Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

submittedVersion

Publication Date

4-2023

Abstract

Public Significance Statement In contrast to previous research on the negative associations between conflict and collaboration, the current investigation demonstrates the positive effects of conflict on collaboration and performance and offers practical suggestions on beneficial conflict expressions. Specifically, when people debate and deliberate about their different viewpoints about task-related issues, they tend to collaborate and thus achieve high task performance by enhancing their perceptions of others' openness rather than by influencing their emotions.Previous research has demonstrated negative associations between task-relevant conflicts and collaboration. To supplement the previous findings and explore the potential benefits of conflicts, we differentiate between two types of task conflict expressions (i.e., mild vs. intense task conflicts, such as debates vs. disagreements regarding work-related issues) in dyad interactions and propose the differential effects of mild versus intense task conflicts on collaboration based on the theory of conflict expression. In three studies with experimental manipulations and surveys on working adults, the results demonstrated that perceptions of debates versus disagreements (in Studies 1 and 2) or mild versus intense task conflicts (in Study 3) enhanced perceivers' collaboration with others via the perceivers' assessments of others' openness rather than emotions. The findings regarding positive associations between mild task conflicts and collaboration implicate the coexistence of conflict and collaboration. Moreover, the results showed that debates versus disagreements (in Study 1) or mild versus intense task conflicts (in Study 3) achieved high task performance by enhancing perceptions of others' openness that subsequently increased collaboration. These findings clarify why conflicts inconsistently influence interpersonal interactions and task performance.

Keywords

conflict, perceived openness, collaboration, emotions, performance

Discipline

Experimental Analysis of Behavior | Psychology

Research Areas

Psychology

Publication

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied

Volume

29

Issue

4

First Page

813

Last Page

830

ISSN

1076-898X

Identifier

10.1037/xap0000448

Publisher

American Psychological Association

Embargo Period

9-1-2022

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000448

Download

Share

COinS