CHAPTER 9

Research Resources
Check out the following contemporary readings in communication at your library. (Hint: These are good sources to start with if you are asked to write a research paper!)

Delgado, F. (2002). "Mass-Mediated Communication and Intercultural Conflict." In Readings in Intercultural Communication, J. N. Martin, T. K. Nakayama, and L. Flores, eds. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Dumalo, R., and R. Botta. (2000). "Family Communication Patterns and the Conflict Styles Young Adults Use with Their Fathers." Communication Quarterly, 48: 174-189.

Hojjat, M. (2000). "Sex Differences and Perceptions of Conflict in Romantic Relationships." Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 17: 598-617.

Klein, R. C. A., and R. M. Milardo. (2000). "The Social Context of Couple Conflict: Support and Criticism from Informal Third Parties." Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 17: 618-637.

Mortenson, S. T. (2002). "Sex, Communication Values, and Cultural Values: Individualism-Collectivism as a Mediator of Sex Differences in Communication Values in Two Cultures." Communication Reports, 15: 57-70.

Links to Resources on the Web
* The Peace and Justice Network offers an excellent resource for those interested in learning more about the five conflict styles covered in Chapter 9. Specifically, they offer applications of each style for adults, parents, youth, and even military personnel. They also include a number of fun activities that can be used with young children during different community-based service learning projects.

* In Chapter 9, Goleman's 1995 book on emotional intelligence is discussed. For more information on the importance of emotions, go to http://eqi.org/.This web site discusses strategies for managing negative emotions. Also of interest may be the section on "Men and Emotions" which contains a discussion of "gender myths" regarding emotions.

* The explicit goal of Educators for Social Responsibility is to help educators create safe, caring, respectful, and productive learning environments. As such, part of their mission is to have people understand the connection between conflict and stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and scapegoating. Visit their web site at http://www.esrnational.org/antidiscriminationlesson.htm and review the teaching strategy that they suggest for handling prejudice-related conflict. Based on what you've learned in your interpersonal communication class, do you think that this exercise is effective? What activities would you propose to use?

Applying Communication Research to Everyday Contexts

How Do You Handle Conflict?
Create a list of five to ten words that describe how you generally how you feel and/or manage conflict. Based on your list, choose one of the conflict management strategies outlined in Chapter 9 that best characterizes the terms you listed. For example, if you wrote angry, scream, yell, and dominate, then you would choose forcing as the management strategy that, generally, characterizes your conflict management style. Then ask three people with whom you consider yourself to have a close interpersonal relationship to make a similar list of five to ten words that characterize how you handle conflict. Finally, compare all four lists. What commonalities do you see? Differences? How might this exercise affect how you handle conflict in the future?

Communicating Emotions
One of the most important, yet sometimes most difficult, parts of managing conflict is communicating your emotions in productive ways. In order to be effective at communicating your emotions to others, you must first identify them and their sources. Think of the most recent conflict you have had. What was the source of the conflict? What did it do to you emotionally? How did you express those emotions to the other individual? Could you have chosen a more effective and appropriate way of communicating those emotions? If so, how?