Freud, Adler, Jung and Fromm looked at personality conflicts “from the inside.” These outstanding scientists were united not only by theoretical community (all of them are associated with psychoanalysis), but also by professional destiny. By education and occupation they were doctors, which means they paid primary attention to to an individual. A different approach is characteristic of those psychologists who began to approach a person “from the outside” - from the sphere of social life. The very logic of the study implied that the fact of human relationships was first postulated, and then attention was focused on the individual. Fundamental meaning had the work of American scientists J. Mead and C. Cooley - the founders of that direction in psychology called interactionism (from the English interaction - interaction).
The development of personality problems among interactionists is closely related to the study of laws social psychology. A person gains his personal identity through interaction with others in the group. The strength of a group is not equal to the strength of one of its members multiplied by their number, because the group is heterogeneous. Various members groups perform different functions in group interaction, which are called roles (driver, pedestrian, buyer, seller, friend, rival - these are types of roles). The group member does not look like a blind man, feeling his way and chaotically colliding with his neighbors. He is sighted and acts under the gaze of others. With their expectations (expectations), they seem to pave the path along which he should move. Consent in group action is ensured by the fact that everyone acts taking into account the expectations of others. A variety of types of group rewards and punishments reinforce everyone’s behavior aimed at achieving effective overall result. Direct physical reaction to individual behavior is rarely observed in group life. Symbolic ones are more often used, having iconic character actions: a smile of gratitude or a contemptuous look, crowning with a laurel wreath or anathematizing. But even a “material” action is symbolized to the level of a ritual or a norm of politeness: the presentation of diamonds, but in an order, in a solemn atmosphere with an official. To capture meaningfully useful interaction, the group saturates real contacts symbolic meaning and enshrines it in signs. Meaning includes not only abstract meanings, but also, most often, ways of understanding them in group interaction: for example, love or hatred, in addition to subjective experience, also manifests itself in behavioral acts (care or competition, help or opposition).
It is quite logical that personality acts primarily as a system of roles that a person performs in groups of varying degrees of community (citizen - student - volleyball team player - grandson - friend). Each role has its own content: a pattern of actions, reactions to the actions of other group members, specific skills and abilities.
A concern arises: does such an approach to personality erase it? personality traits? After all, most men are fathers, brothers, pedestrians, buyers, taxpayers, and there is no end to this list. But the personality is not buried under the labels of template functions, because its roles make up the system. For everyone there are the most important roles, which are called reference. Through them, a person realizes himself first of all, with complete seriousness and dedication. And around these roles the rest are located - and primarily according to the degree of compliance with the central, standard roles. In addition, each role implies rights and responsibilities, that is, it is associated with the vertical of power within the group (this aspect is called status). And the status moment also determines the playing out of roles as a whole. As the French say, position obliges.
If roles can be compared to letters of the alphabet, then personality is expressed as a statement whose words are composed of these letters. And these words in a sentence have different statuses: the subject determines the form of the predicate, the definition depends on the word being defined (in gender, number, case, etc.).
Thus, the uniqueness of the individual does not disappear under the yoke of stereotyped roles, but rather manifests itself in the variability of their pattern. An important consequence This is that, realizing his roles, the individual uses social language, that is, he transfers social control inside himself, because he uses signs that carry transpersonal meaning. A person can correlate the logic of his behavior with the logic of social norms and expectations. And here lies the source of intrapersonal conflict.
Social roles in society are, of course, subject to compatibility restrictions. In certain situations, a person may encounter the fact that his needs lead the playing of roles to a contradiction. A role conflict arises - a clash between incompatible roles.
Great works of art are devoted to how role contradictions weigh down a person’s soul and push him to the most unusual actions. By saving her family from hunger, Sonya Marmeladova violates one of the most important family principles - the principle of chastity. She becomes a prostitute out of love for her neighbor. The great master Danila strives to learn the secret stone flower, but is faced with the requirement to abandon his beloved Nastenka. In both cases, there is a conflict between family and professional roles.
The world anthology of comic stories (short stories, comedies, fables, jokes) is literally replete with situations where coordinated performance of roles is impossible. But a successful resolution of the conflict brings a sigh of relief and a smile to the reader. The heroes manage to hide, change clothes, impersonate someone else, feign illness or madness, lead their opponents onto the wrong track, or defuse the tension with a witty word, and sometimes simply feign ignorance.
But if the role conflict affects the zone of standard roles, the situation becomes tragic.
An example of this is the story of Tristan and Isolde - one of the most popular stories medieval Europe. The plot is literally riddled with deep role-playing conflicts. Tristan kills the giant Morold, but falls ill from infection with the blood of the murdered man. Unknowing, Morold's sister, the blond Isolde, cures Tristan, but then learns the truth. As the sister of the deceased, she must take revenge on Tristan. But she healed him. As a woman, she admires him. As the king's daughter, she knows that Tristan has by now rid her country of a terrible and bloodthirsty monster. Bee soul sister ran into a doctor, a girl, a resident of the city. And they won. After drinking a magic drink, Tristan and Isolde fell in love with each other eternal love. But she became the wife of King Mark's uncle Tristan. They all loved each other dearly. But King Mark turned out to be a dishonored ruler and a merciful, kind relative (husband and uncle). Tristan is a faithful lover and an oath-breaking vassal. Isolde is an unfaithful wife and devoted lover. Most often, accidents save heroes. For example, King Mark finds Tristan and Isolde sleeping in a hut, but there is a sword between them. Tristan placed it next to him so that he would have a weapon in case some predator attacked them, but the king interpreted this as a sign of a chaste relationship. The episode of God's judgment is amazing. The psychologism of medieval literature is far from the detailed feelings and thoughts familiar to us from the novel and drama of modern times. Therefore, communication with God in medieval literature partially projected by the individual’s appeal to conscience: here it was impossible to lie. Isolde had to take an oath and touch the red-hot iron. Arriving at the place of trial, she wanted a beggar standing by the water to carry her from the ship to the shore. It was Tristan in disguise, who came here at Isolde’s request. He carried her to the shore, and she whispered to him to fall with her. Then the trial began.
“She left only a sleeveless tunic on her body. All around the barons looked at her in silence and cried. A fire was burning near the relics. Trembling, she said right hand to the relics of the saints and said:
Kings of Logria and Cornwall, lords of Gauvin, Kay, Girflette and you all, be my guarantors: I swear by these holy relics and all the holy relics in the world that no man born of a woman has held me in his arms except Mark, my lord, and even this poor pilgrim who just fell before your eyes. Is such an oath fit, King Mark?
- Yes, queen. May the Lord show His just judgment!
- Amen! - said Isolde.
