How to resolve internal personality conflicts. Manifestations of intrapersonal conflict. and the main ways to resolve it

Intrapersonal conflict is a contradiction in a person’s views and values regarding himself and his life. This problem is rapidly developing now when people, due to certain circumstances, place too many demands on themselves. Intrapersonal conflict is always characterized strong feelings, because it affects our individual motives and thoughts. A conflict of this kind can mature and develop for years, at a certain stage without in any way interfering with the individual’s full existence. However, at some point, dissatisfaction with yourself and your achievements becomes too obvious. Then the intrapersonal conflict manifests itself in its entirety. Why is it dangerous, what are its features and reasons for its formation? Let's try to figure it out!

Causes of intrapersonal conflict

Like any conflict, this one also has its reasons. These reasons usually affect a person’s attitude towards his own personality. When we even subconsciously do not approve of some of our actions and even thoughts, we gradually learn to remain more and more dissatisfied with ourselves.

Unjustified expectations

Numerous demands are put forward to modern man in society. Sometimes a false impression is created that a successful person never gets tired and always does his job efficiently. In fact, this is just an appearance, an image imposed by society, which everyone is trying to unconditionally follow. A person cannot constantly exist at the limit of his capabilities. Gradually, she accustoms herself to the fact that she lives incorrectly, not like other people. Unjustified expectations are the main reason why intrapersonal conflict begins to develop. A person feels that he does not meet some standards and cannot influence the situation that oppresses him.

Disappointment in yourself

Common cause of development intrapersonal conflict, which makes you give up. It seems to a person that he is not capable of anything, but can only make various mistakes. Disappointment in oneself can arise as a result of failure in meaningful activities. Problems at work unsettle you for a long time and deprive you of self-confidence. If a project fails, thoughts about your own insolvency often come to mind. Disappointment in oneself contributes to the aggravation of intrapersonal conflict. People often drive themselves into terrible experiences precisely because they want to achieve great results, but in fact they deprive themselves of moral strength.

Social norms and personal needs

These categories often come into significant conflict with each other. Conflict is formed when a person feels unable to realize his own desires for one reason or another. Many people consider it necessary to conform to the laws of society, even if these requirements run counter to their own ideas about life. For some social norms are too important and significant to be ignored. In this case, the personality often remains lost and unclaimed. When individual needs are not met, most simply give up and no longer want to make even the slightest attempt to try to change their lives.

Low self-esteem

This is a serious problem, which in itself provokes intrapersonal conflict. If for some reason a person cannot realize his potential, then this circumstance puts extreme pressure on him and makes him doubt himself. Low self-esteem does not allow you to achieve success. Even if a person is talented enough, he does not find within himself the resource for achievement. She has to constantly be in an internal struggle, proving to herself the right to self-expression, and this circumstance is very mentally exhausting. The inability to value oneself is a common reason for the formation of conflict.

Types of intrapersonal conflicts

Intrapersonal conflict has several types of expression. In any case, it is necessary to try to eliminate the contradiction as soon as possible.

Moral inadequacy

It appears as a result of the fact that the values of a particular individual are very different from the ideas of society. In matters of morality and morality, there are too many restrictions that sometimes interfere with a happy sense of self. A person often finds himself in a situation where his desires are not only not satisfied, but are also subject to general censure. It must be said that not everyone is able to overcome such an obstacle. Many people give up their desires only because they do not know how to properly fight for them.

Motivational conflict

In this case we're talking about that interests that have equal value for a person collide with each other. He cannot give up one thing in favor of another without experiencing a colossal feeling of guilt or disappointment. You need strong motivation to start taking action, to really change your life.

Conflict of unfulfilled desires

This type of conflict occurs very often. In reality, the innermost desires of an individual always face certain obstacles. It is not always possible to cope with them even with support. If an individual lacks self-confidence, it will be difficult for him to follow the voice of his own heart. Often people put off realizing their goals just because they don’t know how to resolve a conflict. By giving up our dreams, we doom ourselves to an unhappy existence. The individual practically ceases to experience joy and begins to live only with everyday worries. Conflict unfulfilled desires puts too much pressure on the psyche. It can even interfere with building a happy life, since it will constantly remind you of its existence.

