CONFLICT MANAGEMENT The Psychology of conflict and conflict ...

282 SPECTOR AND BRUK-LEE
effect of one conflict type into another and, therefore, the indirect consequences
that task conflict may ultimately have on personal well-being. The
latter represents a much larger challenge as it calls for theoretical development
of the interrelationships between conflict types.
Another basic question that requires attention is whether the proposed
model applies to conflict that occurs at the intragroup level. Although
research has focused exclusively on relationship conflict at the interpersonal
level, it is our contention that the basic process would remain
for relationship conflicts at the intragroup level. Future research could
address whether the health and well-being impact of conflict is exacerbated
for people having to work in an interdependent group.
Current occupational stress studies have focused on the negative health
and well-being consequences of interpersonal conflict. While our model
proposes that conflict is detrimental to health and well-being, it is possible
that how that conflict is managed results in positive outcomes to wellbeing.
For example, although conflict with your coworkers may lead to
psychosomatic complaints (e.g., inability to sleep at night), effective management
of that conflict may result in an increased sense of self-esteem
because you now realize you are capable of resolving interpersonal issues
with others. This distinction between the effects of conflict and the effects
of conflict after effective conflict management has not been previously
studied in the area of occupational stress. Future research could address
whether individuals engaged in conflict report different health and wellbeing
reactions depending upon whether the conflict was effectively
resolved. Although intuitively we would think that effective conflict management
behaviors would impact the effects of conflict on employee wellbeing,
research is lacking empirically to address such a question, and for
that reason, for now, we have not included this link in our model.
Most studies of conflict have relied on cross-sectional, single-source
survey methods, which limit causal conclusions. There are a handful of
studies, however, that have used longitudinal and multisource designs, as
noted in our review. Additional research using these and other designs is
needed to help delineate the causal connections between interpersonal
conflict and other variables. This might involve experimental or quasiexperimental
designs in which interventions intended to reduce interpersonal
conflict are introduced to see if they have an impact on conflict
and other variables expected to be the result of conflict, such as emotional
reactions. Such studies might be quite feasible if tied to team building and
conflict resolution interventions in organizations.
ConClusion
As our review has shown, interpersonal conflict at work has implications
for both employee and organizational well-being. For individuals excessive
conflict can lead to behavioral, physical, and psychological strain. For