- For other kinds of conflict see conflict (disambiguation).
Conflict refers to some form of friction, disagreement, or discord arising within a group when the beliefs or actions of one or more members of the group are either resisted by or unacceptable to one or more members of another group. Conflict can arise between members of the same group, known as
intragroup conflict, or it can occur between members of two or more groups, and involve violence, interpersonal discord, and psychological tension, known as
intergroup conflict. Conflict in groups often follows a specific course.
Routine group interaction is first disrupted by an
initial conflict, often caused by differences of opinion, disagreements between members, or scarcity of resources. At this point, the group is no longer united, and may split into coalitions. This period of
conflict escalation in some cases gives way to a
conflict resolution stage, after which the group can eventually return to
routine group interaction once again.