Frustrating conflict

The very concept of frustration means that a person gives up something that has for him great importance. Frustrating conflict emphasizes that a person is too focused on possible failure, and this is what prevents him from moving forward in life. By getting used to giving up our own needs, we cannot fully develop, because we deprive ourselves of joy.

Resolving intrapersonal conflict

Whatever the cause of intrapersonal conflict, it definitely needs to be resolved. If this is not done in time, then there is a high risk that a person will spend a lot of time in contradictions that will poison him throughout his life. This kind of conflict does not allow you to fully enjoy life, enjoy your own achievements and new discoveries. How to move towards conflict resolution? What steps should be taken in this case?

Decision-making

This is the very first step, without which all the others will be impossible. A person needs to take responsibility for his own well-being. No one else can do this for him. This is why intrapersonal conflict is too serious a thing to try to ignore. It is necessary to understand in advance that acceptance firm decision It will help direct your thoughts in the right direction and free you from endlessly rushing through life in search of a better life. There is no need to run away from yourself.

Inner harmony

Living in harmony with yourself is the dream of every person who knows the true price of happiness. No matter what circumstances prevent you from enjoying life, you must not give up. Resolution of internal conflict cannot occur without the formation of such an understanding. It is necessary to strive to begin to realize your true desires and needs. This will help you free yourself from conflict by setting your own boundaries. Nothing can compare with the feeling of inner harmony.

Focus on the task

Every person should have a goal in life that will inspire him to new achievements, truly lead him forward and force him to develop. Often the presence of intrapersonal conflict in every possible way hinders self-realization. The individual worries too much about possible failure. In some cases, people stop acting altogether to avoid disappointment. Of course, this approach does not solve the problem, but only significantly aggravates it. The ability to focus on the task at hand will help resolve intrapersonal conflict. You need to clearly understand the entire sequence of actions. Overcoming the difficulties that arise is necessary in order to strengthen character and increase confidence in oneself and one’s abilities.

Avoiding Doubts

Many people are afraid of making a mistake, thereby becoming disappointed in their abilities. You shouldn't constantly be closed in doubt. Failures happen to everyone, but they do not destroy a strong personality, but only show the trajectory of the desired movement. If you have been in a pronounced conflict with yourself for a long time, then you simply need to first free yourself from doubts. Fears significantly complicate the situation: they prevent you from acting and making responsible decisions. Freed from worries and doubts, you can reach incredible heights and become closer to your dreams.

Substitution

When you cannot cope with some kind of contradiction, you need to try to understand the situation well. In some cases, it may be necessary to replace with something a need that cannot yet be realized without significant losses. Using this scheme, you can save peace of mind and at the same time come to a solution to the intrapersonal conflict. The problem is that such a conflict cannot be ignored. Otherwise, he can imperceptibly subjugate the personality and make him even more doubtful about the available possibilities.

Thus, intrapersonal conflict is a problem that significantly reduces the quality of life. As a rule, such a conflict always indicates what a person needs to pay attention to, what he has to work on. Paying attention to your own personality will help you free yourself from a painful state of mind. In cases where it is not possible to solve the problem on your own, it is necessary seek help from the Irakli Pozharisky Psychology Center. Working with a psychologist will help restore your peace of mind and restore lost strength. Individual consultations are necessary to understand the origins of the conflict, only after which it can be resolved.

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 social roles(for example, when you need to stay at production 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 as a vital important goal strive for advanced training, for self-realization, 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. Methods of conflict resolution, time spent on this for people with different types temperament are different. 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 by 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.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. To restore and mobilize them, as well as to relieve increased internal tension, there are various ways: 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

Intrapersonal conflict can cause both harm to the individual, driving self-development and self-affirmation to a dead end, and speed up the process of self-knowledge, forcing a person to mobilize all his capabilities.

The causes of the conflict possible consequences, recommendations for ways out of difficult intrapersonal situations are discussed in this article.

What it is

Intrapersonal conflict can be defined as the antagonism of positivism and negativism in the psyche of one subject.

