Nonlinear Dynamics of Individual and Interpersonal Conflict in an Experimental Group

Abstract

The current study examines the spread of experimentally induced conflict and rigidity from an individual to a group through the perspective of self-organization theory. The dependent measure of rigidity was operationally defined as entropy in conversational turn-taking dynamics in the small group. Four female undergraduates participated in a series of four 30-min discussions. The frequency distribution of turn-taking patterns for each discussion was predicted to fit an inverse power-law (IPL) model, with drops in entropy in response to conflict within a single group member following baseline. Consistent with predictions, results indicated significant fits to the inverse power-law model in each discussion and a significant drop in entropy values following the conflict induction. These results suggest that small groups are self-organizing systems in which the spread of conflict between group and individual dynamics occurs by way of shifts toward systemic rigidity.