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Total depression and regular, never-ending depression and lack of desire for self-development are symptoms characteristic of people who are unsure of their own abilities. Having addressed such problems to a psychologist, a professional will not be surprised and will offer various options for dealing with the situation. Less often, patients find themselves on the specialist’s couch who cannot understand their own thoughts. People who do not realize the scale of the differences that have emerged risk becoming regulars in psychiatric hospitals.

An internal conflict of a personality is a complex of contradictions that arise in a person at a subconscious level. This condition is perceived as an insoluble emotional problem. Some people cannot cope with oppressive circumstances on their own, succumbing to depression. and lack of rational thinking are other symptoms of a person having an intrapersonal conflict, a severe form of which leads to neurotic diseases. If the disagreement is not detected in time, then you can say goodbye to it forever. What to do in this situation? What techniques will help? How to understand your own thoughts?

Classification and scale of intrapersonal conflicts

If you find yourself in such a situation, it is important to first familiarize yourself with the terminology, because a classic session with a psychotherapist can only help in the early stages. People turn for help, as a rule, with a full-fledged problem that is thoroughly “settled” in the patient’s subconscious. In the 21st century, two groups of intrapersonal conflicts have been identified, which differ in the prerequisites for the emergence of mental disagreements:

The discrepancy between a person’s internal feelings and the foundations and rules of the surrounding world.
Disagreements with society or the presence of irritating factors that negatively affect the “vulnerable” personality.

Along with the options for the occurrence of intrapersonal misunderstandings, the scale of disagreements that appear in a person’s subconscious is distinguished:

The initial stage of a neurotic disease, during which a person encounters 1-2 disagreements within his own consciousness. If you do not find answers to the questions that arise in time, you can significantly aggravate the current situation. Misunderstandings develop into depression and stress, which gradually “consumes” a self-sufficient person.

Apathy towards life; long-term crisis.

Constant failures in professional activities and lack of career growth, troubles in communicating with friends and discord in the family - there are many reasons for the emergence of such a stage of intrapersonal conflict. A person susceptible to such a disease experiences lesions on all “fronts”. Due to regular losses, an individual’s self-esteem gradually decreases and faith in one’s own strength decreases. Over time, the patient stops thinking about positive “things”, complaining about the injustice of life.

The patient has a diagnosis of Multiple Personalities.

A striking example of this phenomenon is the story of Billy Milligan, a convict from the United States of America. The young man who found himself in the courtroom did not realize what was happening. Different people, differing in voices, habits and dialects, took turns talking to the jury in the person of the young man. The accused could gracefully express his own thoughts while flirting with government officials. After a second, his timbre became rough, he lit a cigarette and switched to prison vocabulary.

Numerous studies that were carried out in innovation laboratories of the 20th century confirmed that the young man was diagnosed with “Multiple Personalities.” In the guy’s mind, twenty-four full-fledged people simultaneously coexisted - young children and adult women, atheists and believers, former prisoners and political figures. This phenomenon is considered the extreme stage of intrapersonal disagreements and misunderstandings.

Causes of intrapersonal misunderstandings

Having become familiar with the possible options for the development of mental illness, it is important to correctly diagnose the problem by determining the cause of mental disagreements. In modern society, people often turn to professionals for help for the following reasons:

Application of favorite behavioral strategies in an unfamiliar situation. The method used does not work, and uncertainty settles in the person’s mind. On the one hand, such a method had already helped him, but from another perspective it turned out to be invalid.
Inability to make timely fundamental and responsible decisions that will affect the outcome of events.
Lack of adequate information to help “soberly” assess the current situation. At such a moment, a million options appear in the subconscious of the individual, which the person begins to sort out.
Systematic “defeats” or dissatisfaction with one’s own way of life. The patient does not understand why he is haunted by failures, because he is a talented, educated and interesting person.
Isolation and lack of communication with real people are the most common reasons for the emergence of imaginary friends in the subconscious with whom you can argue and talk.
Childhood grievances or self-esteem problems that arise in people who are unsure of their own abilities.
Unmanageable obligations that appear on the “shoulders” of a person. When trying to solve a problem that is beyond the individual’s control, a moment of disappointment invariably comes.
Hopelessness is the main reason for a person to make “friends” on a subconscious level. If the patient cannot influence the result, then he tries to project it in his own head, enlisting the support of his newly made “comrades.”

If from the above reasons you have not found a similar option, then only a practicing psychologist can help in this situation. Only a professional who has already had experience working with people suffering from intrapersonal disagreements can diagnose the prerequisites. Do not think that the absence of your dilemma among the listed reasons is a reason to calm down. People will not read this article out of idle interest.

The positive impact of intrapersonal conflict on a person’s future

Despite the danger of a person developing a severe form of neurotic disease, intrapersonal conflict is an excellent opportunity to rethink values ​​by adjusting one’s own worldview. Practitioners working with such patients identify the following positive changes in the psyche of people who have coped with disagreements:

Forced mobilization of hidden personal resources, with the help of which it is possible to solve the emerging problem.
A “sober” look from the outside at what is desired and what is real, haunting the patient’s inner world.
, because a person copes with a serious mental disorder by overcoming a number of fears.
The patient develops rational thinking, which helps him make decisions in controversial and especially difficult situations.
Knowledge of one’s own “I”, improving a person’s attitude towards society.
In the process of searching for a solution to a problem, brilliant thoughts appear and effective ways to realize hidden potential are found.

The main thing is to contact a psychologist in time, who can correctly diagnose the cause of internal disagreements. It is extremely rare for people susceptible to neurotic illness to solve such a problem on their own. Too many subconscious “interlocutors” are present in the patient’s head, directing the true personality along the wrong path.

