Deck 2: The Theoretical Bases of Conflict Resolution

Question 1

THEORIES of conflict are important to conflict resolution professionals because theories can be used to

A) Determine which is the best model of conflict resolution in ALL situations.
B) Determine which is the best method of conflict resolution in ALL situations.
C) Assess a particular client situation and determine which strategies are most likely to be effective.
D) Assess whether a particular conflict is more like a nail, more like a hammer, or more like a wrench.
E) All of the above.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

THEORY FOR UNDERSTANDING refers to a theory that can be used to

A) Determine which conflict resolution strategy is most appropriate.
B) Determine which conflict resolution strategy is most ethical.
C) Help analyze a conflict.
D) Help analyze a conflict resolution strategy or skill.
E) Determine the best way to research the effectiveness of a conflict resolution intervention.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

HUMAN NEEDS THEORY suggests that people need to

A) Satisfy their higher-level needs before they can satisfy their lower-level needs.
B) Satisfy their more basic needs before they can satisfy their higher-level needs.
C) Satisfy all their needs at the same time.
D) Resolve conflict before they can satisfy their needs.
E) All of the above.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

When people are DEPRIVED of their basic needs, they tend to

A) Rebel.
B) Be happy.
C) Accommodate the needs of others.
D) Avoid conflict.
E) Self-actualize.

Question 5

When people experience high levels of FEAR or ANXIETY, it becomes more difficult for them to

A) Flee.
B) Fight.
C) Freeze.
D) Resolve conflicts in a rational manner.
E) All of the above.

Question 6

The AMYGDALA is a part of the brain that may be activated when people experience

A) Threats to survival.
B) Alienation.
C) Devaluation.
D) Insults.
E) All of the above.

Question 7

PRIMING a person for conflict resolution refers to

A) Creating new neural pathways in the brain through repeated experiences of meditation.
B) Putting the person at ease or preparing the person for constructive dialogue.
C) Creating a culturally sensitive approach to mediation.
D) Avoiding conflict.
E) Responding to loss by blaming the victim.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of applying a PERSONALITY THEORY?

A) Liam provides a client with positive reinforcement.
B) Sue provides a client with negative reinforcement.
C) Joe assesses whether a client has a rigid or flexible personality.
D) Jacqui asks a client about her cultural background and religious belief system.
E) Helen prays for a client to be guided by strength, wisdom, and good moral values.

Question 9

Which of the following PERSONALITY TRAITS tend to foster effective conflict resolution?

A) Creativity
B) Empathy
C) Reliability
D) Flexibility
E) All of the above

Question 10

RATIONALIZATION is an example of a(n)

A) Defense mechanism.
B) Defensive linebacker.
C) Offensive reaction formation.
D) Personality disorder.
E) All of the above

Question 11

When a client uses denial or another defense mechanism to save face, which of the following conflict resolution responses is most likely to be effective?

A) Tell the client he or she is in denial.
B) Use empathy to build trust and help the client to feel less vulnerable.
C) Use a competitive conflict resolution style.
D) Use an avoiding conflict resolution style.
E) Pretend to give the client a lie detector test and let the client know that committing perjury is punishable by death.

Question 12

INSECURE ATTACHMENT in a client may be demonstrated when the client

A) Has an accurate sense of risk and view of the future.
B) Inflates risk and takes a pessimistic view of the future.
C) Underestimates risk and has an overly optimistic view of the future.
D) Trusts people and makes friends with relative ease.
E) Only (a) and (b).

Question 13

RELATIVE DEPRIVATION THEORY suggests that people tend to

A) Accept social injustice as a fact of life.
B) Dislike cousins or other relatives who are less fortunate, have lousy jobs, drive old cars, or live in impoverished neighborhoods.
C) Deprive themselves of basic needs in order to attain higher needs.
D) Deprive themselves of higher needs in order to attain more basic needs.
E) Feel a sense of injustice and act out if they perceive they are being deprived of something to which they feel entitled.

Question 14

OPERANT CONDITIONING suggest that

A) Certain behaviors are triggered by associations with other stimuli.
B) People tend to repeat behaviors that are rewarded.
C) People tend to repeat behaviors that are punished.
D) People tend to repeat behaviors that are ignored.
E) People model the behaviors of other important people in their lives.

Question 15

An example of DUALISTIC THINKING arises when a person believes the following:

A) "When a conflict arises, there may be more than one right answer or solution."
B) "I am always right and the other person is always wrong."
C) "There are many different shades of right and wrong, innocence or guilt."
D) "People can resolve conflict in a creative manner."
E) "Even if I dislike another person, that person may still have some positive qualities."

Question 16

RESILIENCE THEORY refers to the ability of a person or system to

A) Avoid ever experiencing stress.
B) Respond to stress in a dysfunctional manner.
C) Respond to stress in a functional manner.
D) Seek out as much stress as possible.
E) Only (a) and (b).

Question 17

Describe how COMMUNICATION THEORY can be used to inform how a helping professional can assist people involved in a conflict.

Question 18

Assume that you have a client who responds to conflict by withdrawing from it. Identify one PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY and describe how this theory would explain the person's tendency to withdraw (e.g., through classical conditioning, modeling, cognitive distortion, or early childhood experiences).

Question 19

John and Mary are coworkers. John dislikes Mary because she gets paid more than he does. One day John is looking for his stapler and finds it on Mary's desk. Mary says it must have been placed there by accident. According to attribution theory, what types of ATTRIBUTIONS might John be likely to make about Mary's motivations?

Question 20

Hanna has just found out that she lost her job. According to LOSS THEORY, what types of initial reactions might Hanna experience and how would these affect her ability to deal with conflict?

Question 21

Describe a situation in which a MINORITY GROUP might respond to conflict by using violence. What reasons might the minority group use in order to justify their use of violence?

Question 22

Identify a theoretical perspective that may involve INCITING PEOPLE to violence. How could professionals using this perspective ethically justify their use of incitement?

Question 23

What are the basic tenets of a HUMANISTIC approach to conflict resolution?

Question 24

Define the following terms: system, stress, and homeostasis.

Question 25

Assume a client (Bob) tells you that his relationship with his neighbor is "like the Hatfields and McCoys," a feud dating back generations. How could you apply social construction theory to assess and respond to Bob as part of a conflict resolution intervention?

Question 26

Which conflict style fits best with social exchange theory: competition, collaboration, avoidance, compromise, or accommodation? Explain your response.

Question 27

What are the strengths and limitations of using RATIONAL DECISION-MAKING theories to assess conflicts and design CR strategies?

Question 28

How would you describe a "game of chicken" to a client who seems to be engaging in this type of game?

Question 29

What does the statement, "Differences occur along a continuum," mean with respect to the application of SOCIOCULTURAL THEORIES? Provide an explanation using the example of INDIVIDUALISTIC-COLLECTIVIST tendencies.

Question 30

According to SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY, how does an individual's self-concept develop?

Question 31

What is a RADICAL approach to conflict? Provide an example of how a helping professional might use a radical approach to deal with the issue of poverty.

Question 32

Identify one of your preferred theories that you could use to assess social conflict. Describe the key tenets of this theory and how they apply to your potential role as a conflict resolution professional