Rowboat in a hurricane: Metaphors of interpersonal conflict management

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Abstract
Metaphors are cognitive structures that help individuals understand their world. In interpersonal conflict management, metaphors can function as models for how conflicts should be negotiated. Hocker and Wilmot (1991) asserted that negative metaphors appear to dominate interpersonal conflicts. The results from this investigation support the prevalence of negative interpersonal conflict metaphors. The 349 respondents in this study used 6l6 interpersonal conflict metaphors that resulted in 28 categories. These data, however, contradict the categories previously specified in the literature. To highlight the function of metaphors as models of interpersonal conflict, the natural processes metaphor is analyzed to illustrate the (a) general nature of the conflict process within the metaphor, (b) role of the person using the metaphor, (c) role of the conflict partner within the metaphor, (d) power distribution inherent within the model, and (e) conflict management strategies and tactics encouraged by the metaphoric model.

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