PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

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Slide 2:

Escalation

Refers to an increase in the intensity of a conflict and the severity of its tactics

Escalation may be intentional • Can be used by disputants to get

attention or to be taken seriously • May be used in attempts to “win” a

conflict

Escalation is most often unintentional

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

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PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 3:

Escalation and Change

5 changes which occur during escalation

1. Parties move from “light” to “heavy” tactics

2. Contentious issues expand

3. Issues move from specific to general

4. Number of parties grows

5. Parties’ goals change from “doing well” to “winning” to simply hurting the Other

Slide 4:

Conditions that Encourage Escalation

• A large number of contentious issues

• Differing worldviews

• Threats to identities or morals

• A history of grievances

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 5:

Models of the Escalation Process

Aggressor-Defender Model

Conflict Spiral Model

Structural Change Model

Slide 6:

Aggressor-Defender Model

“Aggressor’s” goals put it in conflict with the “Defender”

“Aggressor” escalates its tactics if they don’t work initially

“Defender” escalates its defense in response

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 7:Conflict Spiral Model Escalation results from a vicious circle of action and reaction

Conflicts become increasingly severe

Two types• Retaliatory spiral

- Each party seeks to punish the Other for actions it finds hurtful

- Is driven by blame and anger

• Defensive spiral- Each party reacts so as to protect itself from a threat it finds in the Other’s self-protective actions- Is driven by fear

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 8:

Structural Change Model Mutually-imposed sanctions change the nature of conflict in an escalating manner

• The conflict becomes increasingly removed from the initial substantive issues that started it

• The psychology of disputants and their relationship with each other undergo fundamental changes

Slide 9:

Psychological Dynamics of Escalation

Escalation is both a cause & a result of significant psychological shifts

Conflict tends to be the result of and further stimulates: • Anger• Fear• Negative attitudes• Stereotypes

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

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The Sacrifice Trap A Sacrifice Trap (also called entrapment) occurs when so much has already been sacrificed that disputants don’t want their efforts to “be in vain”

Sacrifice trap fuels escalation

Is related to face-saving as people don’t want to admit they were wrong

Sacrifice may include• Lives -- makes the trap especially strong• Money/resources• Energy• Time• Honor/face

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

“…we can’t let our children die in vain…”

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Selective Perception Selective Perception consists of only noticing behavior that fits your negative perception of others

Selective perceptions fuel escalation

May develop into a self-fulfilling prophecy when• Parties are continuously subjected to

negative stereotypes• Selective perception continues

unabated

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 12:

Relational Dynamics

During escalation the dynamics of the relationship between disputants change

• Goals become hostile

• Interests further diverge

• Groups often polarize into “us versus them”

• Sustained absence of communication leads to false rumors

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 13:

Relational Dynamics

• External moderates are forced to choose sides

• Parties begin to de-individualize and de-humanize the Other

De-individualize -- people come to be seen as members of a category, not individuals

De-humanize -- people are seen as less than human (legitimizing violence against them)

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 14:

Internal Group Dynamics and Escalation

• Collective goals of “defeating” the enemy develop (increasing group cohesiveness)

• Moderates are forced to choose sides or are ignored

• A more militant leadership develops

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 15:

Internal Group Dynamics and Escalation • Norms of contentious interaction

develop

• Some people profit from the conflict and turn into spoilers

• They may gain money or resources from the conflict (war profiteers)

• They may gain power from the conflict

• They may gain social status from the conflict