ANTECEDENTS AND EFFECTS OF MULTIPLE GOALS IN CONFLICT-RESOLUTION

This study employed a scenario method to test she hypotheses of the mu ltiple goals theory. One hundred and seven Japanese students were aske d to read the scenarios that described a conflict between two people a nd to consider themselves as the one of whom an economic cost was unre asonably requested by the other. Four situational variables (resource cost familiality between the two persons, the other person's manner, a nd the other person's tactic) were presented in the scenarios. In addi tion, a set of scales to measure four different goals (relationship, i dentity, justice, and resource) were included as well as two types of mitigative tactics (integrative and appeasing), and two types of confr ontational tactics (assertive and aggressive). A basic hypothesis of t he theory--that social goals would be activated even in resource confl icts--was supported It was also found that familiarity activated relat ionship goals, which increased mitigative tactics and compliance, but decreased confrontational tactics, and that a resource cost activated resource goals, which increased both mitigative and confrontational ta ctics, but decreased compliance.