Escalation - what is it? The word is often used in scientific and journalistic literature, but its meaning is not widely known. Escalation of the conflict is usually called the period in which the discord passes through the main stages of its development and is nearing completion. The term came from the Latin language and means "staircase" in translation. Escalation shows a conflict progressing in time, characterized by a gradual aggravation of the 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 path from the incident to the weakening of the struggle and confrontation.
Signs and varieties of escalation of the conflict
Various identification marks help highlight such a significant part of the conflict as escalation. What is it, without special signs is really difficult to understand. When characterizing the current incident, you need to refer to the list of those properties that relate specifically to the escalation period, and not to another.
Cognitive sphere
In behavioral and activity reactions it narrows, there comes a moment of transition to less complex forms of displaying reality.
Enemy image
It is he who blocks and weakens adequate perception. Being a holistically formed analogue of the opponent, he combines invented, fictitious properties, as he begins to form during the latent stage of the conflict. The image of the enemy is a peculiar result of empirical perception, predetermined by negative characteristics and ratings. As long as there is no confrontation and neither side poses a threat to the other, the image of the opponent is neutral in color: he is stable, fairly objective and mediated. At its core, it resembles weakly developed photographs, the image on which is pale, fuzzy, blurry. But under the influence of escalation, illusory moments are increasingly manifesting, the occurrence of which is provoked by a negative emotional and personal assessment of each other's opponents. In these cases, there are some "symptomatic" features inherent in so many conflicting. In their enemy they see a person who should not be trusted. The blame is transferred to her, only wrong decisions and actions are expected from her - a malicious personality, which in this case is the result of antagonistic de-individualization, when the enemy ceases to be an individual, and becomes a generalized-collective, so to speak, allegorical manner, which has absorbed a huge amount of evil, negativity, cruelty, vulgarity and other vices.
Emotional stress
It grows with terrifying intensity, the opposite side loses control, subjects of the conflict temporarily lose the opportunity to realize their interests or satisfy their needs.
Human interests
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 violation of the interests of the opposing side. It is appropriate to determine here that this is an escalation of the conflict, that is, a kind of environment in which the contradictions deepen. In the escalation process, the interests of the opposing sides become "diverse". In the situation preceding the confrontation, their coexistence was possible, and now their reconciliation is impossible without harming any of the disputes.
Violence
It serves as an excellent tool during the escalation of the conflict, being its identification sign. The desire for compensation and compensation by the warring party of the harm provokes the individual to aggression, cruelty, intolerance. The escalation of violence, that is, the intensification of ruthless, warlike actions, often accompanies the course of a misunderstanding.
Original subject of dispute
It fades into the background, no longer plays a special role, the main attention is not focused on it, the conflict can be characterized as independent of reasons and reasons, its further course 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. Additional points of contact arise between the parties, and the confrontation unfolds already on a larger territory. Conflictologists at this stage record the expansion of spatial and temporal frameworks. This indicates that we are facing a progressive, assuming serious character, escalation. What it is, and how it will affect the subjects participating in or observing the conflict, it will be possible to find out only after the end of the confrontation and its careful analysis.
Subject Growth
With the growth of the confrontation, the "multiplication" of participants also occurs. An inexplicable and uncontrolled influx of new subjects of conflict begins, which takes on a global scale, growing into a group, international, etc. The internal structure of groups, their composition, their characteristics are changing. The set of tools becomes wider, and the clarification of relations can go on a completely different vector.
At this stage, you can turn to the information that psychiatrists present to us. They concluded that in the process of any conflict, the conscious sphere significantly regresses. Moreover, this does not happen at all due to chaotic obsession, but gradually, with the preservation of specific laws.
Incremental 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, by 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 itself begins, most of the discussions collapse, the parties to the conflict proceed to decisive actions, in which there is some paradox. By means of brutality, rudeness and violence, the warring parties try to influence each other, forcing the opponent to change his position. Nobody is going to give way. Wisdom and rationality disappear as if by magic, and the image of the enemy becomes the main object of attention.
An amazing fact, but in the fourth stage of the 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. An individual refuses to accept someone else’s position, to listen to it, only the “EGO” is guided in its actions. The world becomes 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 beliefs and the most important values are broken. All sides and individual elements that characterize the opponent are assembled into a single image of an enemy devoid of human features. Inside 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 conditions of social interaction, the psyche of many people is subjected to pressure, a regression occurs. In many ways, the psychological stability of a person depends on his upbringing, on the type of moral standards that he has learned, on personal social experience.
