflict pervasiveness, 3) findings from an exploratory study conducted with Israelis and Palestinians on the spread of destructive conflict, and 4) a discussion of the relevance of dynamical-systems theory for conceptualizing and measuring the spread of negativity in conflict.

No abstract