University Name - Journal 2: Conflict Analysis - Leadership Module

This journal entry analyzes a real-life conflict scenario between a couple experiencing stress due to work-from-home arrangements and reduced income. The student identifies the conflict as an example of ego and pseudo conflicts, highlighting the impact of differing expectations, power dynamics, and communication breakdowns. The analysis applies conflict theory, particularly focusing on competition for resources and the development of faulty assumptions. The student explores the concepts of ego depletion and self-control in the context of the conflict. The journal emphasizes the importance of acknowledging conflict-producing events, practicing effective listening, and seeking compromise to resolve disputes. The entry concludes by stressing the need for patience and positive energy in managing negative emotions and finding solutions that meet the needs of everyone involved. The student references relevant academic literature to support the analysis.

Running Head: SOCIOLOGY 1
Journal 2: Conflict
Name of University

SOCIOLOGY 2
Introduction
Journal 2: Conflict
Description
Context:
This is a conversation between my friend and his wife a couple of weeks ago, which is a
good example of ego conflicts between couples.
Interaction:
My friend is with his wife and children, working from home because of the lockdown due
to Corona Virus in his city. Both he and his wife enjoy senior executive positions and get
handsome paychecks. However, their paychecks are cut down due to lockdown, and the
atmosphere is tense as both juggle with the housework, children, and work from home.
One day, my friend refused to do the dishes after lunch and complains that this is not his
job. His wife complained that she is already overloaded. She said, “I have to finish my own
project, get the cooking done for the night, and help children with their assignments. The least
you can do is help with the dishes.” My friend retorted in anger, “Cooking food, washing dishes
and helping children is your job, not mine. Besides, I get a better paycheck than yours, so my
work is more important.”
What began as a casual conversation ended in a spiteful fight, and as a result, no dinner
was cooked, and the children had milk and sandwiches for dinner.
Analysis
CONFLICT THEORY: Competition between groups to maintain the dominance of
the ruling and class differences. It is natural for humans to remain in conflict because of

SOCIOLOGY 3
the limited and finite resources.
Application
My friend is s a mature person with an affable personality and is a role model for many
in his office. At his workplace, he carries an image of an excellent worker and a family man who
takes good care of his wife and children. However, at home, a conflict develops as both husband
and wife are developing different ideas and carry different goals and expectations. While the
husband thinks he is doing enough for the family, his wife thinks he needs to do more and share
her workload.
Pseudo conflict is developing here because of incomplete communication, and further
confusion gets created by the nonverbal behaviors and facial expressions of the angry couple in a
fight. There are faulty assumptions developing in both parties. Along with Pseudo conflict, ego
conflict also develops as the wife feels that she is being attacked personally of being a woman
and earning less than her husband. While the original issues are getting ignored, the conflict has
become personal.
According to Levy (2011), there is a substantial body of work on ego depletion based on
self-control mechanisms. Thus, there is a control group and an ego depletion group, and both
groups exercise some level of self-control. When self-control reserves are low, it gets difficult to
self-control, and often the situation results in conflicts. In the given case, my friend is the
controller here, and when the self-control reserves of his wife, who is in the ego-depletion group
start to dwindle, she is no longer able to control herself and retorts back with an argument. The
sign of open conflict is that of a struggle, and if it is repressed, it will remain in the unconscious
and expresses itself directly or indirectly later (Harris, 2016).

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Power struggles exist in all relationships, and one may have more power than the other,
in any dependent relationship. In the above case sample, both my friend and his wife carry some
power but because of preconceived notions and the circumstances. My friend exercises his
higher power of control, thinking that as he is a man, and earns more, he has the right to decide if
he will work or not in the family or help with the household chores. Because of the manner, the
conversations take place, Pseudo conflicts, and ego conflicts develop between the two parties. It
is essential for both husband and wife to cool down their emotions and think rationally. The
husband needs to be more reasonable and find a solution that meets the needs of everyone.
A compromise can help ease the tense situation right away and resolve the conflict. Even
if either party is not fully pleased with the decision, it helps to end the conflict. However, it is not
easy to end a conflict as lots of patience, and positive energy is needed here to manage the
negative emotions. Both husband and wife should acknowledge the conflict-producing events,
which in this case is the stress of staying at home and working with lesser paychecks. They
should take tunes talking and understand what other party is saying with effective listening skills.

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References
Harris, J. (2016). The quotable Jung. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 61(3),
33-56.
Levy, N. (2011). Resisting 'weakness of the will'. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research,
82(1), 134-155.