Conflict avoidance is a behavior or strategy employed by individuals or groups to steer clear of, prevent, or minimize the occurrence of conflicts or disputes. People who practice conflict avoidance typically seek to maintain harmony, preserve relationships, and prevent tension or disagreement.
Key characteristics of conflict avoidance include:
Evading Confrontation: Individuals or groups may avoid addressing contentious issues directly, choosing instead to ignore or sidestep them.
Suppressing Differences: Rather than expressing differing opinions or perspectives, conflict avoiders may suppress their own viewpoints to prevent disagreement.
Seeking Compromise: When faced with potential conflict, individuals may opt for compromise or accommodation, attempting to find middle ground to satisfy all parties involved.
Delaying Decision-Making: Conflict avoiders may postpone making decisions on controversial matters, hoping that issues will resolve themselves over time or that emotions will subside.
Keeping Conversations Superficial: People practicing conflict avoidance may limit conversations to safe and non-controversial topics to avoid potential disagreements.
While conflict avoidance can help maintain a semblance of peace in the short term, it may have drawbacks. It can lead to unaddressed issues festering over time, potentially causing more significant problems in the future. Additionally, it might hinder creativity, innovation, and the open expression of diverse perspectives within a group or relationship.
Balancing conflict avoidance with the ability to address and resolve differences constructively is important for maintaining healthy relationships and fostering positive communication. Effective conflict resolution involves finding solutions that address the underlying issues while respecting the perspectives and needs of all parties involved.
Shervan K Shahhian
LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 