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However, conflicts can either be confronted or challenged. This depends on whether the
people concerned feel the situation is serious enough to cause confrontation or not.
They may even try to get what they want in another way, or forgive the wrong that has
been done to them. The latter situation occurs when the group concerned feels it does
not have enough resources to confront the problem. This happens with low power
groups. High power groups can also choose to withdraw from confrontation because
they feel it would cause more harm than good, or it may harm the relationship that
exists. This can be in a family context or in international relations where countries
decide not to risk war.
Mood
To Thompson (1998:185) happy moods are easier to be passed by emotionally
expressive people than are negative moods.
Medium Of Communication
More charmels of communication mcrease the opportunity for emotional
influence. Thompson mentions face-to-face interactions and video-conferencing which
are more conducive than written or e-mail interaction. He suggests that low-power
negotiators interact through the phone or e-mail because this helps to equalise the
power uifferences.
Long-Term Relationships
Long-term relationships or expected long-term relationships necessitate the
expression and experience of emotions because they are more involved and necessitate
that participants develop and synchronise their empathic systems.
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