Conflicts and frustration

Conflicts and frustration

All individuals at one or other time in our day to day life have conflicts and frustration. Continuous feeling of chronic conflict and frustration will have a negative impact on our well being. Frustration and unresolved needs and desires cause great emotional unhappiness.

Meaning of conflict

Douglas and Holland defines conflict as a painful emotional state which results from a tension between opposed and contradictory wishes.

Barney and Lehner defines conflict is a state of tension brought by the presence in the individual of two or more opposing desires.

Types of conflict

Approach-Approach conflict: This arises when an individual is faced with the problem of making a choice between two or more positive goals almost equally motivating and important. For example, a child may have to choose between watching a movie in TV or going out to play games.

Avoidance-Avoidance conflict: In this, an individual is forced to choose between two negative courses of action. For example, a child who does not want to study and at the same time does not want to displease the parents by failing in the examination may experience such conflict.

Approach-Avoidance conflict: In this, an individual is faced with a problem of choice between approaching and avoiding tendencies at the same time.

Sources of Conflict

The conflict arises from the home, school, occupational social and cultural environment. The faulty upbringing at home, unhealthy relationships, over protection is the sources of conflict from home environment. Unpleasant school or college environment, role of teachers, faulty method of teaching, denial of opportunities for self expression and classmates are some of the sources of conflict in youngsters. Improper working environment, dissatisfaction with the working conditions, unsatisfactory relationships and poor salary or wages is the sources of conflict in occupational environment. The taboos, inhibitions and the negative attitude towards sex are the causes of many sex conflicts in the minds of youth and adults.

Conflict resolution

·  Negotiation is an important part of conflict resolution

·  First of all, accept each desire as it arrives without judgment or resistance

·  Remove any barrier or resistance in choosing among conflicting desires

·  Think the goals of life and which one of the desires will be helpful to achieve the life’s goal

·  Choose one desire and follow it with full enthusiasm

Meaning of Frustration

Frustration means emotional tension resulting from the blocking of a desire or need (Good, 1959)

According to Barney and Lehner (1953), frustration refers to failure to satisfy a basic need because of either condition in the individual or external obstacles.

Causes of Frustration

External factors

Physical factors: Natural calamities, floods, droughts, earthquakes, fire and accidents cause frustration in an individual.

Social and societal factors: Societal norms and values impose certain obstacle in meeting the individual needs which leads to frustration

Economic and financial factors: Unemployment and lack of money causes frustration in an individual.

Internal factors

Physical abnormality or defects: Too small or too big a stature, very heavy or thin body, an ugly face or dark complexion etc causes frustration.

Conflicting desires or aims: When a person has conflicting desires, he develops frustration. For example, a nurse wants to work in abroad and does not want to leave her family in home country causes frustration.

Individual’s morality and high ideals: An individual’s moral standards, code of ethics and high ideals may become a source of frustration to him.

Level of aspirations: One may aspire very high in spite of one’s incapabilities or human limitations which may lead to frustration

Lack of persistence and sincerity in efforts: Frustration may result in one’s own weakness in putting continuous and persistent efforts with courage, enthusiasm and will power.

Reaction to frustration

It can be classified as simple reactions and violent reactions

Simple reactions: It includes

·  Increasing trials or improving efforts

·  Compromising with what is available

·  Withdrawal from the situation

·  Submissiveness

Violent reactions: It includes aggression