Coorientational Accuracy and Organizational Conflict: An Examination of Tactic Selection and Discussion Satisfaction

The relationship between coorientational accuracy and two dimensions of conflict (tactic selection and interaction satisfaction) was investigated in an experimental study of 80 employees from a large corporation. The employees were placed in dyads in one of two settings, low or high coorientational accuracy (CA), and were videotaped while discussing a topic of personal and organizational relevance. In the high-CA setting, the employees were more likely to be satisfied with the process of discussion and with the decision outcome. Although employees in both groups selected reason as their primary conflict tactic, those in the high-CA setting chose friendliness and bargaining more frequently, while those in the low-CA setting chose assertiveness more frequently.