She approached the fire, pale, staggering. Everyone was silent. The iron was hot. She plunged her bare hands into the coals, grabbed the iron strip, walked ten steps, carrying it, then, throwing it away, stretched out her arms crosswise, outstretching her palms, and everyone saw that her body was healthy, like a plum on a tree. Then a cry of gratitude to the Lord arose from all breasts.”
But no matter how favorable fate was to these two lovers, their life was sad. Only death untied the knots of their contradictory behavior.
Interactionists developed the theory of the mirror self. The reactions and attitudes of others, becoming the internal content of a person, determine his self-determination.
“When talking about the self-concept, we do not mean a certain substance limited to the skin, but a complex of forms of behavior - a system of organized human actions in relation to himself. Self-concepts, then, are meanings that are formed through participation in joint activities. Conscious behavior is not so much a manifestation of what a person really is, but rather the result of a person’s idea of himself, formed on the basis of the consistent treatment of others around him.”
Each self-concept is determined by the degree of integration of its elements - roles. With excessive integration, any discrepancy between behavior and personal attitudes is perceived by the individual very painfully, and therefore there is a danger of repressing any unexpected information about oneself into the unconscious. With a “loose” self-concept, a person softens the core of his behavior and becomes a slave to situations. Thus, Pushkin said about Alexander I: “I am accustomed to counterfeelings, in face and in life, a harlequin.”
A normal person has a fairly flexible self-concept. In specific situations, one or another block of roles is activated, which can even temporarily dominate. But under unfavorable circumstances, the formation of several role configurations is possible, which are in poor coordination, and sometimes even in conflict, which is not realized due to the action of defense mechanisms. In a crisis situation, a change in self-concept is possible.
In a state of hypnosis, some people exhibit behavior that is strikingly different from their usual (even sexual orientation may change). After a brain injury, a person begins to live as if there is an invisible switch in him: the patient calls himself different names and acts according to different standards, with different styles performances, with different worldviews.
In critical cases of abuse or great adversity, depersonalization is sometimes observed. Since most roles are complementary, the partner’s failure to fulfill his role affects the personal identity of all participants in the joint action. If a person learns about a friend’s betrayal, he begins to worry whether he himself is a friend. If a young man loses his parents in a disaster, he is deprived of the opportunity to actively fulfill the role of a son. Sometimes the reduction or emphasis on a role is so unbearable that a person seems to lose himself. Ophelia goes mad after learning that her lover (Hamlet) killed her father (Polonius).
But there is a bright side to the problem. As long as the self-concept is not glued to the body, role balance can be restored. Changing the expectations placed on a person can change their behavior, making them more productive. One of the two incompatible roles can be replaced by another - equivalent, but compatible with the preserved one: the role of a pirate was much less suitable for the nobleman Drake than the role that replaced it as the savior of England, who defeated the Spanish fleet. Changing the role repertoire is included in the therapy of many mental illnesses and in training scenarios conducted with people who experience internal discord.
Role conflict is not conflict situation which occurs between two or more people. This happens inside every person. We can say that we all have several personalities within ourselves. Don't make hasty conclusions about your own mental state. So, each of us performs certain social roles (mother, boss, daughter, etc.). It is between each of them that we will discuss further.
Types of role conflicts
- Status conflict. No one is immune from this. So, the person takes a new position. Some hopes and expectations are placed on her and suddenly, for certain reasons, she fails to meet them. As a result, this gives rise to the opinion of others about her as an incompetent person, unable to fulfill her promises. Moreover, if the work is of a team nature, difficulties arise in interacting with each of the employees.
- Inner Self. The reason for this role conflict is the contradictions that have arisen between one’s own expectations and personal abilities. For example, a person believes that he is able to cope with certain life difficulties, but in practice his expectations are not met, he panics and is unable to do anything. It would not be superfluous to give an example when a person finds it difficult to cope with fulfilling a new role for the reason that he has not yet “grown” from the previous one. In India, girls were married off early. One such bride's child drowned. What was the reason? His young mother did not notice the danger because... went to play with dolls with peers.
- Ambiguity. Intrapersonal role conflict arises when an individual faces two different demands, the ambiguity of the conditions of which can plunge him into stressful state. For example, the maximum effective implementation carry out their work duties subject to compliance with the prescribed safety regulations. Everything would be fine, but at this plant and business such rules were not provided.
- Insufficient resources. IN in this case The cause of role conflict is a lack of time, the influence of circumstances, absence, etc., which makes it impossible to complete the tasks assigned to a person.
What is the essence of role conflict?
Role conflict is a kind of negative experience, which appeared as a struggle between parts of a person’s inner world. This is a kind of indicator of the presence of problems in interaction with environment. It delays decision making. Thanks to such a conflict, a person develops, strives for self-identification, improves, and thereby learns his own “I”. Of course, no one says that this process can be pleasant, but, as you know, nothing great or significant comes easy. At first, at the moment 
role formation, it is considered quite normal for some inconveniences to occur. In many ways, it depends on the actions of the individual whether he or she can cope with a role conflict or not.
A striking example of such role conflicts from life are the following: a person with humanitarian warehouse Uma enters a technical university, where, of course, he encounters difficulties. No less common is the conflict when you have to “get used to” the role of a mother, married woman, pensioner or student.
In order to overcome a conflict of any nature without any particular negative consequences, you need mental preparation, willpower and a desire to improve your mental health.
Role set- a set of roles corresponding to a certain social status.
Role conflict- a clash of role demands placed on an individual, caused by the multiplicity of social roles simultaneously performed by him.
Role behavior and role conflicts
A set of roles corresponding to a specific one allows its bearer most time to “mind your own business” - carry out your role behavior in various forms And different ways. A social role is always standard because it represents a system of expected behavior that is determined by normative responsibilities and rights. Although the roles are strictly defined, there are capable and incapable students, brave and cowardly soldiers, talented and untalented politicians. The fact is that people perform standard roles as individuals. Each individual understands his social role in his own way and performs it differently. In modern sociology, the actual fulfillment of a social role by an individual is called role behavior.
Regulatory requirements associated with a social role, as a rule, are more or less known to participants in role interaction and give rise to corresponding role expectations: all participants in the interaction expect from each other behavior that fits into the context of these social roles. However, the social role is considered not only in terms of role expectations (expectations), but also role-playing, i.e. how the individual actually performs his role.
Expectations represent requirements enshrined in the system of social norms and imposed on the behavior of an individual in connection with the fulfillment of one or another social role. Despite the fact that role normative requirements are an element of the system of social norms accepted in a given society, they are nevertheless specific and valid only in relation to those who occupy a certain social position. Therefore, many role requirements are completely absurd outside of the specific role situation. For example, a woman who comes to see a doctor undresses at his request, fulfilling her role as a patient, but if a passer-by on the street makes a similar demand, she will run or call for help.
