cooperation, competition and conflictsskkii.gu.se/com/allwood_081006.pdf · collaboration (iii)...

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


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


A complication

There can be both

Two-way and One-way

Communication

CooperationCompetitionConflict

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


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


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



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


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



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

CommunicationProducing expressions with content that is to be interpreted/understood interactively in order to share information

1. Production of expressionswith content

2. Interpretation/understanding

3. Interaction

CooperationConflictCompetitionCome as modes of communicative interaction

cooperation, competition and conflictsskkii.gu.se/com/allwood_081006.pdf · collaboration (iii)...

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