In inner world The individual undergoes a long struggle, the essence of which is reflected in contradictory relationships with society. A person cannot independently develop a style of behavior; he is torn by doubts about the choice between internal value guidelines and conflicting motives.

An example of such a conflict can be observed constantly: the choice between family and work, the dilemma between creating a love union based on calculation and feelings, etc.

Mutually exclusive goals, values, interests can “coexist” in one person, which often leads to internal conflict. The individual finds it difficult to determine one or another decision and cannot be inclined to make a choice in a certain situation.

Lack of harmony between one’s personal “I” and external circumstances is the main indicator of intrapersonal conflicts.

A personal conflict situation that does not get out of control is natural and necessary for every mentally healthy person. This serves as a certain kind of engine for changing the outside world, correlating it with one’s moral and ethical standards, for self-improvement and strengthening work on oneself.

Intrapersonal conflict is individual manifestations in the following areas:

cognitive(low self-esteem, internal psychological impasse, delay in making important decisions);
emotional(increased psycho-emotional stress, predominance of negativism in the entire sphere of life);
behavioral(predominance of rudeness in communication, reduced assessment of the results of one’s activities, lack of satisfaction with one’s work, life in general).

It is very difficult for people to adapt to changing situations; stress becomes a constant companion in the life of such members of society.

We can identify the characteristic signs of all intrapersonal conflicts:

their appearance is directly related to the interaction of all elements of a person’s inner worldview;
“participants” of the conflict - contradictions between interests, emotions, goals, desires;
are born under the equivalent influence of any factors on a person (in case of unevenness, a person will give preference to a greater good, less difficulty, etc.)
necessarily associated with negative reactions.

Species and types

Intrapersonal conflicts are classified only conditionally, because in a “pure” form, none of them is present within the individual. Psychological concepts different authors on this topic may differ slightly from each other.

Based on what is the basis, the following intrapersonal conflicts are determined.

According to the value-motivational sphere of the individual:

Motivational(disagreement between the desire to possess and security, a dilemma between two positive things or actions, within unconscious aspirations).
Moral(personal and moral attitudes do not fit together, desire and duty do not find a compromise).
Unfulfilled desire(discrepancy between internal preferences and the external environment that prevents their implementation).
Adaptive(the subject’s discord with the surrounding reality, the emergence of difficulties in social and professional adaptation).
Inadequate self-esteem(dissonance between the assessment of one’s abilities and the individual’s claims).
Role conflict:

Interrole (impossibility of fulfilling several roles at once)
Personal-role (inconsistency with one’s role due to lack of desire or ability)

According to social and consumer characteristics:

Conflict of needs.
Between need and social norm.
Conflict of social norms.

A conflict within a person that is significantly prolonged in time and characterized by tension in the psyche and nerves is called neurotic. It occurs with greater intensity and for much longer.

Intrapersonal conflicts can be divided into the following types:

hysterical (struggle between “I want” and “I can”);
neurasthenic (discrepancy between “should” and “can”);
obsessive-psychasthenic (conflict between “should” and “want”).

Forms of manifestation

Conflicts within a person can manifest themselves as:

neurasthenia(expressed in depression, decreased performance, migraines, insomnia, etc.);
euphoria(cheerful mood “for show”, tears interspersed with laughter, unjustified joy);
regression(avoidance of responsibility, manifestation of primitivism in behavior);
projection(the predominance of negativism in relationships with people, assessments of their qualities, excessive criticism);
nomadism(desire for changes in different areas of life - profession, family, place of residence, etc.);
rationalism(“whitewashing” of one’s actions, self-justification).

Causes of intrapersonal conflict

All the reasons that lead to intrapersonal conflicts can be considered from three sides:

from the point of view of the internal contradictions of the individual himself;
from the external position of a person’s position in a certain group of society;
from the outside of the individual’s position in society as a whole.

Domestic

If a person cannot come to agreement within himself, contradictions may appear between different elements of his personal structure.

Internal conflict is directly dependent on the level spiritual development. The higher the self-criticism and the ability to evaluate one’s actions, the greater the likelihood of conflicts.