The relationship between special role norms and complex nature. Some role prescriptions are not related to social norms at all. Other role norms are of an exceptional nature, placing the people performing them in a special position when they are not subject to general norms. For example, a doctor is obliged to maintain medical confidentiality, and a priest is obliged to maintain the secret of confession, therefore, by law, they are not subject to the obligation to disclose this information when testifying in court. The discrepancy between general and role norms can be so great that the role holder is almost subject to public contempt, although his position is necessary and recognized by society (executioner, secret police agent).
In general, there is never a relationship of identity between social and role norms. Society imposes a social role on a person, but its acceptance, rejection, and fulfillment always leave an imprint on real behavior person. Therefore, when fulfilling social roles, role tension may arise—a difficulty associated with improper role preparation and unsuccessful role performance. Role tension often results in role conflict.
Role conflict in modern sociology it is considered as a clash of role demands placed on an individual, caused by the multiplicity of social roles simultaneously performed by him. Sociologists distinguish two types of role conflicts: conflicts between social roles; conflicts within one social role.
Interrole conflicts arise when different social roles, the bearer of which is the individual, contain incompatible prescriptions (requirements). For example, a woman plays her role well at work, but at home she fails in the roles of wife and mother. In a situation where the husband's parents do not like his wife, his filial duty conflicts with the husband's duties.
Intra-role conflicts arise where the social role involves complex relationships and conflicting social expectations. Within many social roles there are conflicts of “interest,” for example, the requirement to be honest with people conflicts with the desire to “make money.”
Man is a social being, and a significant share of his sociality is concentrated in social roles. Mastering possible roles occurs as early as childhood, when a child in a game seems to “pretend” to take on the role of “mother”, “teacher”, “commander”. In sociology, this phase of social development is called socialization. Subsequently, in the process of socialization, a person acts as a carrier own roles and, by performing them, learns to master the new roles that lie ahead of him. By helping her mother with housework as a daughter, the girl learns to play the role of housewife and mother. By obeying the parents in the role of son, the child prepares to fulfill the role of student and obey the teacher when he goes to school.
In modern sociology, there are three ways to resolve role conflicts: o rationalization - a way to resolve role conflict through a conscious search for the negative aspects of a desired but unattainable role. For example, a girl who is not married
explains his situation by the rudeness and limitations of modern men; o separation of roles is a way of resolving role conflict, which consists in temporarily excluding one of the social roles from life. For example, a sailor on a long voyage is not informed about the death of his mother, thereby excluding the role of his son from his consciousness so as not to cause stress; o role regulation is a way of resolving role conflict by shifting responsibility for its consequences to others. For example, the habit of “washing your hands”, thanks to which the individual is constantly freed from personal responsibility for the consequences of fulfilling one or another social role, shifting responsibility to others, objective circumstances, “vicissitudes of fate.”
Using these methods unconscious defense and conscious connection of social structures the individual can avoid dangerous consequences role conflicts.
Role conflicts and their types
Interrole conflict arises because the same person has to perform several roles simultaneously. This happens when significant areas of his roles intersect and, within a certain situation, mutually exclusive role expectations collide. For example, role conflict in one form or another inevitably arises among working women who are forced to combine professional and family roles. Such moments give rise to tragic collisions, which can be avoided with the help of role strategies - special efforts to optimally combine one’s roles. One more simple example There may be a banal situation of inter-role conflict when the husband’s parents do not like his wife and his filial duty conflicts with marital responsibilities. The role strategy in this case may come down to living separately from the parents and not being financially dependent on them.
Intra-role conflicts arise when a social role involves complex relationships and conflicting social expectations. For example, a foreman at a factory must manage the workers as required by the administration, and at the same time strive to improve their working conditions, as the workers demand of him.
"Situational role conflict“, described by K. Thomas, arises in situations when new expectations associated with a new role are directed at an individual, and he cannot adequately respond to them because he is still in the old role and is not ready to fulfill a new one. For example, in India for a long time there was a custom of marrying off girls very early; When the young wife had a child, she was not yet ready to take on the role of mother. In the story of Rabindranath Tagore, the child of such a girl-mother drowned, left unattended by her when she went to play with dolls with her friends.
People who have been performing the same social role for a long time develop specific habits. For example, those who, by occupation, constantly speak in front of an audience, develop a professional habit of speaking loudly, clearly and expressively, which they then cannot get rid of in the family. Sometimes society itself requires certain habits and skills from a person, for example, absolute cleanliness of hands from a surgeon. Such habits and customs are called role attributes. The normative core of a role is usually surrounded by a number of non-normative attributes, which also participate in the formation of behavioral expectations.
Fulfilling a social role implies some degree of unfreedom. Indeed, when performing a role, a person acts not as his individuality requires, but according to regulatory requirements, which his role imposes on him. Some roles are so externally regulated that they dictate almost every movement (for example, a worker on an assembly line); their performance often causes a feeling of psychological oppression associated with alienation. Other professional roles allow for a greater degree of freedom, and others even require individual modifications from their bearers, for example, the role of applicant scientific degree requires a certain novelty scientific developments. Psychological comfort and quality of performance of role responsibilities are related to the extent to which the role corresponds personal characteristics the individual, and his skills and abilities - the requirements of the role. In this case, there is no or almost no alienation when performing a role and maximum “fusion” of the individual with the role is achieved. We can say that role behavior is a kind of synthesis of the individual and those introduced by role requirements.
However, one should not assume that the presence of a social role limits individual freedom (as R. Dahrendorf understands it). Man is a social being, and a significant share of his sociality is concentrated in social roles. The study of possible roles occurs in childhood, when the child seems to “pretend” to take on the role of mother, teacher, commander in the game. This phase of social development is called sociabilization. During the further process of socialization, a person acts as a bearer of his own roles (daughter, student) and, by fulfilling them, learns to master new roles that are yet to come. For example, by helping her mother with housework as a daughter, a girl learns to fulfill the role of a housewife and mother; By obeying his parents in the role of a son, the boy prepares to fulfill the role of a student and obey the teacher when he goes to school.
The process of socialization lasts many years, in fact, a lifetime. This means that a person's relationship to the roles of other people never stops. A person, playing his roles, constantly encounters other people’s roles that are still unknown to him. Describing these processes, J. Mead speaks of the presence in the human personality of a social aspect (I through the eyes of the Other), which includes a set of internalized roles, and actually personal aspect(I-center), not filled with social roles and able to distance himself from them.
J. Mead and other representatives of social psychology showed that the human self develops and achieves the fullness of existence only when it is freed from pure subjectivity and reflects itself in the outside world, fulfilling a set of social roles.
Accepting a certain social role also means rejecting the possibilities of behavior that are incompatible with this role, which are hidden in a person’s inner self. For example, a doctor with the inclinations of a clinical scientist must give up the opportunity to leave the patient’s disease to its natural course in order to observe its development “for science.” The husband must renounce absolute freedom to have extramarital affairs.
