Premium
How Siblings Resolve Their Conflicts: The Importance of First Offers, Planning, and Limited Opposition
Author(s) -
Ross Hildy,
Ross Michael,
Stein Nancy,
Trabasso Tom
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00970.x
Subject(s) - opposition (politics) , negotiation , conflict resolution , psychology , sibling , social psychology , developmental psychology , political science , law , politics
Sixty‐four sibling dyads (4–12 years old; 61% males; 83% European‐American) were asked to resolve an ongoing conflict. Older siblings provided leadership by suggesting, modifying, justifying, and requesting assent to plans for conflict resolution. Younger siblings countered and disagreed, but also contributed to planning and agreed to their siblings' plans. Compromises were associated with first offers that met both children's goals, future‐oriented planning, and limited opposition. Win–loss outcomes followed offers favoring only one child and arguments over older siblings' plans. Conflicts were unresolved when negotiations included frequent accusations and opposition, but little planning. Thus mutually beneficial conflict resolution required that children shift focus from debating past wrongs to developing plans to meet their unrealized goals in future interaction.