Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Markus, Hazel Rose
• Lin, Leah R

Titel

Conflictways: Cultural Diversity in the Meanings and Practices of Conflict

Ist Teil von

• CULTURAL DIVIDES, 1999, p.302-333

Erscheinungsjahr

1999

Quelle

Sociological Abstracts

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Examines "conflictways" (differences in meanings & practices of conflict) in European-, Asian-, Mexican-, & African American cultural contexts. Data drawn from a limited set of research findings indicates that understandings of conflict in Anglo-American cultural contexts emphasize individuals as autonomous entities motivated by personal values/goals, while Asian Americans define self in relation to others & are, therefore, more likely to avoid confrontation by not expressing an opinion. In Mexican American culture, conflict is defined as a loss of harmony between individuals, & confrontational discussions, which only occur when avoidance fails, are aimed at reestablishing harmony rather than resolving an issue. In contrast, conflict in African American culture is both individual & relational, focusing on differing points of view that individuals try to resolve by confronting each other. However, unlike European Americans, African Americans stress persuasive arguments rather than attempts to appeal to objective truths. The usefulness of a cultural psychological approach is discussed, along with the implications of the findings for disputes in multicultural US workplaces. 80 References. J. Lindroth