What About You?

What About You?

Page 182

What About You?

Hitting Above and Below the Belt

The concepts of argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness are important to the study of conflict management because the first is more likely to produce positive outcomes than the second. Examine the items below, and mark each one according to how you feel about most conflicts (1 = true, 2 = undecided, 3 = false).

1. Arguing over controversial issues improves my intelligence.

2. I really come down hard on people if they don’t see things my way.

3. I am good about not losing my temper during conflict situations.

4. Some people need to be insulted if they are to see reason.

5. I prefer being with people who disagree with me.

6. It is exhilarating to get into a good conflict.

7. I have the ability to do well in conflict situations.

8. It is not hard for me to go for the throat if a person really deserves it.

9. I know how to construct effective arguments that can change people’s minds.

10. I avoid getting into conflicts with people who know how to argue well.

11. I know how to find other people’s personal weaknesses.

Source: From Infante (1988). Adapted with permission of the publisher.