What is conflict?

Study for the New York City DOC Conflict Resolution Test. Access flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Conflict arises when two or more people's needs, wants, or concerns clash or cannot be met at the same time. It’s about competing objectives or perceived obstacles to achieving goals, not just a momentary feeling or a simple disagreement. Recognizing this helps you approach resolution by exploring underlying interests and looking for ways to meet as many needs as possible. The other descriptions miss the core idea: emotions changing suddenly describe mood shifts, a routine disagreement that resolves itself implies no lasting opposition, and a legal dispute requiring a court decision refers to a specific, formal situation rather than the general phenomenon of opposing interests.