LESSON 10:

Conflict and
Peacemaking
in the
Philippines
#Group3
 Student
Learning WHAT IS CONFLICT?
Outcomes:
CAUSES OF CONFLICT
1. Recognize the nature of conflictand
its impact oninterpersonal relationships THEORIES OF INTERGROUP CONFLICT
and organizations.

SOCIAL CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE

2. Integrate and appropriately apply a
broad range of theoretical concepts,
processes and methodologies in PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION
analyzing, managing and resolving
conflicts relevant to their emphasis of FILIPINO PEACE PSYCHOLOGY
study.
 Topic 2

WHAT IS
CONFLICT?
Conflict is part of our interactions with
other people.
You are said to be in conflict with
another person or group if your actions
or goals are not compatible.
Levels of conflict includes interpersonal
and intergroup.

Topic 2
 Topic 2

CAUSES OF
CONFLICT
•Dilemma
•Competition
• Perceived injustice
• Misperception

 Topic 2

SOCIAL DILEMMA
A social dilemma is a situation in
which two or more parties must
choose between
their self-interest and the interest
of the community (Pruitt, 1998).

SOCIAL DILEMMA
 Topic 2

Tragedy of the
commons

TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS

 Topic 2

COMPETITION

COMPETITION
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PERCEIVED
INJUSTICE
"Di makatarungan!" "Unfair!" These are cries of
people in conflict with others as a result of
perceived injustice.

PERCEIVED INJUSTICE
 Topic 2

MISPERCEPTION
•Recall that a conflict is a perceived incongruity
of actions or goals. Perception is thus an
important consideration

MISPERCEPTION
 Topic 3

THEORIES OF INTERGROUP
CONFLICT
Rather than having only two individuals in a heated conflict, intergroup conflict involves conflicts between people that
occur in terms of their group identities. Aside from the general causes of conflict discussed earlier, intergroup conflicts
also have to consider grouplevel processes (Fisher, 2000). Groups have identities, and a group's sense of its particular
identity will influence how it interacts with other groups. When groups display cohesiveness, members tend to be
attracted to and want to remain in the group and this cohesiveness can lead to strong pressures to conform to group
norms, especially in conflict situations. All of these processes tend to escalate conflicts.

Social Identity Theory Realistic Group Conflict Theory Relative Deprivation Theory

Social Dominance Theory Positioning Theory

 Topic 3

Topic 3 SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY

Social identity theory refers to a person's self-concept derived from

the status and accomplishments of the various groups to which the
person belongs, and not only from personal identity and
accomplishment (Tajfel & Turner, 1979). As mentioned in chapter 1, the
social identity theory was originally developed to understand
intergroup discrimination (ie, what conditions would lead members of
one group to discriminate in favor of the ingroup to which they
belonged and against another outgroup).
 Topic 3

REALISTIC GROUP CONFLICT THEORY

As formulated by Muzafer Sherif (1935), the realistic group
conflict theory posits that hostility between two groups results
from real or perceived conflicting goals that generate
intergroup competition. This theory was validated by the
famous study of Sherif and colleagues (1961) involving boys in
a summer camp. The boys were randomly split into two groups
engaging in competitive activities with conflicting goals.
 Topic 3

RELATIVE DEPRIVATION THEORY

Relative deprivation is a feeling of deficiency based on comparison with

relevant others who are seen as doing better than yourself (Crosby, 1976).
A person or group may feel deprived when comparing themselves with
another person or group. We tend to decide how well-off or deprived we
are, not from any absolute standard but by comparing ourselves with
other people. You may be satisfied with the grade or salary that you
received until you find that your classmates or officemates received
higher grades or salaries than you.
 Topic 3

SOCIAL DOMINANCE THEORY

Social dominance orientation is the desire to see one's own group dominate
others (Sidanius & Pratto, 1999). In the social dominance theory, the focus is on
both individual and structural factors that contribute to the hierarchical
organization of society (Sidanius, Pratto, van Laar, & Levin, 2004). Societies are
often stratified by gender, ethnicity, religion, age, among others. Some groups in
society are more dominant (e.g., males over females; Christians over Muslims).
More powerful social roles are increasingly likely to be occupied by a dominant
group member.
 Topic 3

POSITIONING THEORY
Certain limitations of the above-mentioned theories have led to the development of the
positioning theory in understanding intergroup conflict. Positioning theory is a conceptual
and methodological tool by which to study how psychological phenomena are produced in
social interactions (Harré & van Langenhove, 1999). The theory begins with the idea that the
flow of everyday life is divided into social episodes with three features: the participants'
rights and duties, or moral positions: their conversational history, or sequence of
interactions; and the specific dynamics of that one single episode.
 Topic 4

SOCIAL CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE

Social conflicts are often associated with
violence, whether the unit of analysis be the
individual, group, or structural (Joxe, 1981).

