Cooperation, Competition and
Conflict
Jens AllwoodSCCIIL, Linguistics, University of Gothenburg, Sweden,
Agenda1. Communication and
cooperation
2. Competition and conflict
3. Communication and social activity
4. From competitive and conflictual communication to cooperative communication
5. Negotiation
1. Communication & Cooperation
Ethics & Trust
• Communication =
Coactivation, sharing and coconstruction of information, content and understanding
mediated through• mutual causal influence
between organisms(mechanisms)engaging in
• (motivated, intentional, rational) action and interaction
Four features of interaction
(i) show cognitive considerationCoordination
(ii) orient to a common purposeCollaboration
(iii) show ethical considerationfor each other (no force, pain and lies)
(iv) feel/show trust towards each other(Both believe the other considers them ethically)
Ideal Cooperation • interaction in which interacting agents
through their actions (i) show cognitive consideration
Coordination(ii) orient to a common purpose
Collaboration(iii) show ethical consideration for
each other (no force, pain and lies)
(iv) feel/show trust towards eachother(Both believe the other considers them ethically)Cooperation (ideal)
What is the relation between Communication, coordination, collaboration and cooperation?
Cooperative requirements on Communication• Cooperation Communication
Non-paranoid communicationTrust informationDon’t suspect harmDon’t suspect coercion
4. Trust(believe your collocutor trusts you)ideal cooperation
Produce & respondon the basis of an evaluation of 1- 4Be pleasantDon’t misleadDon’t force
3. EthicalConsideration
Shared informationShared understanding &other purposes of com
2. Joint goalcollaboration
Perceive/understandother party, topic & activity relevance
1. Cognitive Considerationcoordination
Cooperative requirements on Communication
Non-paranoid com-municationDon’t fear retal-liation and exploita-tion
Non-paranoid communicationTrust informationDon’t suspect harmDon’t suspect coercion
4. Trust
Interpret, evaluateTaking other party’sability & willingnessinto account
Be objective, friendlyDon’t misconstrue
Produce & respondon the basis of an evaluation of 1- 4Be pleasantDon’t misleadDon’t force
3. EthicalConsiderat.
Shared info.Shared understan-ding
Shared informationShared understand.
2. Joint goal
Production
Base actions on perc.& underst. of other
party, topic & activity relevance
Reception
Perceive/understandother party, topic & activity relevance
Coopera-tion1. Cognitive Considerat.
Relation communication -cooperation
Successful, conscious/intentional Communication necessarily involves
• cognitive consideration (coordination)• joint goal of understanding (collaboration)
Long term conscious/intentional Communication also involves
• Ethical consideration
Non-paranoid, long term conscious/intentional Communication further involves
• trust (believe that the other person considers/treats you ethically
1, 2, 3 and 4 (ideal cooperation)
Trust also has a wider sense
• believe the other person to be a rational, motivated agent, especially competent.
• believe the other person to trustworthy in regard to commitments and obligations.
ButCommunication (and negotiation) can be
• Unethical• Distrustful
AndUnsuccessful communication
(negotiation)Can be
• uncoordinated and• lack collaboration on
understanding and providing of information
Competition and conflict
• Competition
No ?4. Trust
Yes ?3. EthicalConsideration
Similar but individually incompatible
2. Joint goal
Yes1. Cognitive Consideration
• Conflict
No experience that other party hurts them
4. Trust
No3. EthicalConsideration
Incompatible goals
2. Joint goal
Yes1. Cognitive Consideration
Activity Model of interaction and communication
Social Activities are pursued
throughCommunication and other types of interaction
where Cooperation, competition and conflict are seen as different modes of interaction
e.gThe activity of travel agency talk (or negotiation)could sequentially or even simultaneously (to some degree) be
Cooperative,competitive or conflictual
Cooperation, Communication and Activity
Role obligations->competence,commitments
Non-paranoid communicationTrust information- Don’t suspect harm- Don’t suspect coercion
4. Trust
Role obligationsProduce & respondon the basis of an evaluation of 1- 4- Be pleasant- Don’t mislead- Don’t force
3. EthicalConsideration
+specific goal ofactivity
Shared informationShared understanding
2. Joint goal
Activity
Role competence
Communication
Perceive/understandother party, topic & activity relevance
Cooperation
1. Cognitive Consideration
This means
cooperation, conflict and competition are all possible modes of interaction and communicationin a social activity
From competitive to cooperative communication
Competition Cooperation
Non-paranoid communicationTrust information- Don’t suspect harm- Don’t suspect coercion
No ?4. Trust
Produce & respondon the basis of an evaluation of 1- 4- Be pleasant- Don’t mislead- Don’t force
Yes ?3. EthicalConsideration
Shared goal +Shared informationShared understanding
Similar but individually incompatiblegoals, no sharing of information and understanding
2. Joint goal
Perceive/understandother party, topic & activity relevance
Yes1. Cognitive Consideration
What is required to go from competition to cooperation?
