Jones, Charles Eric

A two (process) by two (relationship) by two (issue) design was implemented in order to investigate the effects of the process used to deal with a conflict, the relationship of those involved in the conflict, and the issue that the conflict is centered around. Subjects read one of eight different scenario types and rated them on their satisfaction with the process used, the relationship of those involved in the conflict, and the outcome of the conflict. It was predicted that a three-way interaction between the independent variables would occur. Support for the predictions was found. Results are discussed in light of past interpersonal and organizational literature.

Previous research has concluded that individuals high in perspective taking respond less aggressively to provocation than do those low in perspective taking. Whether the perspective-taking effect is automatic or not and many other process-related questions remain largely unanswered. One hundred sixteen female college students participated in a competitive reaction-time task, received escalatory negative feedback purportedly from another participant. In addition to being categorized as either high or low perspective takers, participants also received either high or low levels of situational information about the other and high or low levels of cognitive busyness. Participants high in perspective taking who were under high cognitive load responded significantly less aggressively than did participants low in perspective taking. Results suggest that perspective taking is an automatic process. The findings are discussed in terms of attribution theory, complexity-extremity theory, and in terms of an arousal-dominant response model.