Symmetric Schismogenesis, or Scientific Escalation
The theory developed by the scientist G. Bateson, which is called the theory of symmetric schismogenesis, will help to describe the escalation of the conflict from the outside. The term "schismogenesis" refers to changes that occur in the behavior of an individual as a result of his socialization and the acquisition of new experience at the level of interpersonal and intrapersonal clashes. For schismogenesis, there are two options for external manifestation:
- The first is a change in behavior in which certain types of actions of individuals coming into contact complement each other. Say, when one of the opponents is persistent, and the second is conformal and compliant. That is, a unique mosaic is formed from the behaviors of different subjects of the conflict.
- The second option exists only if there are identical behavioral patterns, say, both attack, but with a different degree of intensity.
Obviously, the escalation of the conflict refers precisely to the second variation of schismogenesis. But various forms of escalations can be classified. For example, it may not be interrupted and may be marked by increasing tension, or it may become wavy when sharp angles and mutual pressure of opponents on each other move upward or downward.
The term "escalation" is used in various fields, 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 abrupt, when the movement from calm to hostility occurs incredibly swiftly and non-stop, and sometimes it is sluggish, slowly flowing, or even for a long time maintaining the same level. The latter characteristic is most often inherent in a protracted or, as they say, chronic conflict.
Escalation models of conflict. Positive outcome
A positive escalation of the conflict is the possibility of eliminating it when a common desire for a peaceful settlement appears. In this case, both parties should conduct an analysis and choose those rules of behavior that do not violate the principles and beliefs of any of the opponents. In addition, it follows from the entire spectrum of variable solutions and outcomes to choose the most preferable, and they should be developed for several possible outcomes of the situation. Among other things, the debaters need to clearly identify and concretize their desires and interests, explain them to the opposite side, which subsequently should also be heard. From the entire list of requirements, select those that meet the principles of legality and justice, and then start trying to implement them using means and methods that must also be accepted and approved by all opponents.
Of course, it is impossible to ignore the conflict. This is similar to negligence when people leave an included iron or a burning match in the apartment - there is a danger of fire. The analogy between fire and conflict is not accidental: both are much easier to prevent than to extinguish after ignition. The time component is of great importance, because both fire and quarrel are terrible with their spread with greater force. For these signs, 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 rush with increasing speed and overwhelm all participants in the confrontation.
All this leads us to the conclusion that an experienced leader of any group, having learned that serious or insignificant dissonance is flaring up between its members or is already in full force, will immediately take measures to eliminate it. Inaction and indifference in this situation will most likely be condemned by the collective, will be mistaken for meanness, cowardice, cowardice.
Escalation models of conflict. Dead point
It should be noted that sometimes the escalation slows down or stops altogether. This phenomenon also has predetermining reasons:
- One opposing side is ready for a voluntary concession due to the fact that for some reason the conflict becomes unacceptable to it.
- One of the opponents is persistently trying to avoid the conflict, to “fall out” of it, as the conflict situation becomes uncomfortable or harmful.
- The conflict is approaching a dead point, the escalation of violence becomes inconclusive and unprofitable.
The dead point is the state of affairs when the confrontation comes to a standstill, stops after one or more unsuccessful clashes. The change in the rate of escalation or its completion is determined by certain factors.
Dead Spot Factors
- The tactics of confrontation turned out to be insolvent or ineffective in the given conditions.
- The resources necessary to continue pressure on the opponent were spent and exhausted. They are usually money, energy costs and time.
- The elimination of support from society, the lack of authority among the conflicting parties in front of those who advocate for them.
- Costs in excess of an acceptable or anticipated level.
Objectively speaking, this stage is not characterized by profound changes, however, one of the parties begins to relate completely differently to the conflict and how to resolve it. When both sides agree that it is impossible to dominate either of them, they will have to give in, give the victory, or come to an agreement. But the essence of this stage is the realization that the enemy is not just an enemy, personifying all the vices and sorrows of the world. This is an independent and worthy opponent, with its shortcomings and advantages, with which it is possible and necessary to find common interests, points of contact. This understanding is the initial step towards resolving the conflict.
conclusions
Thus, when figuring out what escalation means socially, culturally and economically, you need to understand that it develops according to different schemes and models, and its outcome can be chosen by the parties to the conflict, because it depends on them how competently they can overcome the contradictions, and how sad the consequences will be.