Effective ways to resolve intrapersonal conflict

If a person who has mental disorders refuses to visit a specialist’s office, then you can try to change the course of events on your own. However, it will not be possible to do without the help of close relatives, spouse or friends. It becomes possible to resolve the emerging dispute if you use the useful recommendations of psychologists in time:

Choosing a compromise solution that involves eliminating internal disagreement. Where to go: football or basketball? Feel free to choose volleyball without creating a seed of doubt in your mind.
Change your own attitude towards the object of dispute. What to buy for dinner: sausage or cheese? In this situation, prefer sandwiches with sausage and cheese, taking a small amount of both products from the counter.
Consciously refuse to solve the problem that has arisen, closing your “eyes” to internal contradictions. Leave the choice to fate, which is not characterized by long-term confusion.
Push unacceptable thoughts out of your consciousness by refusing to realize them (this is how William Stanley Milligan was cured).
Adjust your own worldview to achieve the desired result. Adapt to the circumstances, but do not take this strategy as a rule.

Some psychologists suggest that patients idealize the problem, succumb to fantasies and abandon reality. The illusory world is beautiful, which means you will gain. However, most professionals question the effectiveness of this technique.
Make it a rule to repeat on a subconscious level during difficult periods of life the following phrase: “There are no hopeless situations.”

Learn to make your own choices without thinking for a long time about possible outcomes in the current situation. Guided by the above tips and enlisting the support of loved ones, you can change the usual course of events. The main thing is to really want to get rid of internal disagreements by showing willpower and fortitude.

Awareness of the scale of the conflict is the first step towards recovery, which is something to be proud of. Identifying the true cause is the second stage, helping to determine the source of the fire. Finding a solution and getting rid of internal disagreements is the third step, which is especially difficult to climb. However, at the end of the energy-consuming journey, a pleasant reward awaits you - peace of mind.

3 February 2014, 12:36

If a person lives in harmony with himself and the world around him, he can well be called a happy person. However, if internal doubts haunt and even sometimes torment the soul, we are already talking about an intrapersonal conflict. We propose to figure out which conflict is intrapersonal.

What is intrapersonal conflict?

Experts in the field of psychiatry say that the concept of intrapersonal conflict means a conflict within a person’s mental world, which is a collision of his oppositely directed motives. Such motives include needs, interests, values, goals and ideals. In psychoanalysis, the main place is given to conflicts between needs and social foundations, as well as between the needs of the person himself.

Causes of intrapersonal conflict

It is customary to distinguish three main types of interconnected reasons:

1. Domestic– expressed in contradictions between different human motives in the absence of coordination between the components of the internal structure.
2. External– are determined by the person’s position in the group. Here, intrapersonal conflict arises due to the inability to satisfy one’s needs.
3. External, determined by a person’s position in society,– are associated with such a concept as intrapersonal contradictions that arise at the level of the social microsystem and stem from the nature of the social system and economic life.

Functions of intrapersonal conflict

The following intrapersonal functions are called: constructive and destructive functions. The first experts in the field of psychiatry include:

1. Communicative (informational or connecting) - people begin to get to know each other even better, understand and gradually get closer.
2. Function as a stimulant and force that can drive social change.
3. The function of promoting the formation of the necessary balance in society.
4. Guaranteeing the development of society by disclosing various interests.
5. Help in re-evaluating old norms and values.

The second functions are usually classified as:

1. Dissatisfaction, decreased productivity, bad.
2. Disruption of communication systems.
3. Loyalty to own group and lack of competition with others.
4. The thought of another as an enemy.
5. Winning a conflict is more important than solving a problem.
6. signs of intrapersonal conflict

Such a concept as intrapersonal conflict has the following characteristics:

1. All elements of a person’s internal worldview interact.
2. There are contradictions between interests, goals, emotions and desires.
3. The appearance of negative reactions.

Types of intrapersonal conflicts

Psychologists call these types of human intrapersonal conflicts:

1. Motivational– represents a disagreement between the desires to have and security.
2. Moral– there is a lack of coordination between personal and moral attitudes.
3. Adaptive– difficulties of adaptation in the professional sphere and society.
4. Inadequate self-esteem– disagreements between the assessment of a person’s own abilities and claims.
5. Interrole– inability to perform several roles at once.
6. Personal-role– inconsistency of one’s own roles due to ability or desire.
7. Conflict of needs– between social foundations and needs.

Ways to resolve intrapersonal conflicts

Experts talk about how to resolve intrapersonal conflict. Among the most effective ways:

1. Compromise– it is very important to realize everything in time and solve intrapersonal problems.
2. Care– sometimes you need to “let go” of a situation and not even try to resolve it.
3. Reorientation– changing one’s attitude towards the object.
4. Sublimation– transfer of energy into a socially significant direction.
5. Idealization– fantasizing, dreams, separation from reality.
6. crowding out– influence on one’s own feelings, desires and aspirations to suppress them.
7. Correction– an adequate attitude towards yourself and your inner world.

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Some people face a serious psychological problem due to which a big dispute occurs within the individual. In other words, intrapersonal conflict is the contradictions that engulf the individual. He is in great doubt and cannot make a single decision, since two opposing points of view have the same “weight.” It is worth noting that this psychological problem can lead to both serious personal growth, if a person connects all his resources and mobilizes, and to big problems.

How does this happen in life? For example, a person finds himself in a difficult situation and cannot make a final choice between real feelings and a marriage of convenience. Cannot make a final choice between work and family. There are a lot of such situations, but if you “immerse yourself in them headlong” and attach great importance to them, there is a risk of coming to internal conflict. Due to the lack of harmony between the outside world and one’s own self, there is also a risk of developing more serious psychological disorders. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze approaches to understanding intrapersonal conflict.

