Page 313 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

296 Chapter 11

students who came to the campus directly from work without food service and
might eventually lead to a drop in enrollment. After considerable debate, the
committee decided to provide expanded vending machine service, which would
accomplish the goal of cutting personnel and utility costs, but not leave the
evening students without food.
4. Conflict can produce greater cohesiveness among group members.
When a group experiences and resolves conflict successfully, the members learn
that the ties holding the group together are strong enough to withstand
disagreement. This kind of consensus emerges from often difficult discussions,
10
but the payoff is collective support for the final preference. Disagreement that
produces understanding and eventual consensus increases cohesiveness and
improves the chance of success. 11

Negative Effects of Conflict Conflict handled well is beneficial to a group; however,
if handled poorly, it has harmful consequences. If you have ever said to yourself after
a group meeting, “I’ll be glad when this project is finished; I hope I never have to work
with these people again,” you have experienced some of these harmful effects, which
include hurt feelings, lowered cohesiveness, and even group dissolution.
1. Conflict can cause members to feel bad.
Most of us do not like to have others disagree with us. This is particularly true
when others don’t just disagree with an idea or proposal we give but appear to
devalue us as people. Their remarks feel caustic, even hostile. Members may be
silent for fear of an attack, thereby depriving the group of valuable information
and opinions. (We discuss later how you can deal with such an attack.)
Moreover, even a conflict over issues and ideas can be carried on so long or
turn into personal attacks that it increases tension and wears group members
down to the point where they dread coming to meetings.
2. Conflict can lower group cohesiveness.
If you believe that others in a group do not value your contributions, you will
not be eager to spend time with that group. Prolonged conflict and attacks on
one’s self-concept loosen the bonds of attraction and cohesiveness, which can
cause members to reduce the effort they put forth to achieve the group’s
objectives.
3. Conflict can split a group apart.
A member who believes that a group dislikes his or her ideas, but finds support
in other groups, will usually leave the group in which the conflict occurs.
Conflict that goes on too long and too intensely tears members apart. One of
us once observed a friendship group split up over a political issue. One side
believed that busing was an appropriate way to achieve racial equality; the other
side disagreed. The two sides did not simply have an intellectual disagreement;
they began to impugn each other’s goodwill, ability to reason, and commitment
to democratic values. Unkind things were said, a rift occurred, and the
group died.

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