Escalation - what is it? The concept of escalation of conflict, dispute, violence. Principles of escalation

Escalation - what is it? The word is often used in scientific and journalistic literature, but its meaning is very little known. Escalation of the conflict is usually called the period in which the division goes through the main stages of its development and is nearing completion. The term came from the Latin language and in translation means "ladder". Escalation shows a conflict progressing in time, characterized by a gradual aggravation of confrontation between the conflicting parties, when each subsequent attack, each subsequent attack or pressure on the opponent becomes more intense than the previous one. The escalation of the dispute is the way from the incident to the weakening of the struggle and confrontation.

The signs and types of escalation of the conflict

Different identification marks help to identify such a significant part of the conflict as escalation. What is it, without special signs to understand really difficult. When characterizing the current incident, one should refer to a list of those properties that refer specifically to the escalation period, and not to another.

Cognitive sphere

In behavioral and activity-related reactions narrows, the moment of transition to less complex forms of reality mapping comes.

Image of the enemy

It is he who blocks and weakens adequate perception. Being an integrally formed analogue of the opponent, it combines fictitious, fictitious properties, as it begins to form during the latent stage of the conflict. The image of the enemy is a kind of result of empirical perception, predetermined by negative characteristics and assessments. While the confrontation is absent and neither side poses a threat to the other, the opponent's image is neutral: he is stable, fairly objective and mediated. In its essence, it resembles weakly developed photographs, the image on which is pale, indistinct, diffuse. But under the influence of escalation, more and more manifest illusory moments, the emergence of which is provoked by negative emotional-personal assessment of each other's opponents. In these cases, there are some "symptomatic" features inherent in very many conflicting people. In their enemy they see a person who should not be trusted. It is blamed on her, she is expected only of wrong decisions and actions - a person is harmful, which is the result of antagonistic de-personalization, when the enemy ceases to be an individual, but becomes a generalized, collectively, so to speak, allegorical image that absorbs a huge amount of evil, Negativity, cruelty, vulgarity and other vices.

Emotional Stress

It grows with horrendous intensity, the opposite side loses controllability, the subjects of the conflict for a time lose the opportunity to realize their interests or satisfy their needs.

Human interests

Mutual relations are always built in a certain hierarchy, even if they are polar and contradictory, so the intensity of actions leads to a more serious impact on the interests of the opposing side. Here it is appropriate to determine that this is an escalation of the conflict, that is, a kind of environment in which contradictions deepen. In the escalation process, the interests of the opposite parties become "multi-polar". In the previous confrontation, their coexistence was possible, and now their reconciliation is impossible without causing harm to any of the disputants.

Violence

Serves as an excellent tool in the escalation of the conflict, being its identification sign. The desire to compensate and compensate for the harm inflicted by the opposing side provokes the individual to aggression, cruelty, intolerance. The escalation of violence, that is, the intensification of ruthless, militant actions, often accompanies the course of this or that misunderstanding.

The original subject of the dispute

It fades into the background, does not play a special role, focus is not focused on it, the conflict can be characterized as independent of the reasons and causes, its further development and development are possible even after the loss of the primary subject of disagreement. The conflict situation in its escalation becomes generalized, but at the same time deeper. There are additional points of contact, and the confrontation is unfolding on a larger territory. Conflictologists at this stage record the expansion of spatial and time frames. This indicates that we are facing a progressive, assuming a serious nature, an escalation. What it is, and how it will affect the subjects participating in the conflict or watching it, it will be possible to find out only after the end of the confrontation and its careful analysis.

Growth of number of subjects

With the increase in confrontation, there is also a "multiplication" of the participants. An inexplicable and uncontrolled influx of new actors of conflict begins, which takes on global dimensions, growing into a group, international, etc. The internal structure of the groups, their composition, and their characteristics is changing. The set of funds becomes wider, and the clarification of relations can go on a completely different vector.

At this stage, you can refer to the information that psychiatrists present to us. They concluded that in the course of any conflict, the conscious sphere significantly regresses. And this is not at all a chaotic obsession, but gradually, with the preservation of specific patterns.

Step-by-step escalation

It is necessary to understand what the mechanisms of escalation of the conflict are. The first two stages can be combined under one common name - the pre-conflict situation and its development. They are accompanied by an increase in the importance of their own interests and ideas about the world, the fear of the inability to get out of the situation exclusively by peaceful means, through mutual assistance and concessions. The tension of the psyche increases many times.

At the third stage, the escalation begins directly, most of the discussions are curtailed, the participants in the conflict go on to resolute actions in which there is some paradox. Rigid, rude and violent opposing sides try to influence each other, forcing the opponent to change his position. No one is going to concede at the same time. Wisdom and rationality disappear as if by magic, and the main object of attention is the image of the enemy.

An amazing fact, but in the fourth stage of confrontation, the human psyche regresses to such an extent that it becomes comparable with the reflexes and behavioral properties of a six-year-old child. The individual refuses to perceive someone else's position, listen to it, guided in their actions only "EGO". The world is divided into "black" and "white", good and evil, no deviations or complications are allowed. The essence of the conflict is unambiguous and primitive.