Basis and features of intrapersonal conflict

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As mentioned above, the basis of such a conflict is, first of all, disagreements experienced within the individual. This conflict flares up inside a person, and he, as a rule, does not take it out into the world around him. The individual finds himself in a situation where he needs to rethink his values ​​and, if this can be done, he acquires new useful qualities and a vision of the world. However, in reality it is not always possible to cope with the situation, which leads to even greater isolation and asociality. The characteristics of such conflicts are such that they cause stress, frustration and anxiety.

Anxiety manifests itself even before a certain situation unfolds. It, in turn, is divided into situational and personal. Situational anxiety develops due to external circumstances, but if a person does not have time to cope with it, it immediately turns into personal anxiety. Remember how in childhood we were scolded for failing and threatened with punishment. When a child receives a negative assessment, situational anxiety occurs (external circumstances have turned out badly), after which he remembers his parents and the expected consequences. Thus, internal anxiety begins to appear. At these moments, internal dialogues begin that can develop into something more, for example, into intrapersonal conflicts or frustration.

Frustration is a state in which a person experiences great disappointment. It arises in cases where it is not possible to solve a complex problem for subjective or objective reasons. The same child cannot avoid scandal at home; this leads him to oppression and frustration. In adults, this condition occurs most often when setting a goal and failing to achieve it. When an individual throws all his strength and resources into solving a problem, but it turns out to be unsolvable at a given moment in time. As a result, a person experiences great disappointment, powerlessness, and his desires do not coincide with his capabilities.

Further, if the individual fails to cope with the developing internal negativity, stress may occur, which covers even more topics related to life in general and one’s position in it. Let's return to the topic of goal setting. Let's say an individual set a goal to earn much more money, and, as usually happens, overestimated his capabilities. However, he wants to have an expensive car, new housing and beautiful things. As a result, all forces are mobilized and after some time he realizes that he can’t achieve anything and gives up his idea. A small conflict flares up within the individual, the person begins to blame himself, and then the entire world around him, for injustice. You can often come across statements that life is unpleasant, only bad people are lucky, there is deception and corruption all around. Although most often these problems do not directly affect the individual and have only a minor impact on his life.

What is intrapersonal conflict?

To finally understand the concept of intrapersonal conflict, imagine a state of complete doubt. It is so strong, and the two opposing opinions are so reasonable, that you find yourself in a kind of stupor. And if we add to this the unsolvability of the problem on our own and the impossibility of help from the outside world, the person plunges even deeper into the conflict within himself. Interestingly, the confrontation is developing according to several scenarios.

• Latency. In such a state, a person does not even notice that he is in a confrontational state. As a rule, he has a lot to do, he is in a bustle, which is why he has no opportunity to be alone with himself. Under the guise of vigorous activity or euphoria, the plight of the individual is hidden;
• Unusual structure. In this state, the conflict is not based on other entities;
• Specificity. A person, among other things, experiences stress, fear, and depression.

The famous psychologist in the Western world, Sigmund Freud, believed that the essence of human nature lies in constant mental contradiction. This tension is often associated with the foundations of social culture and the desire of the individual. As a small example, here are the rules of conduct. For example, we are told: “You need to be quiet in the library.” But maybe we want to discuss an interesting topic with someone in full voice or even stand on our head in the middle of the room. There are a huge number of such situations and most of them are small, which we can handle.

The German psychologist Lewin believed that strong IC develops in cases where two opposing opinions of the same magnitude collide within a person. And the greater their significance and vital importance, the greater the risk of developing confrontation within oneself. Rogers also presented an interesting point of view. How often do we set ideals for ourselves that are impossible to achieve? Moreover, sometimes our judgments are so subjective that we ourselves deny the possibility of achievement. As a result, understanding the ideal self that we strive for, and the real discrepancy leads to big problems and powerlessness.

Varieties and types

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If we talk about the main types of intrapersonal conflicts, then it is worth understanding that we are dealing with a subjective opinion. As a result, there are no precise concepts, since the authors have different views on the problem. However, the basis is there. As a rule, VC flares up in the social-consumer and value-motivational spheres.

Valuable and motivational sphere:

• Moral. When a person does not find a balance between his preferences and morality. Between personal attitude and duty to society;
• Motivation. It often develops in situations where in order to achieve a goal you need to sacrifice your safety and comfort. As a result, the question arises between calmness and the desire to possess something.
• Adaptation. Conflict arises when a person finds it difficult to adapt to a new reality. For example, a change in social circle or a new place of work;
• Unrealization. The desired does not coincide with the actual;
• Inadequate self-esteem. Sometimes a person underestimates his abilities too much or, on the contrary, overestimates them, as a result of which internal conflicts with reality arise.

Classification of intrapersonal conflicts in the social and consumer sphere:

• Conflict of social norms. Often a person denies social principles because they do not coincide with his inner vision;
• Conflict of needs. Often, due to a limited budget, we cannot choose the right product and whims win. As a result, there are a lot of loans, the meaning of life is lost, there is no joy from ownership;
• Conflict between social norm and need.

There are also types of intrapersonal conflicts. Lewin (German psychologist) proposed 4 main types: frustrating, vital, equivalent and ambivalent.

• The ambivalent type of confrontation develops in cases where the result or some actions equally repel and seduce. A contradiction arises;
• Equivalent. When an individual is given a goal to complete several tasks of equal importance. To get out of a conflict, you need to find a compromise;
• A frustrating type develops when a person prohibits himself from performing certain actions because they diverge from generally accepted moral principles and society;
• Vital. When a person has to make decisions that he does not like, but they are necessary.