1. Coordination.Individual coordination and cognitive consideration are already present – needs tobecome more mutual & non-competition oriented
2. Collaboration. Similar but incompatible goals need to become shared goals, especially the goalsof shared understanding and of providing relevant information
3. Ethical considerationUncertainty about treating the other partyethically must be removed
4. TrustUncertainty about trust must be removed
From conflictual to cooperative communication
Conflict Cooperation
Non-paranoid communicationTrust information- Don’t suspect harm- Don’t suspect coercion
No trust but experience/belief that the other party hurts them
4. Trust
Produce & respondon the basis of an evaluation of 1- 4- Be pleasant- Don’t mislead- Don’t force
No3. EthicalConsideration
Shared informationShared understanding
Incompatible goals
2. Joint goal
Perceive/understandother party, topic & activity relevance
Yes1. Cognitive Consideration
What is required to go from conflict to cooperation?1. Coordination.Individual coordination and cognitive consideration are already present – needs to become more mutual and non-hurt oriented
2. Collaboration. Incompatible goals need to become shared goals, especially the goal of shared understanding and shared information
3. Ethical considerationAbsence of ethical consideration and
presence of mutual unethical treatment must be replaced by ethical consideration/treatment
4. TrustAbsence of trust and presence of distrustShould be replaced by trust must be removed
How can 1- 4 best be achieved?
• Fear? ThreatsAcquiring a common enemyor• Building positive emotions and
attitudesRemoving uncertaintyRemoving wish to hurt, distrust, negative picture of enemyEstablishing shared goals (mutual
gains), ethical treatment and trust– How? E.g.- Finding similarities (e.g. Core values)- Finding examples of ethical and
trustworthy actions of both parties- Find ways in which they meet each
other’s needs
Usually all of this must be done in the context of particular social
activities
E.g.
Joint researchA bargaining situationA wage negotiationA peace negotiation
Every activity requires sensitivity to the particular circumstances and goals of that activity. Cooperative research is not exactly the same ascooperative bargaining etc.
Negotiation
• Sometimes negotiation can be the instrument for a change from competition or conflict.
How can negotiation be used to• Optimize coordination?• Increase orientation to shared
goals, especially the goal of shared understanding?
• Increase the willingness toconsider and treat the other party ethically?
• Increase willingness to trust the other party?
Transfer?
If negotiation becomes morecooperative (less conflictualand competitive)
->Communication becomes more
cooperative->Interaction in activity becomes
more cooperative
Concluding remarksIn this paper I have suggested a conceptual analysis of
- Communication and cooperation
- Competition and conflict- Communication and social activity
and on the basis of this analysissuggested some steps that need to be taken to move from competitive andconflictual communication tocooperative communication.
Finally, I have pointed to the importance of negotiation as an instrument of such a movement.
Relation betweenCooperation Competition Conflict
No experience that other party hurts them
No ?4. Trust
NoYes ?3. EthicalConsideration
Incompatible goals
Similar but ind. incompatible
2. Joint goal
YesYes1. Cognitive Consideration
Two-way and
? One-way CooperationCompetitionConflict
Relation of Activity toCooperation, Competition &
Conflict
CognitiveNot EthicalNot TrustExperienceof having beenwronged
CognitiveEthical?Trust?
CognitiveEthicalTrust
Roles
Conflict
Incompa-tible goals
Competi-tion
Similar but ind. Incompa-tiblegoals
Cooper-ationJointgoal
Activity
Purpose
Using Cooperative Dimensions to analyze relation Activity, communication,
cooperation, competition and conflict
No +exp ofbeing wronged
No?YesRole obliga-tions?
Trust
NoYes?YesProduceRespondinterpret
Role obli-gations
Ethiccons
Incom-patiblegoalsbutShared info
Similar butIncompgoals
Shared info +SpecificActivity goal
Shared info
SpecificActivity goal
Jointgoal
Conflict
Yes
Comp.
Yes
Coop.
Yes
Comm.
Percep& under-standingin context
Activity
RoleRelevant&
compe-tence
Cogn.cons