ABSTRACT
An implication of conflict being a cultural phenomenon is that culturally specific ways of perceiving and responding to conflict can remain invisible, as unquestioned social assumptions, to the members of any given culture. Definitions of conflict as perceived divergence of interests and of aggression as the infliction of harm are discussed in the first part of this chapter. Several conflict management models are briefly reviewed, and it is suggested that such models are useful for allowing predictions about conflict management to be made across cultural circumstances. The second part of the chapter focuses on four propositions relevant to reducing violence: 1) the flexibility of human behavior and institutions permits various conflict options; 2) socialization and resocialization processes have implications for teaching and rewarding nonviolent conflict options instead of aggression, especially among youth; 3) social systems and institutions that allow for conflict prevention, management, and resolution can be greatly enhanced at virtually every social level; and 4) attitudes, beliefs, and world views that lead toward less damaging and more effective means of dealing with conflict can be augmented in place of belief systems and ethos that bolster the use of aggression.