We can distinguish the main forms of manifestation of intrapersonal conflicts:

• Euphoria - unjustified joy, tears are often interspersed with laughter;
• Neurasthenia – migraine, insomnia, high depression, low performance;
• Projection – criticism, negativity in relationships with people;
• Regression is primitivism in behavior, refusal of responsibility.
• Nomadism is a constant desire for change;
• Rationalism is self-justification.

Causes

As a rule, the causes of VC, its appearance and development, are determined by three main factors:

• External, due to the behavior of the individual within a certain group;
• Internal, hidden in the contradictions of the personality itself;
• External, conditioned by the status as a whole within society.

When a person is faced with external factors caused by confrontation with society as a whole, they are usually based on personal status. That is, a person does not like his position in society or how he is treated.

VCs within a certain group may be different, however, there is a common basis - the inability to satisfy their needs. For example:

• Lack of the desired object. I want a cup of coffee, but they don’t sell that kind of coffee in this city, and so on;
• Physical obstacles. A person is in a closed room and cannot get out on his own;
• Social circumstances;
• Biological barriers.

However, it cannot be said that one of the reasons is separated from the other. In fact, everything is very interconnected and one reason smoothly flows into another. For example, the development of internal conflict is most often caused by confrontation with a certain group or society as a whole. Contradictions cannot just appear (out of emptiness). Do not forget that the basis of confrontation is based on two opposing opinions, which must be important. Otherwise, this will not be a problem for the individual, and he will pass them by introspection.

It is important that the opinions are of equal strength, otherwise the individual will simply choose the strongest. When they are the same size, confrontation arises, and stormy dialogues develop inside. What are the contradictions based on?

• Confrontation of social roles. The modern world requires a person to perform many tasks, and time, as a rule, is not enough. For example, an adult is given the task of picking up a child from kindergarten and fulfilling an urgent work order;
• The confrontation between ordinary need and social norm. As you know, the human stomach works and sometimes it needs to remove gases. But what to do when there is a meeting or you are in decent company;
• Conflict between religion and social values. A striking example is military operations. A true Christian observes the commandment “thou shalt not kill,” but when something threatens his family or homeland, a big dilemma also arises;
• Mismatch between interests, needs and motives. In other words, a person himself does not understand what he needs from life in general.

Often VC develops due to working relationships within an enterprise, since most of the time a person has to work and is in conditions created by the external environment. If a person could choose where and how to work, many problems simply would not arise. The main reasons for the development of conflict within a certain group:

• The struggle of values ​​between one’s views on life, foundations and professional tasks. For example, if a person is pure in soul and is used to speaking honestly, it will be difficult or even impossible for him to engage in advertising and sales;
• Great responsibility and excessive tasks that are not comparable to the person’s capabilities.
• The desire for creativity and routine work at the enterprise;
• Two incompatible tasks;
• Strict work requirements and poor working conditions;
• Poor mechanism for achieving the goal, vagueness, ambiguity and at the same time a specific task.
• Morality and profit.

Forms and methods of solving the problem

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Analyzing the forms of manifestation and methods of resolving internal conflicts is an important task for every person. We have already talked about forms, now we can move on to the topic of resolving the situation. The point is, if a person does not find a positive solution for himself, this will lead to a protracted confrontation and, as a consequence, to a suicidal situation, a nervous breakdown, or the development of psychological disorders. That is why it is important to know how to act in the current conditions. Moreover, if you calmly figure it out, it’s not so difficult.

To resolve intrapersonal conflict as quickly as possible, you should pay attention to the following points:

• Care. Try to let go of the difficult situation and switch to another topic. Sometimes a problem cannot be solved with existing skills and capabilities. Therefore, it is worth accepting;
• Compromise. If there is a choice, try to come to a compromise and immediately begin to act;
• Sublimation. In cases where you cannot solve a problem, switch to another activity that brings you pleasure. For example, a hobby, sports or creativity where you can achieve results. Later you will return to the unresolved problem with renewed vigor;
• Reorientation. Change your attitude towards a person or object;
• Idealization. If reality is very bad, turn on some music and try to daydream. Break away from reality. Watch a comedy or movie that you like best;
• Correction. Try to be objective about your Self;
• Crowding out. If desires are unrealistic, try to suppress them or push them into the future, switching to more achievable ones.

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It is interesting that the consequences of intrapersonal conflict are of the same “nature” as the confrontation itself. That is, it can have both a positive effect on a person and a negative one. In any case, the result will depend only on the individual person.

Negative consequences

• A dead end in personal development, degradation is possible;
• A constant state of stress, anxiety, suspiciousness, dependence on the opinions of other people and circumstances;
• Disorganization in physiological and psychological terms;
• Activity decreases;
• Manifestation of polar qualities - submissiveness or aggressiveness. Inferiority, uncertainty in one's actions often develops, and the meaning of life is lost.

In society, behavior manifests itself as follows:

• Inappropriate reaction to other people;
• Isolation from other group members;
• Blaming others for your failures.

If a person does not solve the causes of VC in time, there is a risk of developing psychological deviations of a neurotic nature. This is why it is important to contact psychologists at any age if you are unable to resolve the situation.

Positive consequences

• Will and character are strengthened in struggle. People who often overcome themselves become strong and are able to manage their internal resources;
• Self-improvement, self-development and self-affirmation;
• Intrapersonal intelligence develops;
• The human psyche is more resistant to the influence of external stimuli. After several victories, a person is no longer afraid to take on a challenge and boldly goes into battle, improving his Self.

As you can see, these types of problems challenge us, but they also contain hidden potential for growth. If you gather your courage or seek the help of specialists, they will help you eliminate the causes of intrapersonal conflict and make you stronger.