Sometimes a person is faced with role demands that cause him a crisis of self-identification, i.e. which he cannot internalize and make part of his personality without thereby destroying his personal core. Psychologists state that people become sick due to certain role demands. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the socio-historical nature of the reaction to role alienation. For example, in despotic societies Ancient East masses of people during for long years suffered such severe forms of role alienation that are completely unbearable and even unimaginable in a modern individualistic society.
Formation of role conflict
(country, region, city, district, village) is a system of institutions and organizations. It can function normally if people constantly perform a huge number of roles corresponding to their statuses. This refers to social communities that also have social status and role. For example, one academic group at a university has a high academic status, while another group has a low one. The same strong study group can play football poorly, while a weak one can play football well.
The characteristic of a person is intrapersonal role conflict. It represents a conflict between different legitimated role expectations in a given situation. Emphasizing legitimized role expectations means that the choice is not between legitimate and deviant role expectations. An example would be the conflict between the role of an athlete and the role of a student. A person experiences a state of tension, discomfort, and depression, since both roles and their corresponding sets of values are important to him. Resolving such a conflict in favor of one of the roles and values or a compromise between them is associated with the distribution of time and energy.
Role conflict also affects connections with other people. This means that from intrapersonal he becomes interpersonal. As a student and athlete, a person enters into certain social connections and systems (academic, sports), which also have role expectations for him. One has to take into account the role expectations of others that influence a person. In this regard, a person who is more motivated by studies may choose the role of an athlete if on a sports team good coach and friends. This leads to a redistribution of time and effort in favor of the athlete's role. The conflict in which people play is also interpersonal. different roles: for example, the roles of superior and subordinate, pragmatist and romantic, internationalist and nationalist, etc.
Role conflict arises when people, social groups, institutions, organizations do not implement the intended plan for status and role elevation. For example, a person interested in defending a doctoral dissertation remains a candidate of science; a company aiming to enter the international market remains within the national market, etc. This state can be due to many reasons: a contradiction between needs and roles; role conflict; mismatch between abilities and roles, and others. In this case, a conflict arises between the failed role and other roles of the person, as well as the roles of a social group, institution, or organization. It can be resolved either by implementing a role, or by changing values-roles, or by coming to terms with external circumstances.
The discrepancy between a person’s character and his roles is natural at the stage of role formation. It is important to choose roles that match our character, or, conversely, to adapt our character to social roles. In the first case, a person must choose a profession, wife, society, etc., depending on his needs, temperament, mentality, and lifestyle. For example, a person with a lack musical abilities should not become a musician, etc. In the second case, a person has to “get used to” a new role: student, military man, married, etc. Usually both processes occur simultaneously, but with different intensity.
Often a conflict arises between the abilities of the subject and the requirements of the new role: student, employee, husband, father, citizen, etc. Its result is poor performance of one’s role. For example, in the first year a student studies satisfactorily, although he did excellent at school. He is faced with the task of developing his abilities and character in relation to new conditions and roles, which requires time and effort. This also applies to social communities, institutions, organizations: for example, before many social institutions USSR during the transition to post-Soviet society.
Role conflict arises during the transition from one leading role to another, for example, from the role of an employee to the role of a pensioner. Overcoming such a conflict (changing and demoting roles) requires mental preparation, time and effort, and will. Such conflict is also inherent in social groups, institutions, and organizations. For example, the transformation of former Soviet workers from a nominal “hegemon” into a virtually powerless class, or scientists from a relatively prosperous layer into the poor became a very difficult and painful transformation.
Role conflict plays a big role in the formation of deviant behavior and motivation. The psychological tension and frustration that arises along with it interfere with the harmonious integration of the individual into social connection and the system, its assimilation of conformal values and motivations. Parsons identified the mechanisms of socialization (learning), protection and adaptation (to the situation, environment) in the human structure. Socialization mechanism is a process as a result of which a person acquires new motivational (need, cognitive, evaluative) orientations, new value orientations, new objects, new interests. Protection mechanism - these are processes of overcoming internal conflict between different needs, motivations, value orientations, roles-statuses. Adaptation mechanisms - these are the processes by which a person overcomes tension and conflict in his relationship with the action situation. In this case, the mechanisms of protection and adaptation, after implementation, dissolve in the mechanism of socialization.
According to the definition of role conflict by one of the leading specialists in the field of role theories, Bruce Biddle, “role conflict is any of several possible relatively long-lasting incongruities between elements of roles exhibited by people in a social situation that lead to problems for one or more more these people as individuals."
Role conflicts arise from contradictions between three groups of factors: a) organizational(role prescriptions, or socially assigned role positions); b) interpersonal(interaction style, mutual role expectations); V) personal(motives, values, fears, self-concept of a person).
IN different sources There are from 4 to 16 types of role conflicts, the most common are: a) intrarole- internal conflict between different components or varieties of the same role; b) interrole- internal conflict between incompatible (divergent) roles played by one individual; V) intrapersonal- internal conflict between different models of the same role; G) interpersonal- external conflict between incompatible (divergent) roles different people.
Internal role conflicts are based on contradictions between a person’s role behavior and his idea of himself as a subject of this role. It arises when a person accepts a psychological role only externally, at the level of behavior, but cannot accept it internally, at the level of experience, and consider it his own. A situation of internal role conflict can arise when a person is forced to accept a psychological role under the pressure of external circumstances. Internal role conflict can also arise in a situation where the same role is subject to conflicting expectations from different subjects or groups that cannot be satisfied at the same time.
External role conflicts are most often based on contradictions between a person’s actual role behavior and the role expectations of others. It arises in situations when a person does not want or cannot fulfill the social role that he should play according to his position in the group, or does not accept social role stereotypes and norms accepted in society. As a result of such a violation on the part of society, sanctions of varying degrees of severity may follow. External role conflict can also arise when a person changes his role behavior. The desire to play new role encounters old expectations formed in the group that force the person to return to the previous role.
Internal and external conflicts can turn into one another. By succumbing to group pressure and changing his role behavior to a socially desirable one, a person “drives” the conflict inside. On the contrary, if, due to internal motivation, he “throws off” the unwanted role, then the conflict turns into an external one. Conformist and hypersocialized individuals gravitate towards internal role conflict, which, in essence, is a neurotic response to the situation. Personalities characterized by psychopathic maladaptation, on the contrary, are inclined to the external.
Notes
Literature
- Ermine P. P. Personality and role: Role approach in social psychology of personality. - K.: Interpress LTD, 2007. - 312 p. - ISBN 978-966-501-060-9.
