Second, when individuals defend their viewpoints in groups, attitude elaboration, the need to save face, rationalization, and reactance can all combine to increase their commitment to their position. Third, if this commitment becomes overcommitment, entrapment can occur. Fourth, because conflict is often arousing, the arousallaggression hypothesis predicts that group members will be ready to respond in an aggressive manner. Fifth, the norm of reciprocity, by sanctioning the matching of competition with competition, is partly responsible for the behavioral assimilation seen when a cooperative individual must work with a competitive one. Lastly, although conflict may be confined-during the initial stages, when coalitions form, the rest of the group is often drawn into the fracas.
Coalitions represent a unique form of intragroup conflict.
Forming a coalition is, in most cases, a contentious influence strategy that increases competition rather than cooperation among members. Fortunately, conflicts can be resolved in a number of ways, including imposition, withdrawal, inactivity, yielding, compromise, and problem solving.