Conflictology. Tutorial Burtovaya E.V.

2. Causes of intrapersonal conflict

A person's relationship to the world, to other people and to himself iscontradictory characterwhich also determines the inconsistency of the internal structure of the personality. A person as a part of society cannot “jump out” from the integral system of contradictory social relations, which ultimately determine his consciousness, psyche and entire inner world.

With a more specific consideration of the causes of intrapersonal conflict, they can be divided into three types:

1) internal reasons rooted in the contradictions of the individual himself;

2) external reasons due to the position of the individual in a social group;

3) external reasons determined by the position of the individual in society.

It should be borne in mind that all these types of causes of conflict are interconnected, and their differentiation itself is quite arbitrary. We are essentially talking about individual, special and general causes, between which, as well as between the categories that reflect them, there is a dialectical relationship. For example, the internal causes of conflict are the result of an individual’s interaction with both the group and society, and do not arise on their own, out of nowhere.

Internal reasons

The internal causes of intrapersonal conflict are rooted in the contradictions between various motives of the individual, in the mismatch of its internal structure. Moreover, the more complex a person’s inner world is, the more developed his feelings, values ​​and aspirations, the higher his ability for self-analysis, the more the personality is susceptible to conflict. Among the main contradictions that cause internal conflict are the following:

contradiction between need and social norm.

contradiction of motives, interests and needs (you both want to go to the theater and need to prepare for a seminar);

contradiction of social roles (for example, when you need to stay at work to fulfill an urgent order, and take a walk with your child);

contradiction of social values ​​and norms: ( how to combine the Christian value “thou shalt not kill” and the duty of defending the fatherland on the battlefield.)

For an intrapersonal conflict to arise, these contradictions must acquire a deep personal meaning, otherwise a person will not attach importance to them. In addition, the different sides of the contradictions should be approximately equal in the strength of their impact on the individual. Otherwise, a person easily chooses the lesser of two evils, and the greater of two goods. And no conflict arises.

The next type of causes of intrapersonal conflicts is

External reasons

External causes of intrapersonal conflict can be caused by: the position of the individual in the group, 2) position of the individual in the organization, 3) position of the individual in society.

1 position of the individual in the group , may be varied. But their common feature is the impossibility of satisfying any important needs and motives that have deep inner meaning and significance for the individual in a given situation. In the work “Psychology of the Individual and the Group” they highlight in this regard four Types of situations that cause intrapersonal conflict:

1) physical barriers that prevent the satisfaction of our basic needs: (bad weather that prevents harvesting; insufficient income that does not allow the housewife to purchase what she wants; a lowered barrier or sentry that does not allow access to one place or another;

2) the absence of an object necessary to satisfy the felt need (I want to drink a cup of coffee, but the shops are closed and there is no more coffee left at home);

3) biological limitations (mentally retarded people and people with physical defects, for whom the obstacle is rooted in the body itself);

4) social conditions (the main source of the largest number of our intrapersonal conflicts).

2. At the level organizations external causes causing intrapersonal conflict can be represented by such types of contradictions as:

1) the contradiction between great responsibility and insufficient rights for its implementation (a person was promoted, new employees were given subordination, functions were expanded, etc., but the rights remained the same);

2) the contradiction between strict requirements for deadlines and quality of task completion and poor working conditions (the production task must be completed at all costs, but the equipment is old and constantly breaks down);

3) a contradiction between two mutually exclusive requirements or tasks (requirements to simultaneously improve the quality of products and at the same time increase their production with unchanged equipment);

4) the contradiction between a strictly defined task and poorly defined mechanisms and means for its implementation. (In our recent past, under the conditions of a rigid planned economy, the slogan “plan at any cost” was popular in this regard);

5) the contradiction between production requirements, norms and traditions in the organization, on the one hand, and personal values ​​or needs, on the other. (Constant work on weekends, constant rush jobs, the practice of bribes and gifts, fawning, the habit of a boss pestering subordinates with advances, systematic collective drinking at work, etc. - these kinds of requirements, customs and norms may not be acceptable for people who are not meet their values ​​and needs);

6) the contradiction between the desire for creativity, career, self-affirmation and the possibilities of realizing this within the organization. (Many people strive for advanced training and self-realization as a vital goal, and if there are no conditions for this, intrapersonal conflict may develop);

7) contradictions caused by the incompatibility of social roles of the individual. (This cause of intrapersonal conflict occurs quite often. Its content consists in the contradiction between the functions that a person must perform, having different statuses. In this case, different roles will make different, perhaps even contradictory demands on a person. For example, the status of the head of an organization will make certain demands and standards of behavior in relation to a subordinate, and the status of a close friend will make different ones);

8) the contradiction between the desire for profit and moral standards. (A person works in an organization that produces profitable, but poor quality or harmful products for consumers).

3 External causes of intrapersonal conflict caused by positionindividuals in society . These reasons are associated with contradictions that arise at the level of the social macrosystem and are rooted in the nature of the social system, the social structure of society, its political structure and economic life.

For Russia, in this regard, it is necessary to pay attention first of all to influence of market relations on the emergence and development of intrapersonal conflict. For us, this issue is especially relevant, because the country has recently embarked on the path of a market economy. And although this issue has not yet been adequately studied in the domestic literature, we can turn to research available in other countries that have long taken the path of economic liberalism.

3. Basic ways to resolve intrapersonal conflict

By resolving (overcoming) an intrapersonal conflict is meant restoring the coherence of the individual’s inner world, establishing the unity of consciousness, reducing the severity of the contradictions in life relationships, and achieving a new quality of life. Resolution of intrapersonal conflict can be constructive and destructive. When constructively overcoming intrapersonal conflict, mental balance is achieved, understanding of life deepens, and a new value consciousness arises.

