Intragroup Conflict Under the Microscope: Micro-Conflicts in Naturalistic Team Discussions

We argue for the value of examining micro-conflicts, brief moment-by-moment disagreements in conversations, and present a test of a coding scheme for this construct. Conceptualized and measured as such, micro-conflicts are brief rather than long-lasting behaviors, observational rather than self-report, and do not rely on participant retrospection. Using video data from naturalistic multidisciplinary teams, we examined type of micro-conflicts, micro-conflict resolution, affect, and the effect of team characteristics. Logistic regression revealed that negative affect was uncommon for micro-conflicts but still negatively related to micro-conflict resolution. Process micro-conflicts were more prevalent early in teams' life cycles and in groups that experienced more obstacles and frustrations. Future research using this micro-behavioral construct can link immediate cognitive and affective consequences and antecedents to these micro-disagreements. It is possible that micro-conflicts, as minute behaviors, may be less emotionally intense and more easily resolved and thus have different implications, predictors, and correlates than macro-, self-reported conflicts.