Coorientational Accuracy and Differentiation in the Management of Conflict

Abstract

The relationship between coorientational accuracy and differentiation time and two dimensions of conflict (interaction satisfaction and assertiveness of influence strategies) was investigated in an experimental study of 108 employees from a national insurance company office. The employees were placed in dyads in one of two settings, low or high coorientational accuracy (CA), and were videotaped while discussing a topic of personal and organizational relevance. The results yielded three major observations. First, high-CA dyads engaged in significantly less differentiation than did low-CA dyads. Second, low-differentiation-time dyads were significantly more satisfied with the conflict process than were high-differentiation-time dyads. Third, high-differentiation-time dyads used significantly more assertive influence strategies than low-differentiation-time dyads.