The resolution of intrapersonal conflict is realized through:

Absence of painful conditions associated with the existing conflict;

Reducing the manifestations of negative psychological and socio-psychological factors of intrapersonal conflict;

Improving the quality and efficiency of professional activities.

Depending on individual characteristics, people relate to internal contradictions differently and choose their own strategies for getting out of conflict situations. Some are immersed in thoughts, others immediately begin to act, others plunge into the emotions overwhelming them. It is important that a person, being aware of his own individual characteristics, develops his own style of resolving internal contradictions and a constructive attitude towards them. The methods of conflict resolution and the time spent on this are different for people with different types of temperament. The choleric person decides everything quickly, preferring defeat to uncertainty. The melancholic person thinks for a long time, weighs, estimates, not daring to take any action. However, such a painful reflexive process does not exclude the possibility of radically changing the current situation. The properties of temperament influence the dynamic side of resolving intrapersonal contradictions: the speed of experiences, their stability, individual rhythm of flow, intensity, direction outward or inward.

The process of resolving intrapersonal contradictions is influenced by gender and age characteristics of the individual. With increasing age, intrapersonal contradictions acquire forms of resolution typical for a given individual. Periodically remembering what we have lived through, we return to critical points that once disrupted the measured flow of life, rethink them in a new way, analyze more deeply and generally the ways of resolving conflicts, overcoming what seemed insurmountable. Working on your past, analyzing your own biography is one of the natural ways to develop internal stability, integrity, and harmony.

There are different ways for men and women to resolve conflicts. Men are more rational; with each new intrapersonal experience, they enrich their set of means of resolving the situation. Women rejoice and suffer in a new way every time. They are more diverse in personal characteristics, and men are more diverse in role characteristics. Women have more time to update and, as it were, re-edit the accumulated experience; men are less inclined to return to what they have experienced, but they are able to get out of the conflict in a timely manner.

Stages of intrapersonal conflict resolution:

1. Clearly identify and separate the parts from each other. They will appear to be making conflicting demands. For example, one part may demand freedom and leisure, while the other may require a guarantee of a stable income. Or one part may be very careful when dealing with money, while the other may be wasteful. Each part will make negative value judgments about the other part. Some of them are based on the value orientations of parents. Each part has its own value.

2.Get a clear representation of each part. How do they look? How do they feel? What does their voice sound like (parents, loved ones)? Are there words or phrases that could describe them? Visualize from (hand...)

3. Find out the intent of each part. Please note that each of them has positive intentions. Go up as far as you need to in order for the parts to come to a mutually beneficial result. Both must come to an agreement. Start negotiations as if you were dealing with two different people. Sometimes, when disagreements are great, the only agreement that can be reached is to save your life.

4. Negotiations. What resources of each part could be useful to the other part to realize its interests? What can you exchange? What could they cooperate on? What does each of them want from their rival in order to obtain satisfaction? What exactly does each part want from the other (time, behavior, attention, etc.)

5. Create a picture of the cooperation of the parts (...). Sit quietly for a while

Such “negotiations” are a good tool for resolving conflicts. In fact, you may never get rid of these opposing parts (this may not be necessary). However, you will understand them better, you will recognize them in a crisis situation, and they will not give rise to extreme neurotic reactions, since the main thing here is not what is within the mind, not the agreement that you have come to, but those sound, visual or kinesthetic images that you created.

One of the main ways to resolve intrapersonal conflicts is to adequately assess the situation in which the individual finds himself. It includes the individual's self-esteem and assessment of the complexity of existing problems. In social psychology there is the concept of reflection - the ability of an individual to look at his situation from the position of an external observer, at the same time to become aware of himself in this situation and how he is perceived by other people. Reflection helps a person to identify the true causes of his internal tension, worries and anxieties, correctly assess the current situation and find a reasonable way out of the conflict. The famous psychotherapist Maxwell Moltz in his book “I Am Me, or How to Be Happy” offers a lot of useful advice that can help a person resolve personal conflicts. Most of these tips are based on the phenomenon of self-reflection. Let's consider some of them: create the correct image of your own “I”. Know the whole truth about yourself. Be able to face the truth; respond to facts, not ideas about them; do not pay increased attention to what people think about you, how they evaluate you; not to react too emotionally to external stimuli, to be able to delay your reaction to them (“I will only worry tomorrow”); do not cultivate feelings of resentment or self-pity; be able to forgive yourself and others, forgiveness has a healing effect; be able to direct your aggression in the right direction. For excess emotional “steam,” you need to have a safety valve (physical activity, creativity, walking, etc.): don’t “fight windmills.” React emotionally only to what really exists here and now; do not make a mountain out of a mountain, realistically assess the situation with all the ensuing consequences; have a clearly defined goal and strive relentlessly to achieve it. If possible, set realistic goals for yourself; act decisively, purposefully, attack and not defend. During a conflict, emotions overwhelm a person and prevent him from acting rationally. In order not to carry an unnecessary and burdensome burden within yourself, you need to learn to manage your emotions and periodically “cleanse” yourself from an excess of feelings such as resentment, anger, fear, hatred, etc. To do this, you can use a wide variety of ways and techniques, for example: speaking out in a circle of friends, “unwind” in sports games, throw a tantrum in private (so that strangers do not hear), tear old magazines to shreds, beat the mattress with your fists, etc. d.1 Freed from the burden of emotions, a person receives additional resources to solve his problems. D. Carnegie recommends not to panic in conflict situations (to overcome stress), but to accept what happened as a fait accompli and act, putting aside emotions. “It seems to me,” writes D. Carnegie, “50% of my worries disappear when I make a clear, meaningful decision; another 40% usually disappears when I start implementing it. So, I overcome my anxiety by about 90% by following these principles: Accurate description of the situation that worries me. Writing down possible actions I can take. Decision-making. Immediate implementation of this decision." If the obstacle that caused the intrapersonal conflict cannot be overcome, then the frustrating individual can find other ways out: replace the means of achieving the goal (find a new path); replace goals (find alternative goals that satisfy needs and desires); assess the situation in a new way (loss of interest in the goal as a result of receiving new information, reasoned refusal of the goal, etc.). A special approach is needed when resolving an unconscious internal conflict. The problem is that such a conflict exists on a subconscious level and its causes are not clear to the conflict bearer himself. A person may react painfully to certain life situations, he may be irritated by some events or actions of others, he may experience hostility towards a certain type of people. The causes of such conflicts must be sought primarily in the person himself. To do this, you need to carefully analyze several typical situations that cause your negative reaction and ask yourself a few questions: What irritates me about this...? Why am I reacting this way to this...? How do I behave in this case...? Why do others react differently to this? How adequately do I react to this...? What is the reason for my irritation? Has something similar happened to me before? There are other possible questions that will help you better understand yourself. If a person is able to realize the real sources of his internal conflicts, he will be freed from the burden of old problems and will respond to crisis situations adequately. If you cannot resolve such problems yourself, then you need to consult a psychotherapist. Intrapersonal conflicts and stress activate the processes of spending a person’s physical and spiritual strength. There are various ways to restore and mobilize them, as well as to relieve increased internal tension: for example, yoga, meditation, auto-training, etc.

