Intragroup Conflict Management in Task-Oriented Groups

This study examined the associations among integrative, distributive, and avoidance conflict styles and two methods of characterizing members'perceptions of intragroup problens. The "problem source" approach was based on three common sources of conflict: task, participative, and social issues. The "problem analysis" approach was derivedfrom research in social cognition and included perceptions of problem frequency, goal mutuality, goal-path uncertainty, causal attribution to the group, causal attribution to one member; and negative feelings for the group. Overall, problem analyses provided a more powerful account (of conflict styles than did problem sources. The discussion addresses the specific role of' attributions, negative feelings, goal mutuality, and goal-path uncertainty as they relate to conflict management styles.