The strength of influence of several factors on a person must be equal, otherwise a choice will be made in favor of one that will not lead to conflict situation(of two troubles, choose the one that is smaller).

External

External reasons are related to the role a person occupies in a certain group. Due to some factors, it becomes impossible to carry out one or another action that is significant for the individual (for example, it is impossible to arrive on time for an important meeting due to a multi-kilometer traffic jam, the negative attitude of the team towards the person).

The position of the individual in the macrosystem as a whole (economic, social order) can also go against a person’s internal attitudes.

Consequences and diagnosis

The results of intrapersonal conflict can be both positive and negative.

Negative consequences

Destructive indicators are a dead end in personal development, the first signs of degradation:

A person becomes disorganized both mentally and physically.
Active participation in any type of activity, its effectiveness is noticeably reduced.
A general state of stress, constant anxiety, suspiciousness, dependence on other people and circumstances are characteristic of a person with intrapersonal conflict.
He cannot fully perform his public and personal functions.
As a defense, a person develops polar actions - either aggressiveness or submission. Worthlessness, lack of confidence in one's capabilities, inferiority, even as an extreme manifestation - failure to see the meaning of life - all this relates to the state of the individual himself.

Unproductivity as a consequence of intrapersonal conflict can spread to relationships in society: <

A person of any age wants to isolate himself from all members of the group, remain silent, and not accept healthy criticism addressed to him.
He reacts inappropriately to the behavior of other people, and he himself can behave demonstratively, this is especially evident in adolescence. Formally, he can observe all the norms of communication and be polite, but there is no inner peace and balance.
Blaming many for their mistakes and failures or, on the contrary, intense self-criticism is present in the behavioral reactions of such people.

It is important to see the danger of prolonged non-resolution of an intrapersonal conflict, because in this case a person may develop neurosis and frustration.

If a person does not receive qualified help in correcting his internal state in a timely manner, then there may be a danger of one type of conflict developing into another, more complex one – neurotic.

Positive consequences

The constructiveness of the influence of a conflict situation within the individual consists of self-development, self-improvement and self-affirmation.
In the fight against internal contradictions, a person’s will and character can be strengthened. People who overcome internal obstacles get to know themselves better and mobilize their personal resources.
A person’s mental state becomes more resistant to influence from within and without. A person who has found the right approaches to solving a conflict wins a victory over himself and takes a new step in achieving the ideal state of his “I”.

The methods used to determine the conflict state within a person must be a whole complex, including standard tests and self-report of the subject.

For diagnostics, it is necessary to analyze the following parameters:

attitude;
mental tension;
the inner world of the subject.

Timely diagnosis, especially in adolescence, when the whole organism is undergoing restructuring, will help to identify and correct, if necessary, intrapersonal conflict.

Resolution and warning methods

The impetus for personal development can be an internal conflict resolved positively. If the process is delayed, this can lead to neurotic reactions, cause suicidal behavior and contribute to the development of mental illness.

Therefore, it is so important to have an understanding of ways to resolve intrapersonal control:

Compromise(it is very important to make a decision and begin implementing the chosen action).
Care(in some cases it is important to “let go” of the situation and move away from solving it).
Reorientation(a change in attitude towards an object that led to a conflict within a person gives good results in terms of getting out of the conflict).
Sublimation(switching the type of activity to an area that distracts and brings positive emotions - creativity, sports, music).
Idealization(fantasizing, daydreaming, detachment from reality).
crowding out(influence on one’s feelings, desires, aspirations with the aim of suppressing them).
Correction(adequate, objective attitude towards one’s “I”).

Video: Intrapersonal conflicts

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:

Domestic– expressed in contradictions between different human motives in the absence of coordination between the components of the internal structure.
External– are determined by the person’s position in the group. Here, intrapersonal conflict arises due to the inability to satisfy one’s needs.
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:

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

The second functions are usually classified as:

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

Such a concept as intrapersonal conflict has the following characteristics:

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

Types of intrapersonal conflicts

Psychologists call these types of human intrapersonal conflicts:

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

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