These
techniques can be useful in intrapersonal conflicts as well. Fractionation can
be helpful in situations when one feels overwhelmed with multiple aspects of
his/her life at once. For example, when one is stressed because of too much
homework, not having time to finish obligations at work causing conflict with
one’s boss, a roommate moving out causing rent to become too expensive,
disputes with the landlord over the lease agreement, etc., breaking down each
complex issue into smaller and more manageable ones can be very effective and
beneficial. When each issue is broken down into a more controllable form, it
can be easier to see the best way to solve it. Also, the intensity and stress
of the situation may be alleviated once issues that seemed to be massive are
made less intimidating.
Framing can be helpful to solving issues when it is
performed as soon as an issue arises. In moments when someone says something
that is personally offensive, or does something deemed as inappropriate, it is
beneficial to avoid blame or judgment by reflecting on reasons why he/or she
may have spoken or acted in the way that he/she did. Also, it is helpful to
understand why it is personally offensive, so that one can determine if this is
really an issue of maliciousness, or simply a misunderstanding and difference
in opinion. Reframing is important because it allows one to see a situation at
a different and less involved angle, and it allows for a new perspective the
issue. This is where the answers to the framing reflections can be useful. Once
the questions in your mind are answered and you have a deeper understanding of
that person’s motive, you can reach common ground by trying to empathize, and change
your attitude about, and expectations of, that person.
For example, if someone is
giving a serious speech about the war in Iraq and an audience member starts
laughing, you may find this incredibly distasteful and disrespectful. This causes
you to question why he began to laugh at such a solemn speech. Instead of
thinking, “what an insensitive jerk!” you begin asking questions. Was he
reading a funny text? Daydreaming? Being tickled? After framing the situation,
you discover that the laughing audience member is the sibling of a soldier in
the war, and he was simply laughing at the picture being projected behind the
speaker of he and his sibling together that brought back joyous memories. This
causes you to reflect on moments you’ve spent with a loved one who is now far
away or in a difficult situation, and show empathy to this soldier’s brother.
Hi HaleyA! I liked that you were able to provide intrapersonal examples for each of the techniques. A lot of people were able to point out that fractionation is a great tool for managing that sense of being overwhelmed that we all run in to some times. It’s the other techniques that are tricky to apply and I think you did a great job with them.
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head with framing. It’s important to remain objective in the moment and allow yourself that moment to decipher instead of just reacting to the first impression. I think that a lot of misunderstandings could be avoided if people remained open to different interpretations.
To that end, reframing is the active internal pursuit of those different interpretations. It’s the seeking out a neutral meaning, or the core message that’s buried under the delivery so that you can respond without getting caught up in a conflict cycle. Instead you can move on to finding that common ground.