At the fifth stage, moral convictions and the most important values break down. All sides and individual elements characterizing the opponent gather in a single image of the enemy, devoid of human traits. Within the group, these people can continue to communicate and interact, so an outside observer is unlikely to influence the outcome of the conflict at this stage.

In the conditions of social interaction, the psyche of many people is subjected to pressure, regression occurs. In many ways, the psychological stability of a person depends on his upbringing, on the type of moral norms that he has learned from personal social experience.

Symmetric schismogenesis, or Escalation in a scientific way

To describe the escalation of the conflict from outside will help the theory developed by the scientist G. Bateson, which is called the theory of symmetric schismogenesis. The term "schismogenesis" refers to the changes occurring in the behavior of an individual as a result of his socialization and gaining new experience at the level of interpersonal and intrapersonal collisions. For schismogenesis, there are two variants of external manifestation:

1. The first is a change in behavior in which individual types of actions of individuals coming into contact complement one another. Say, when one of the opponents is persistent, and the second is conformable. That is, from the variants of behavior of different actors of the conflict, a unique unique mosaic is formed.
2. The second option exists only in the presence of identical behavioral models, for example, both attack, but with varying degrees of intensity.

Obviously, the escalation of the conflict refers specifically to the second variation of schismogenesis. But different forms of escalation can be classified. For example, it can not be interrupted and be marked with increasing tension, and can become wave-like, when sharp angles and mutual pressure of opponents on each other are moving along an ascending or a descending trajectory.

The term "escalation" is used in different spheres, not only in psychology and sociology. For example, there is a tariff escalation - the meaning of this term can be read in any economic encyclopedia. It can be steep when the movement from calmness to hostility is incredibly rapid and non-stop, and sometimes it is a slow, slow flowing, or even a long, maintaining the same level. The latter characteristic is most often inherent in a protracted or, as they say, chronic conflict.

Models of conflict escalation. Positive outcome

A positive escalation of the conflict is the possibility of eliminating it when there is a common desire for a peaceful settlement. In this case, both parties must conduct an analysis and choose those rules of conduct that do not violate the principles and beliefs of any of the opponents. In addition, it follows from the entire spectrum of variational solutions and outcomes that the most preferable ones are chosen, and they should be developed immediately for several possible outcomes of the situation. Among other things, the disputants need to clearly identify and specify their desires and interests, explain them to the opposite side, which should also be listened to later. From the entire list of requirements, choose the ones that meet the principles of legality and justice, and then start attempts to implement them using tools and methods that must also be accepted and approved by all opponents.

Ignore the conflict, of course, in no case it is impossible. It's like negligence, when people leave an iron in their apartment or a burning match - there is a threat of a fire. The analogy between fire and conflict is not accidental: both are much easier to prevent than to extinguish after ignition. Huge significance has a temporary component, because both the fire and the quarrel are terrible with their spread with greater force. To these features, the basic principle of escalation is similar to a disease or epidemic.

The escalation of the conflict is often confused, because the contradiction is replenished with new details, features, intrigues. Emotions are carried with increasing speed and overwhelm all participants in the confrontation.

All this leads us to the conclusion that the experienced leader of any group, having learned that serious or insignificant dissonance is starting to flare up between its members, will immediately take measures to eliminate it. Inactivity and indifference in this situation will most likely be condemned by the collective, it will be accepted for meanness, cowardice, cowardice.

Models of conflict escalation. Dead point

It should be noted that sometimes the escalation slows down or stops altogether. This phenomenon also has predetermining causes:

• One opposing party is ready for a voluntary concession because the conflict for some reason becomes unacceptable for it.
• One of the opponents persistently tries to avoid conflict, "drop out" of it, because the conflict situation becomes uncomfortable or harmful.
• The conflict is approaching a dead center, the escalation of violence becomes inconclusive and unprofitable.

The dead point is the state of affairs when confrontation comes to a standstill, stops after one or several unsuccessful collisions. The change in the rate of escalation or its completion is due to certain factors.

Factors for the emergence of a "blind spot"

• The tactics of confrontation proved to be untenable or ineffective under given conditions.
• Resources needed to continue pressure on the opponent, expended and exhausted themselves. They are usually money, energy costs and time.
• Elimination of support from the society, the lack of credibility among the conflicting parties to those who advocate for their protection.
• Costs that exceed an acceptable or perceived level.

Objectively speaking, this stage is not characterized by profound changes, however, one of the parties begins to treat the conflict in completely different ways and the ways of its resolution. When both sides agree that the dominance of one of them is impossible, they will have to give in, give up the victory or agree. But the essence of this stage lies in the realization that the enemy is not just an enemy, personifying all the vices and sorrows of the world. It is an independent and worthy opponent, with its shortcomings and advantages, with which it is possible and necessary to find common interests, common ground. This understanding becomes the initial step on the way to resolving the conflict.

conclusions

Thus, when clarifying what social, cultural and economic escalation means, one must understand that it develops according to different schemes and models, and its outcome can be chosen by the participants in the conflict, because it depends on them how competently they can overcome the arisen Contradictions, and how sad the consequences will be.