PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation Copyright © The Beyond Intractability Project Beyond Intractability is a Registered Trademark of the University of Colorado

Slide 2: Escalation Refers to an increase in the intensity of a conflict and the severity of its tactics Escalation may be intentional Can be used by disputants to get attention or to be taken seriously May be used in attempts to “win” a conflict Escalation is most often unintentional PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation Slide 3: Escalation and Change 5 changes which occur during escalation 1.Parties move from “light” to “heavy” tactics 2.Contentious issues expand 3.Issues move from specific to general 4.Number of parties grows 5.Parties’ goals change from “doing well” to “winning” to simply hurting the Other

Slide 4: Conditions that Encourage Escalation A large number of contentious issues Differing worldviews Threats to identities or morals A history of grievances PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation Slide 5: Models of the Escalation Process Aggressor-Defender Model Conflict Spiral Model Structural Change Model

Slide 6: Aggressor-Defender Model “Aggressor’s” goals put it in conflict with the “Defender” “Aggressor” escalates its tactics if they don’t work initially “Defender” escalates its defense in response PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 7 : Conflict Spiral Model Escalation results from a vicious circle of action and reaction Conflicts become increasingly severe Two types Retaliatory spiral - Each party seeks to punish the Other for actions it finds hurtful - Is driven by blame and anger Defensive spiral - Each party reacts so as to protect itself from a threat it finds in the Other’s self-protective actions - Is driven by fear PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation Slide 8: Structural Change Model Mutually-imposed sanctions change the nature of conflict in an escalating manner The conflict becomes increasingly removed from the initial substantive issues that started it The psychology of disputants and their relationship with each other undergo fundamental changes

Slide 9: Psychological Dynamics of Escalation Escalation is both a cause & a result of significant psychological shifts Conflict tends to be the result of and further stimulates: Anger Fear Negative attitudes Stereotypes PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 10: The Sacrifice Trap A Sacrifice Trap (also called entrapment) occurs when so much has already been sacrificed that disputants don’t want their efforts to “be in vain” Sacrifice trap fuels escalation Is related to face-saving as people don’t want to admit they were wrong Sacrifice may include Lives -- makes the trap especially strong Money/resources Energy Time Honor/face PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation “…we can’t let our children die in vain…”

Slide 11: Selective Perception Selective Perception consists of only noticing behavior that fits your negative perception of others Selective perceptions fuel escalation May develop into a self-fulfilling prophecy when Parties are continuously subjected to negative stereotypes Selective perception continues unabated PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

Slide 12: Relational Dynamics During escalation the dynamics of the relationship between disputants change Goals become hostile Interests further diverge Groups often polarize into “us versus them” Sustained absence of communication leads to false rumors PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation Slide 13: Relational Dynamics External moderates are forced to choose sides Parties begin to de-individualize and de-humanize the Other De-individualize -- people come to be seen as members of a category, not individuals De-humanize -- people are seen as less than human (legitimizing violence against them)

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation Slide 14: Internal Group Dynamics and Escalation Collective goals of “defeating” the enemy develop (increasing group cohesiveness) Moderates are forced to choose sides or are ignored A more militant leadership develops

PowerPoint Summary of: Destructive Escalation Slide 15: Internal Group Dynamics and Escalation Norms of contentious interaction develop Some people profit from the conflict and turn into spoilers They may gain money or resources from the conflict (war profiteers) They may gain power from the conflict They may gain social status from the conflict