Abstract
This chapter reports the results of a quantitative study (N = 417) examining conflict management on Facebook during the latter part of 2020 in the United States. Specifically, the study investigated how individuals’ conflict styles related to their use of integrative or distributive conflict management tactics as well as the conflict’s level of incivility. Furthermore, tactics and incivility were connected to the conflict’s perceived resolvability and satisfaction with how the conflict was managed. Results revealed that conflict was managed in two main ways. First, collaboration and compromise predicted integrative tactics, which predicted resolvability and satisfaction positively. The conflict’s perceived level of incivility made a significant impact in participants’ perceptions about the conflict’s outcomes. Second, accommodation, competition, and avoidance predicted distributive tactics, which predicted satisfaction with conflict management negatively. These results are discussed in the context of conflict on social networking sites and online incivility.