Violence involves actions that are harmful to

human life, health, or well-being that has both
structural and direct forms (Schiller & Fouron,
2003)

 Topic 4

Peaceful Conflict
Resolution
 Topic 5

Resolving Social Dilemma

If the automatic response of people is to promote their self-
interest, how then do we encourage people to cooperate?

contact
It is safe to predict that having contact with a supposed
"enemy" would result in more tolerant behavior.

Cooperation
Competing groups may learn to cooperate with each other given a
common goal.
 Topic 5
Communication
Another way to resolve conflict is to communicate with the parties involved.
Communication enables people to cooperate.
Meditation
Bargaining In mediation, a neutral third party facilitates
Arriving at an agreement to a conflict by communication between the parties and
directly negotiating with the other party offers suggestions, but the decision still lies
is known as bargaining with the conflicting parties. The role of the
mediator, or peacemaker, is thus very crucial.
Arbitration
In some cases, especially those involving legal issues, arbitration may be necessary. In this
case, a third-party, studies both sides and makes a decision. This is usually the last resort
taken when bargaining and mediation attempts are futile.
 Topic 5

CONCILIATION
Sometimes, all conflict resolution efforts are unsuccessful. Some
parties may coerce or intimidate and strike back against the other.
Regrettably, these acts may be reciprocated, escalating the conflict
even further. Those whoare cooperative tend to be exploited.
 Topic 6

FILIPINO PEACE
PSYCHOLOGY
For Filipino researchers, peace includes
justice, respect for life, equality, total
well-being, and total human
development.

Filipinos also include God, oneself,

others, one's nation, and the world in
their framework for peace.
 For four days in February 1986, millions of Filipinos gathered along EDSA to protest
against the Marcos dictatorship.
PEOPLE POWER

On February 25, 1986, Marcos left the Philippines and ended his twenty-year regime.
Cory Aquino became the new leader of the nation.

refers to methods of protest, noncooperation, and intervention in which the activists do or

ACTIVE refuse to do certain things and not use physical force (Sharp, 1973).
NONVIOLENCE

it is active rather than passive.

an organization is a group of people coming together to accomplish a common goal and this is
what transpired during People Power.
ORGANIZATIONAL

DYNAMICS
Filipinos gathered together with a common goal and certain organizational features facilitated
this process.

A shared sense of spirituality is important in achieving active nonviolence that entails a willingness
to sacrifice one's self for the collective purpose of political change (Montiel & Berba, 2012).
Shared Spirituality

Such spirituality operates both on a personal level and a collective level.



Topic 6
Filipinos employed varied and creative protest and persuasion techniques during
People Power.

Collective Behavior In People Powers I and II confetti, or paper cut into strips, rained on big
Involved in Active Non- demonstrations against Marcos and Estrada.
Violence

Because band music was popular among the young during EDSA II, protesters held
song and dance concerts and street parties with demonstrators singing and dancing.

Many aspects of Filipino culture were activated during People Power, such as the
tendency to celebrate, to fiesta, and the Filipino's ability to improvise during
problematic circumstances (Lagmay, 1986).
Filipino Cultural Values

Psychological antidotes to fear were Filipino cultural dispositions, such as bahala na

(leave it to God) and lakas ng loob (inner strength).

 Topic 6

PEACE
EDUCATION
Social psychologists in the Philippines
have also focused on the effect of
peace education that refers to initiatives
to promote a culture of peace among
Filipinos.
 Topic 6

PEACE ORGANIZATIONS AND PEACE

ZONES
Several Philippine social movements and organizations fight
against injustice. oppression, and senseless violence in order
to restore peace

These peace organizations' activities include peace

constituency building conflict reduction, conflict settlement,
peace research and training, and social development work.
 Topic 6

SOCIOPOLITICAL
FORGIVENESS
Peace psychologist Cristina Montiel (2002)
has defined a form of sociopolitical
forgiveness that occurs when a "whole
group of offended people cease their
collective resentment and condemnation of
another group... perceived to have caused
the social offense."