Conflict and Cooperation

Question 1

Define conflict.

Answer 1

A perceived incompatibility of actions or goals.

Question 2

Define peace.

Answer 2

A condition marked by low levels of hostility and aggression and by mutually beneficial relationships.

Question 3

What is a social trap.

Answer 3

A situation where the conflicting parties, by pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behaviour.

Question 4

Give two examples of the social trap.

Answer 4

The prisoner’s dilemma and the tragedy of the commons.

Question 5

What is Tragedy of the Commons?

Answer 5

The tragedy occurs when individuals consume more than their share, with the cost of their doing so dispersed among all, causing collapse of the commons.

Question 6

What are the commons?

Answer 6

Shared resources.

Question 7

What are non-zero-sum games?

Answer 7

Games in which outcomes need not sum to zero, so with cooperation both can win, and with competition, both can lose.

Question 8

Give another name for non-zero-sum games?

Answer 8

Mixed-motive situations.

Question 9

What are mirror-image perceptions?

Answer 9

Reciprocal views of each other often held by parties in conflict.

Question 10

Define equal-status contact.

Answer 10

Contact on an equal basis, just as a relationship between people of unequal status breeds attitudes consistent with their relationship, so do relationships between those of equal status.

Question 11

How do we apply equal-status contact to reducing racism?

Answer 11

To reduce prejudice, interracial contact should be between persons equal in status.

Question 12

What is a superordinate goal?

Answer 12

A shared goal that necessitates cooperative effort, or a goal that overrides people’s differences.

Question 13

Define bargaining.

Answer 13

Seeking an agreement to a conflict through direct negotiation between parties.

Question 14

Define mediation.

Answer 14

An attempt by a neutral third party to resolve a conflict by facilitating communication and offering suggestions.

Question 15

Define arbitration.

Answer 15

Resolution of a conflict by a neutral third party who studies both sides and imposes an settlement.

Question 16

What are integrative agreements?

Answer 16

Win-win agreements that reconcile both parties’ interests to their mutual benefit.

Question 17

What is GRIT an acronym for?

Answer 17

Graduated and reciprocated initiatives in tension reduction.

Question 18

What is GRIT?

Answer 18

A strategy designed to deescalate international tensions.

Question 19

What did Hardin develop?

Answer 19

Tragedy of the Commons.

Question 20

What kind of people are most unlikely to empathise with others’ perspectives?

Answer 20

People with self-inflating, self-focused narcissistic tendencies.

Question 21

Give several ways in which we can reduce social dilemmas. (5)

Answer 21

Regulation, smaller groups, communication, changing the payoffs, and appealing to altruistic norms.

Question 22

Competition breeds conflict, especially when: (2)

Answer 22

People perceive their resources as limited and on a zero-sum basis, and a distinct outgroup stands out as a potential competitor.

Question 23

How do those who are exploited react? (3)

Answer 23

They can accept and justify their position, demand compensation, or retaliate.

Question 24

Give the four C’s of peacemaking.

Answer 24

Contact, cooperation, communication and conciliation.

Question 25

To reduce prejudice and conflict, we had best initially minimise ___ ___, then ___ it, then ___ it.

Answer 25

Group diversity, acknowledge, transcend.

Question 26

Give Pratkanis and Turner’s four principles.

Answer 26

Change is inevitable, establish equal-status contact with a superordinate goal, destroy prejudice, and practice nonviolence.

Question 27

Give two pieces of evidence demonstrating that a positive ethnic identity can contribute to positive self-esteem.

Answer 27

Marginal people often have low self-esteem, while bicultural people who affirm both identities have a strongly positive self-concept.

Question 28

Emphasising a common ingroup makes advantaged group members what? (3)

Answer 28

Legitimise existing inequality, expect greater forgiveness for atrocities, and feel less empathy for the disadvantaged group.

Question 29

What is the first task of a mediator?

Answer 29

To help the parties rethink the conflict and gain information about the others’ interests.

Question 30

Why is trust a key factor in communication?

Answer 30

You are more likely to divulge needs and concerns with trust, and are less open without it.

Question 31

What is a simple way to gain trust?

Answer 31

Mimic your partner’s actions and mannerisms.

Question 32

Inducing empathy decreases ___ and increases ___.

Answer 32

Stereotyping, cooperation.

Question 33

Who developed GRIT?

Answer 33

Osgood.

Question 34

GRIT requires one side to initiate a few deescalatory actions after announcing what?

Answer 34

A conciliatory intent.

Question 35

According to GRIT, how should the initiator establish credibility and genuineness?

Answer 35

Verifiable conciliatory acts.

Question 36

Deutsch captured the spirit of GRIT in advising negotiators to be: (3)

Answer 36

Firm, fair and friendly.

Question 37

What does a social identity approach to peace and conflict do? (2)

Answer 37

Draw a distinction between conflict within the group and conflict between groups, and generate the understanding that most of the very same processes that reduce conflict can increase conflict too.