- Leitz G. Psychodrama: theory and practice. Classical psychodrama by Ya. L. Moreno: trans. with him. - 2nd ed. - M.: Kogito-Center, 2007. - 380 p. - ISBN 978-5-89353-200-5.
- Shibutani T. Social psychology: trans. from English - Height/D. : Phoenix, 1998. - 544 p. - ISBN 5-222-00212-8.
- Biddle B. J., Twyman J. P., Rankin E. F. The concept of role conflict // Social studies series. - Stillwater (Okla), 1960. - No. 11. - 60 p.
Return to Types of Conflicts
Role conflict is a situation when a person is faced with two or more simultaneous demands in which the fulfillment of one of the roles makes it impossible for him to perform other roles.
In the most general form, two types of role conflicts can be distinguished: between roles and within one role. Often two or more roles (either independent or parts of a role system) contain incompatible, conflicting responsibilities of an individual. For example, a working wife finds that the demands of her day job may conflict with her household responsibilities; or a married student must reconcile the demands placed on him as a husband with the demands placed on him as a student; or a police officer sometimes must choose between fulfilling his official duty and arresting a close friend. This kind of conflict refers to role conflict between roles.
An example of conflict occurring within one role is the position of a manager or public figure a person who publicly proclaims one point of view, but in a narrow circle declares himself a supporter of the opposite, or an individual who, under the pressure of circumstances, plays a role that does not meet either his interests or his internal attitudes.
There are several types of actions with the help of which role tension can be reduced and the human “I” can be protected from many unpleasant experiences. This usually includes rationalization, division and regulation of roles.
The first two types of actions are considered unconscious defense mechanisms that a person uses purely instinctively. However, if these processes are understood and used intentionally, their effectiveness is greatly enhanced. As for the third method of action, it is used mainly consciously and rationally.
Rationalization of roles is one of the ways to protect against a person’s painful perception of a situation with the help of concepts that are socially and personally desirable for him. A classic illustration of this is the case of a girl who cannot find a groom and convinces herself that she will be happy if she does not marry, because all men are deceivers, rude and selfish.
Separation of roles reduces role tension by temporarily removing one of the roles from life and turning it off from the individual’s consciousness, but while maintaining a response to the system of role requirements inherent in this role. History gives us numerous examples of cruel rulers, executioners and murderers who were at the same time kind and caring husbands and fathers. Their main activities and family roles were completely separate.
Government needs
Regression analysis
Civil society
Fiscal policy
Innovative projects
Back | | Up
©2009-2018 Financial Management Center.
Role conflict
All rights reserved. Publication of materials
permitted with the obligatory indication of a link to the site.
Role behavior is a person's specific use of a social role. His personal characteristics are reflected here.
Role behavior is the individual performance of a social role - society sets the standard of behavior, and the performance of the role is personal. Mastering social roles is part of the process of socialization of the Personality, an indispensable condition for the “growth” of the Personality in a society of their own kind. In role behavior, role conflicts can arise: inter-role (a person is forced to simultaneously perform several roles, sometimes contradictory), intra-role (occur when different demands are placed on the bearer of one role from different social groups). Gender roles: male, female. Professional roles: boss, subordinate, etc.
Any role has a structure:
1. Model of human behavior from society.
2. A system of representing a person as he should behave.
3. The actual observable behavior of a person occupying this status.
In the event of a mismatch between these components, a role conflict arises.
1. Interrole conflict. A person performs many roles, the requirements of which are incompatible or he does not have the strength or time to perform these roles well.
At the heart of this conflict is illusion.
Role conflict is...
Intra-role conflict. When there are different requirements for performing the same role different representatives social groups. The presence of intra-role conflict is very dangerous for the Personality.
Types of roles:
- psychological or interpersonal (in the system of subjective interpersonal relationships). Categories: leaders, preferred, not accepted, outsiders;
— social (in the system of objective social relations). Categories: professional, demographic.
- active or current - executed in this moment;
- latent (hidden) - a person is potentially a carrier, but not at the moment
— conventional (official);
- elemental, spontaneous - arise in specific situation, not stipulated by the requirements.
27. Concept, structure and process of socialization .
Socialization - the formation of personality - the process of an individual’s assimilation of patterns of behavior, psychological attitudes, social norms and values, knowledge, and skills that allow him to function successfully in society. Human socialization begins at birth and continues throughout life. In its process, he assimilates the social experience accumulated by humanity in various fields life activity, which allows you to perform certain, vital social roles. Socialization is considered as a process, condition, manifestation and result social formation personality. As a process, it means the social formation and development of personality depending on the nature of human interaction with the environment, adaptation to it, taking into account individual characteristics. As a condition, it indicates the presence of the society that a person needs for natural social development as an individual. As a manifestation, it is a person’s social reaction, taking into account his age and social development in the system of specific social relations. It is used to judge the level of social development. As a result, it is a fundamental characteristic of a person and his characteristics as a social unit of society in accordance with his age. A child may be behind or ahead of his peers in his development. In this case, socialization as a result characterizes the child’s social status in relation to his peers.
With a broader interpretation (Ilyasov F.N.), socialization is understood as the process of including an individual in the system of social relations. In this case, socialization can be considered as a combination of the following processes:
1. internalization of social norms;
2. mastering social functions;
3. joining a social group (social mobility).
28. The theory of the “mirror self” by C. Cooley and the “social self” by J. Mead.
Cooley's main concept is called the "mirror self" theory. Its origins go back to pragmatism, in particular the ideas about the “social self” of W. James and the views of J. Dewey. Cooley's concept received its final completion later from J. Mead. According to William James, a person has as many “social selves” as there are individuals and groups whose opinions he cares about. Continuing James's ideas, Cooley called the most important feature social being the ability to distinguish oneself from a group and become aware of one’s “I”. This happens through communication with other people and assimilation of their opinions about themselves.
Cooley proposed that the self consists of self-feelings that are formed through relationships with others. We see ourselves through the reflection of our feelings in the realities of others. They are a mirror for us. Our ideas about ourselves come: 1) through our imagination of how we appear to others; 2) we think they are holding us back; 3) how we feel about all this. In other words, our understanding of ourselves is a process, not a fixed state, it always develops as we interact with others, whose opinions of us are constantly changing. A person is not a passive receiver; on the contrary, he actively manipulates the decisions of others, selecting them, which one should be followed or not, and evaluates the roles of partners. Not all information we receive from others affects us. We tend to accept only those perspectives that confirm our own self-image and resist all others.
He emphasized the fundamental role of consciousness in shaping social processes. “Human life” is the integrity of the individual and the social. Cooley is the creator of the theory of primary groups, which embody the universal character of human nature, and the theory of the “mirror self.” Cooley defined human nature as biological and social, developed through interaction in primary groups and being a complex of social feelings, attitudes, and moral norms.