Intrapersonal conflict is a difficult to resolve contradiction caused by a clash between approximately equal in strength, but oppositely directed interests, needs, drives, etc. Intrapersonal conflict is accompanied by strong emotional experiences.

Life crises are an event in a person’s life that has a destructive effect on his destiny, entailing the loss of an important component of his life (relationships with loved ones, work, health, social status, psychological balance).

Experience is how the subject’s emotional processes are reflected in consciousness.

Destructive behavior is behavior that does not meet social norms accepted in society and has a negative impact on the individual

Man is a complex creature that requires study. Scientists not only pay attention to studying the human body, but also understand the importance of the inner psychological world. A person can conflict with himself. The article examines the concept, its types, reasons for its appearance, methods of resolution and consequences.

What is intrapersonal conflict?

Intrapersonal conflicts arise in the life of every person. What it is? This is a contradiction within oneself, which is based on equivalent and at the same time opposing needs, desires, and interests.

It is very easy to get confused in your own desires. On the one hand, a person may want to take revenge, on the other hand, he understands that his actions will harm his peaceful existence. On the one hand, a person wants to be rich, on the other, he is afraid of appearing bad in the eyes of others.

When a person is faced with a choice where he should choose one thing that is equal in importance to another, but opposite to it, then he enters into an intrapersonal conflict.

Developments can go in one of two directions:

1. A person will rapidly begin to develop if he mobilizes his own potential and begins to solve his problem.
2. A person will find himself in a “dead end”, where he will drive himself, because he will not be able to make a choice and will not begin to act.

It is quite normal for a person to have a struggle within himself. Everyone lives in a world where there is so much truth. From childhood, everyone is taught that there can be only one truth, and everything else is a lie. A person gets used to living one-sidedly. However, he is not a “blind kitten”; he sees that there are many realities in which people live.

Morals and desires, beliefs and actions, the opinion of society and one’s own needs often come into conflict. So, a person may want to be a pianist, and his parents, whom he loves very much, want him to be an accountant. In such a situation, a person often chooses the “parental” path rather than his own, which leads to an unhappy life.

The concept of intrapersonal conflict

The concept of intrapersonal conflict is a confrontation that arises within a person between two equal and opposite motives. All this is accompanied by various experiences (fear, depression, disorientation), during which a person may not notice or deny them, replacing his state with active activity.

Quite a lot of psychologists have studied this topic to understand the motives and mechanisms of development of intrapersonal conflict. It all started with S. Freud, who defined this concept as a struggle between instinctual desires and sociocultural foundations, between the conscious and the subconscious.

Other concepts of intrapersonal conflict are:

• The clash between the real self and the ideal self-image.
• The struggle between equivalent values, among which the highest is self-realization.
• A crisis of transition to a new state, when the old fights with the new and is rejected.

Psychologists believe that intrapersonal conflict is a completely normal state for a person who by nature is a contradictory creature. Everyone experiences periods in their lives when they are inevitably confronted with what they already have and what they might have if they lose what they have.

The result of resolution is a person’s transition to a new level, where he uses old experience and gains new one. However, people often refuse development in order to preserve what they already have. This is called degradation. This can also be a way out of the situation if a person sees something in the “new life” that can significantly worsen his integrity, safety, and independence.

Causes of intrapersonal conflict

There are many reasons for the development of intrapersonal conflict. The main reasons are three:

1. Reasons that lie hidden in personality contradictions.
2. Reasons related to the status of the individual in society.
3. Reasons related to the status of the individual in a particular social group.

These reasons are interrelated. Often internal conflicts arise against the background of external factors, as well as vice versa. The more reasonable, understanding and complex a person is in his structure, the more prone he is to internal conflicts, since he will strive to combine the incompatible.

Here are the contradictions on the basis of which intrapersonal conflicts arise:

• Between social norms and needs.
• Confrontation of social roles (for example, taking a child to kindergarten and doing work at the same time).
• Mismatch of motives, interests, needs.
• Inconsistency between moral principles (for example, going to war and adhering to the principle “thou shalt not kill”).

