Yet, a recent study found that the high profile school shooters have been middle-class, physically healthy, Caucasian students of average or above average academic achievement who have no history of serious school or conduct problems. What they had in common was that each incident was precipitated by discipline or rejection, each shooter was suicidal, and each felt himself to be a social outcast, teased or victimized. Despite its potential harm, conflict is a natural part of life. Conflicts can be as small as what to watch on T.V. to as large as who will be the next president. This is especially true where relationships are ongoing, such as school, the workplace, and families.
Destructive conflict can result in violence, loss of friendship, or unnecessary legal bills.
Cultural beliefs, such as that one should not intervene in another's fights, have also been found to promote violence. On the other hand, constructive conflict can lead to innovation, better communication and improvements in the status quo for all concerned. Common responses to conflict are either aggressive, such as fights, insults, threats, or law suits, or passive, such as ignoring the conflict, walking away, refusing to listen, or giving in. Another common approach is to demand or expect the solution to come from an authority figure, such as a parent, teacher, principal, or judge. While each of these responses is appropriate under some circumstances, a collaborative approach to conflict is often the most appropriate and sometimes only method to obtain satisfactory, long-term results.