The “looking-glass self” is a society that serves as a kind of mirror. In such a mirror we can see other people's reactions to our own behavior. Our concept of ourselves originates precisely in such reflection, observing the responses of other people - or imagining what they should be, i.e. how those around us should react to this or that action of ours - we are only capable of assessing ourselves and our own actions.
⇐ Previous12131415161718192021Next ⇒
Date of publication: 2015-03-29; Read: 235 | Page copyright infringement
Studopedia.org - Studopedia.Org - 2014-2018 (0.002 s)…
Article: My social roles and role conflicts
Essay
My social roles, role conflicts
Introduction. 2
Definition of the concept of “social role”. 3
Types of social roles, my social roles. 5
Role conflicts... 6
Conclusion. 7
List of used literature... 8
Introduction
In my opinion, the topic of the problem of personality is one of the most interesting and relevant in sociology.
In the modern world, the problem of the human personality and its social roles is one of the most important problems.
This is explained by the fact that today’s world, where most countries have chosen a democratic path of development, is based on a civil society consisting of people involved in the fate of the state, who know their rights, and participate in socio-political life. Such people, who are individuals and adequately perceive their social roles, should be at the core of any society. However, not all people know what a personality is and do not realize the role that a personality should play in the modern world.
Personality is the basis for the development of society, so I am very interested in the topic of social roles of the individual, and I decided to study it in detail in order to further apply the acquired knowledge in practice.
I think it is necessary to familiarize yourself with educational literature in sociology, with articles in periodicals, when working on the designated topic and find out the essence of the individual, its social status and social roles, consider the concept of role conflict, its essence and causes.
What is the essence of the concept of “social role”? What are the social roles? What social roles do I perform? What is the cause of role conflicts?
I will try to illuminate the answers to these questions in this work.
So, the purpose of the essay is to study the problem of social roles and role conflicts, to characterize my social roles.
Definition of the concept “social role”
As a person develops and grows up, he is included in many groups and public spaces, in each of which communication is reproduced on the basis of its own language, its own internal symbolism. Wanting to be understood and accepted, a person must master these symbols. The concept of “role” in sociology reflects the way a person is given shape. The role sets and suggests typical patterns of action and secures a certain identity. When entering into interaction, each individual has an idea of how this interaction should proceed.
The result is the following vision of a person: “S sociological point vision, social personality there is no stable given entity, moving from one situation to another. It represents a process of constant generation and rebirth in every social situation - a process tied together by the thin thread of memory.
This vision is opposed by another, which considers the individual as a stable, high-quality social subject, taking shape as the main carrier of the social, by which one can judge the essence of social life.
As confirmation that the latter approach more adequately reflects social reality, we can consider the conclusions that arise in connection with the analysis of the level of role performance. Analysis shows that this level is one, common to all roles performed in society by one person. A person in social everyday life performs his various roles no higher and no lower than the level determined by the level of development, the wealth of his “I”.
A social role is an expectation placed by society on an individual occupying a particular status. It does not depend on the personality itself, its desires and exists, as it were, apart from and before the personality itself. How should a person with a certain position behave, how to act in a given situation, social status- all this is destined by society, developed by society, its culture, its history. In the language of the theater, from where the concept of role was borrowed, we can say that society assigns roles to all dramatic characters.
I believe that a role is a pattern of behavior for a person occupying a certain status. When applying for this status, a person must fulfill all the role instructions that are assigned to this social position. It is not the role that is “adapted” to the performer, but the performer must fulfill the role prescribed for him by society, culture, and traditions.
In my opinion, if a job requires restraint, and a person is emotional and hot-tempered, he should either give up his career or learn to control himself.
A role, being a pattern of behavior independent of the individual, is the main means of ensuring the effective functioning of the fundamental basis of social life - social institutions.
I agree with the precise point of view that it is necessary to correlate social roles with values, norms of behavior, traditions, and customs.
Values, norms and roles arise and are established in a single sociocultural space. The content of the role is determined by value priorities and standards of behavior accepted in a given society and culture. Within the framework of a social role, norms of behavior are systematized into a single whole in accordance with the specifics of the function and status that the role serves.
Types of social roles, my social roles
The types of social roles are determined by the variety of social groups, types of activities and relationships in which the individual is included. Depending on social relations, social and interpersonal social roles are distinguished.
Social roles are associated with social status, profession or type of activity (teacher, student, student, salesperson). These are standardized impersonal roles, built on the basis of rights and responsibilities, regardless of who plays these roles. There are socio-demographic roles: husband, wife, daughter, son, grandson... Man and woman are also social roles, biologically predetermined and presupposing specific modes of behavior, enshrined in social norms and customs.
Interpersonal roles are associated with interpersonal relationships that are regulated at the emotional level (leader, offended, neglected, family idol, loved one, etc.).
In my opinion, every person acts in some dominant social role, a kind of social role as the most typical individual image, familiar to others. Change familiar image extremely difficult both for the person himself and for the perception of the people around him.
I now move on to consider my social roles, so who am I?
My first social roles were as the daughter of my parents, the granddaughter of my grandparents, my sister, my niece. These roles are considered innate.
I am also a friend and acquaintance. I am a sociable person, I make acquaintances easily. I'm lucky in this life - there are a lot of really good people around.
I am a student, a former student. I like to study, although I am not an excellent student, but if I need to do something in my studies, at least I always get positive results.
My main role, which determines social status, has not yet been defined; it is the status or job role, which is acquired when a person begins to work.
So, to summarize the above: the totality of social roles performed by an individual forms the role set of the individual. The formation of a role set is the result of socialization, during which we learn new roles.
Role conflicts
In people's lives, role conflicts often arise that cause emotional tension.
Role conflict is a situation in which a “clash” of roles occurs within a person’s role set, when one role contradicts another or the performance of several roles turns out to be impossible.
Here are some examples of role conflicts:
A working student must fulfill the role of an employee, in accordance with the social expectations of the head of the company, carry out his instructions and observe labor discipline; at the same time, at the university he must fulfill the role of a student in accordance with the expectations of teachers and the requirements of the dean’s office, he is obliged to attend lectures and seminars, and pass exams and tests on time.
A woman is a teacher (professional role), and her own child is studying in her class.
Role conflict: causes, methods of resolution and varieties. Examples of role conflicts
The professional role and the maternal role may also collide.
In my opinion, role conflict between fathers and children is very common. I often think about the fact that very often there are complaints from both adults and children about problems with mutual understanding. I thought a lot about why this is so. After all, the problem did not arise yesterday. In my opinion, parents and teenagers occupy completely different social statuses in society and perform different social roles. And often there is not one such role for one person, but many. Each social role has its own rights and responsibilities in society, its own measure of responsibility. It seems to me that this may be the cause of this conflict.
Methods for resolving role conflicts can be associated either with the choice of a priority role in a particular situation, or with the rejection of one of the social roles.