The most important factor that provokes intrapersonal conflict is the equivalence for a person of those directions at which he is at a crossroads. If for an individual one of the options does not play an important role, then confrontation will not arise: he will quickly make a choice in favor of the option that is most significant for him. The conflict begins when both options are important, significant and practically equivalent.

Contradictions that arise within a person due to status in a group:

• Physical obstacles that are organized by other people and prevent you from satisfying your personal needs.
• Biological problems that prevent a person from achieving their full potential.
• Lack of opportunity to realize your need to achieve the desired sensations.
• Excessive responsibility and limited human rights that prevent him from carrying out his work.
• Between working conditions and job performance requirements.
• Between professionalism, culture, norms and personal needs, values.
• Between incompatible tasks.
• Between the desire for profit and moral values.
• Between a clearly defined task and the vagueness of its implementation.
• Between career ambitions and personal abilities of a person within the framework of the organization.

Types of intrapersonal conflict

The classification of intrapersonal conflict was proposed by K. Levin, who identified the following types:

1. Equivalent – ​​the need to perform two or more significant tasks. In this case, a compromise is effective when partial substitution occurs.
2. Vital – the need to make equally unattractive decisions.
3. Ambivalent - when the actions taken and the results achieved are equally attractive and repulsive.
4. Frustrating - when the actions taken or decisions made help in achieving the desired, but contradict moral values, social norms and rules.

Another classification of types of intrapersonal conflicts is based on the value-motivational sphere of a person:

• A motivational conflict arises when two equally significant tendencies that contradict each other come into conflict.
• Moral contradiction (normative conflict) arises when personal needs and moral principles, internal aspirations and external duty conflict.
• A conflict of unfulfilled desires is when a person cannot achieve his goal due to external obstacles.
• Role conflict occurs when it is necessary to perform several roles at once, and also when external demands are not consistent with the internal understanding of fulfilling one role.
• Adaptation conflict appears when internal needs and external social demands come into conflict.
• A conflict of inadequate self-esteem is formed when the opinions of others do not coincide with a person’s opinion of himself.

Resolving intrapersonal conflict

Psychologists not only considered the mechanism of development of intrapersonal conflict, but also looked for ways to resolve it. It is believed that a person is formed during the first 5 years of his life. During this period, he encounters many negative external factors that develop complexes in him, or a feeling of inferiority.

In the future, a person is only looking for convenient ways to compensate for this feeling. Adler identified two such methods:

1. Development of social interest and feeling, which can manifest itself in the development of professional skills, alcoholism, drug addiction, etc.
2. Stimulating your own potential, achieving superiority over your environment. This is done in the following ways:

• Adequate compensation – consistency of excellence with social interests.
• Overcompensation is the hypertrophied development of a specific quality.
• Imaginary compensation - external circumstances compensate for feelings of inferiority.

M. Deutsch identified open and latent forms of resolving intrapersonal conflict:

• Open:

1. Decision-making.
2. Fixation on solving the problem.
3. Ending doubts.

• Latent:

1. Simulation, hysteria, torment.
2. Escaping reality into dreams and fantasies.
3. Compensation is the replacement of what has not been achieved with other goals.
4. Regression is the renunciation of desires, avoidance of responsibility, transition to primitive forms of existence.
5. Sublimation.
6. Nomadism – change of permanent residence, job.
7. Neurasthenia.
8. Projection is not noticing your negative qualities, attributing them to other people.
9. Rationalization – self-justification, finding selective logical conclusions.
10. Idealization.
11. Euphoria is artificial fun.
12. Differentiation is the separation of thinking from the author.

Understanding these mechanisms is necessary to successfully overcome the intrapersonal conflict that arises in absolutely all people.

Consequences of intrapersonal conflict

Depending on the ways in which a person gets out of his intrapersonal conflict, this period can be marked by self-improvement of the individual or its degradation. The consequences are conventionally divided into positive and negative.

Positive consequences arise when a person resolves his intrapersonal issue. He does not run away from the problem, gets to know himself, understands the reasons for the conflict. Sometimes it is possible to satisfy two sides at the same time, sometimes a person compromises or must completely abandon one in order to realize the other. If a person resolves his conflict, then he becomes more perfect and achieves positive results.

Negative (destructive) consequences are the results when a person begins to be psychologically suppressed. A split personality occurs, neurotic qualities arise, and crises occur.

The more a person is affected by internal conflicts, the more susceptible he is not only to the consequences in the form of destruction of relationships, dismissal from work, deterioration in activity, but also to qualitative changes in his personality:

• Irritability.
• Worry.
• Anxiety.

Often such conflicts become the causes of psychological illnesses. All this suggests that a person does not solve the problem, but suffers from it, avoids it, tries to run away or not notice, but it disturbs and worries him.

A person is not able to escape from himself, so the need to resolve intrapersonal conflict is fundamental. Depending on the decision made by a person, he will receive one or another result.

Bottom line

A person is a complex of beliefs, rules, frameworks, desires, interests, needs and other attitudes, some of which are instinctive, some are personally developed, and the rest are social. Usually a person tries to satisfy all the needs that are inherent in him at the same time. However, the result of such aspiration is intrapersonal conflict.

A person struggles with his own desires, interests or needs, because he tries to be everywhere, to live to please everyone’s desires, and not to upset anyone, including himself. However, this becomes impossible within the real world. It is the awareness of one’s own inability to satisfy all one’s needs that provokes negative feelings.

A person must cope with his own experiences in order to begin to deal with the problem that has arisen, and not to further cultivate a feeling of inferiority. One should start by studying those two opposing forces that cause internal conflict, and then decide how to eliminate it.