Conclusion
Thus, based on the above, I can conclude that a person’s position in society and the behavior determined by it are characterized using the concepts of “social status of the individual” and “social role”. The main role in the process of socialization of the individual, that is, his assimilation of social norms, patterns of behavior, spiritual values, is played by the family, peer group, school, and the media.
The social role is associated with a certain position of the individual in the social system (social status), i.e., with a set of rights and responsibilities. Any social structure of society can be represented as a certain status-role structure. Social roles are acquired by the individual during the process of socialization. A role is only a separate aspect of the holistic behavior of an individual, which represents a certain role set.
An individual who always performs several roles in society may encounter role conflict when he tries to adhere to the demands of incompatible roles, for example, a student and a member of a friendly group. Sociologists distinguish between standardized, impersonal roles, which are built on the basis of rights and responsibilities and have little dependence on who performs them (official roles - salesperson, cashier, etc.), and roles that are determined by the individual characteristics of their participants (roles of lovers) .
List of used literature
1. Dobrenkov V.I., Kravchenko A.I. Sociology. – M.: INFRA-M, 2007. – 512 p.
2. Ivanov D.V., Ivanova D.V. Sociology. – M.: YURAIT, 2005. – 326 p.
3. Kravchenko A. I., Anurin V. F. Sociology. – St. Petersburg: Peter, 2005. – 432 p.
4. Krysko V. G. Social psychology. – M.: INFRA-M, 2005. – 432 p.
5. General sociology: textbook manual / ed. A.G. Efendieva.- M.: Infra-M, 2002.- 653 p.
6. Parsons, T. About social systems / T. Parsons. - M., 2002. - 600 p.
7. Sosnin V. A., Krasnikova E. A. Social psychology. – M.: Forum, 2007. – 336 p.
8. Turner, J. Structure sociological theory/J. Turner.- M., 1985.- 342 p.
9. Frolov S.S. Sociology. – M.: Gardariki, 2004. – 344 p.
10. Platonov Yu. P. Social statutes and social roles www.elitarium.ru/2007/03/23/socialnye_statusy_i_socialnye_roli.html
Download abstract
Role conflict.
One of the ways to describe a person as a subject of activity is to use ideas about the totality of his roles, which goes back in Western social psychology to the works of interactionists J. Mead and C. Cooley. From their point of view, a person receives his social identity through a system of interactions with other people in the group. The strength of a group is not equal to the sum of the strengths of all its members, since there is an interaction effect called synergy. Different group members perform different functions in the interaction process, which are called roles. Consensus in the group process is ensured by the fact that each group member knows the group's expectations regarding his behavior within the framework of his assigned role. Each role has its own content: patterns of actions, knowledge, abilities and skills; reactions to the actions of other people. A person can correlate the logic of his actions with the logic of social expectations and norms. And here lies the source of intrapersonal conflict. The emergence of a contradiction between different role positions of an individual, his capabilities and corresponding role behavior can lead to role conflicts. Traditionally, two types of role conflicts are distinguished:
· Personal role conflict: conflict I role, where differences arise between the requirements of the role and the capabilities and ideas of the individual about it. Here the problem of choice arises from the inability to meet the requirements of the role, or from the unwillingness to meet it. In this situation, a person can refuse to perform a role or choose a role and change himself; Some kind of compromise option for resolving this contradiction is also possible.
· Interrole conflict involves a contradiction between different role positions, which for some reason turn out to be incompatible (family work).
Typical factors that determine the strength of this type of conflict are:
1. the degree of incompatibility of different role expectations;
2. the severity with which these requirements are imposed;
3. personal characteristics of the individual himself, his attitude to role expectations.
Particularly tragic are conflicts that affect the zone of standard roles, since the resolution of such a conflict is associated with the need to change the self-concept of the individual, which is accompanied by rather painful experiences. Here, too, a non-constructive way out of the conflict is possible through the use of intrapersonal defense mechanisms that delay the solution of the problem or block its awareness.
Thus, in domestic and Western psychology we see radically different attitudes: if our authors strive to consider the mental world of the individual as an integrity and define conflict as an element of difficult situations for the psyche, then Western conflictologists follow the path of structuring conflict into specific specific types and try to work with each form in their own way. Each of the described paradigms has its own strengths and weak sides, and, apparently, they would only benefit if they tried to find a common methodological platform for interaction.
In addition to the problem formulated in terms of what conflict is, psychologists answer the question of nature of the relationship conflicting parties. It breaks down into three sub-questions:
· Comparative intensity of opposing forces in a conflict: this sub-question has been solved unambiguously since the time K. Levin posed the problem and presupposes their approximate equality.
Determination of the relative direction of these forces relative to each other:
opposition, which leads to the internal impossibility of a solution (neurosis in the terms of K. Horney);
the difference is less than 180 and therefore behavior can be found that more or less satisfies both impulses;
· seems internally contradictory;
· is incompatible only situationally, i.e. not fundamentally, but only according to the conditions of a particular place and time.
In general, it is worth noting that conflict, and especially intrapersonal conflict, is a complex phenomenon that is difficult to classify. But, nevertheless, there are two approaches to the typology of this kind of conflict. 1 system uses the language of a person’s experience of a difficult situation for him. An example of this approach is the classification of Antsupov and Shipilov, based on the Freudian theory of describing the human psyche:
Motivational conflict a clash of motives, unconscious aspirations (see above: Z. Freud, K. Horney, K. Levin). Between I want and I want.
Moral conflict the clash of duty and desire, moral principles and personal affections, desires and external requirements, duty and doubts about the need to follow it (Soviet school, V. Frankl). Between want and need.
Conflict of unfulfilled desire or inferiority complex conflict between desires and reality, which blocks their satisfaction, or insufficient physical capabilities(often this is a conflict between the desire to be like them - the reference group and the impossibility of fulfillment) (A. Adler; Soviet school). Between I want and I can.
Role conflict intra-role (a person’s different understanding of himself and his role: I and the role), inter-role (the inability to combine several roles by one person).
Role conflicts
The intensity of role conflict is determined by the degree of compatibility and incompatibility of different expectations; the level of severity with which these requirements are imposed; personal characteristics the individual himself, his attitude to role expectations. Between need and need.
Adaptation conflict imbalance between man and the environment ( broad meaning) or disruption of the process of social or professional adaptation. Between I must and I can.
Conflict of inadequate self-esteem discrepancy between self-esteem, aspirations and real opportunities(options: low or a high self-evaluation and low or high level of aspirations). Between I can and I can.
Neurotic conflict long-lasting any of the above-described types of conflicts or their combinations.
The second typology of conflicts operates with other, more general units and involves a description based on the general phenomenology of a person’s self-awareness. Researchers call the content of the work of self-awareness to overcome conflict a personal solution to the problem of conflict meaning.
Completion methods intrapersonal conflicts can be unconscious or conscious:
1. unconscious are associated with the use of intrapersonal defense mechanisms (idealization, repression, withdrawal, sublimation, etc.);
2. conscious are defined by the following options:
· reorientation, change in claims regarding the object that caused the problem;
· compromise - making a choice in favor of an option and its implementation;
· correction changing the self-concept in the direction of achieving an adequate idea of \u200b\u200bself.
Consequences of intrapersonal conflicts:
constructive maximum development conflicting structures and minimal personal costs for its resolution, this is one of the mechanisms of harmonization personal development(complication mental life, its transition to another level of functioning, the development of a moral sense, awareness of oneself as a person as a result of conflict resolution, character is tempered, determination is formed, stability of behavior, stable personality orientation, contributes to the formation of adequate self-esteem);
destructive aggravation of split personality, escalation into life crises, development of neurotic reactions (threat to the effectiveness of activities, inhibition of personality development, loss of self-confidence, formation of a stable inferiority complex, destruction of existing interpersonal relationships in the form of increased aggressiveness, anxiety and irritability; escalation of intrapersonal conflict into neurotic form (the experiences inherent in conflict occupy central place in the system of human relations, and he cannot change the conflict so that the pathogenic tension disappears and a rational way out of the current situation is found).
The general significance of conflicts in the life of an individual is such that in psychological conflict The very structure of the personality, its relationships, i.e., may change. This is an acute form of personality development.
As K. Horney notes, the type, scope and intensity of conflicts largely depend on the civilization in which a person lives. If it is stable and there are strong established traditions, then the options for choosing opportunities are limited, the range of individual potential conflicts is narrow. But even in these cases there is no shortage of them. But if a civilization is in a state of rapid change, where extremely contradictory values coexist side by side, and the lifestyles of different people are increasingly divergent, then the choices that a person has to make are very diverse and difficult. Our country today can be classified as a civilization of the second type, the development problems of which are expressed, among other things, in a variety of intrapersonal conflicts.
Communication and relationships are as important to humans as breathing. After all, without them we will not be able to learn even the most basic things. From the very beginning of life, we communicate with our family, then with children, adults, and then we ourselves grow up. Relationships with every page of life change: first we are children, sisters, brothers, then for some we are friends, classmates, colleagues, subordinates or managers. Depending on the functions we perform, we play different social roles.
The place of social role in our life
When a person enters society, he carries something with him and takes something for himself. As a member and direct participant one of the public social groups, he has some status.
Conflict - what kind of phenomenon?
It should be noted that in order to fulfill a social role, a person needs certain skills and time to learn how to do this. Sometimes it turns out that the same subject must perform conflicting duties. A striking example is the wife-director. At home she should be subordinate to her husband, and at work she should indicate to her subordinates. Because of this, contradictions appear within the personality itself ( internal conflicts) and tense relationships with others. It is precisely because of their status and position in society that certain requirements are imposed on a person. Social role is the behavior of people depending on different requirements for them. One and the same person can simultaneously be a brother, father, son-in-law, worker, friend.
These types of role conflicts differ significantly from each other. Inter-role conflicts occur when the behavior of a person performing different roles does not meet the expectations of others. These expectations and requirements in most cases do not depend on the subject himself. They are formed public opinion, traditions, stereotypes. Intra-role confrontations depend on a person’s perception of his behavior in terms of the expectations that his environment has for him. There is a process of layering the ideas of people and their groups onto the role performed by one subject.
Types of role conflicts are complemented by one more: personal-role conflict. It involves a discrepancy between the role and the needs and values of the individual. This type of collision is also considered intrapersonal. Such examples of role conflicts from life are common. Thus, an honest young accountant, trying to do his job correctly, will constantly struggle within himself if his superiors expect him to engage in financial fraud for their own benefit.
Why does role conflict occur?
Collisions between people, their expectations and ideas, in to a greater extent depend on the formed norms and rules of society. If a person does not conform to established stereotypes and rules, as well as legal norms for regulating behavior, he experiences a role conflict. You need to understand that it does not appear out of nowhere. First, a person’s action occurs (within the framework of his activity), then his behavior is analyzed from the outside based on the listed mechanisms, then an assessment is given.
Specifics of role conflicts
There are several specific points that apply only to role-playing confrontations:
- the close connection of such a conflict with a person’s position in society (his interaction and relationships with others);
- dependence on character psychological expectations society (inconsistency, heterogeneity, which is determined by the activities of the individual, his position in society and the content of actions).
Mechanisms of psychological defense during clashes of expectations
Role conflict brings discomfort to a person, because any interference in his inner world is regarded as an attack on the security and recognition of the individual. Therefore, during such collisions, they trigger defense mechanisms psychics that help the subject maintain internal harmony.
- Separation of roles. A person deliberately temporarily stops performing one of the roles, thereby giving himself the opportunity to rest and “reboot”. But, at the same time, he continues to respond to the requirements that relate to the performance of this role.
- Rationalization. It occurs when the subject wishes, but due to certain circumstances, cannot behave according to the expectations of others. Protecting itself from a significant role, the human psyche seeks it negative sides to prevent role conflict. Examples of such defense are often found among schoolchildren, people who cannot achieve their goals.
The difference between tension and conflict within a role
We all go through a certain process of socialization. More from small age children repeat the actions of adults, thereby adopting experience and role behavior. Everyone goes through the process of socialization differently, some have had good experience since childhood, others have not seen anything positive. When a person grows up, he begins to behave according to his position and role. And here role tension can arise - the subject is simply not ready for the demands that the public places on him. To eliminate such tension, students undergo practical training, teenagers learn household management skills, and so on.
Tension increases and leads to conflicts when opposing roles are layered on top of each other. For example, a girl is passing exams, being a successful student, and trying to care for a child, having recently taken on the role of mother.
Readiness to fulfill a social role as a way to prevent role conflicts
We already know that social roles and role conflicts are closely related to each other. But just as in medicine there is the concept of disease prevention, so in psychology there is the direction of preventing role conflicts. Everything is quite simple - you just need to be prepared to fulfill a social role in order to avoid tension and conflicts associated with it.
Ways to resolve role conflicts
They are divided into two types:
The first type is that a person has the opportunity to protect himself from role conflicts. He may quit his job, stop communicating with former friends, change your vacation spot, and so on.
The second type, on an unconscious level, protects us from unnecessary stress associated with role tension and conflict. Here the classic defense mechanisms come first: repression, isolation, rationalization, identification and some others. He begins to actively act when there is no way to solve the situation differently; the person either does not know how to do it or cannot. In this case, it is not the situation of conflict or tension that changes, but the person’s attitude towards it, his perception of the environment.
