Approaches to conflict: There are many styles of expressing conflict, such as nonassertion where one is unable or unwilling to express thoughts or feelings in a conflict. One may lack the awareness or skill to utilize direct methods of communication. Other times, it's by choice. Nonassertion can take varying forms, such as avoidance in a physical or conversational sense. Some may accommodate others by giving in. Direct communication isn't always the best approach when handling conflict. Communicating indirectly is where one hints at a message instead of being direct with their thoughts and feelings. Aggression plays a role in approaching conflict, one of which is passive aggression, expressing hostility in an obscure way. One may be a joker, using humor as an excuse to say mean things while claiming they're innocent. One may take a more direct approach in being aggressive, such as a former friend of mine saying things like "You have no idea what you're talking about...I knew you were stupid...why the heck would you ever think that!?" There is a fine balance though in the form of being assertive; being empathetic while still taking your own self-interest into account. Characteristics of assertive communication entails describing a behavior, sharing an interpretation of the behavior, describing feelings, the consequences, and stating intentions. This process reminds me of a perception check, however more in depth. When it comes to gender differences, men and women deal with conflict, such as men displaying aggressive behavior as a result of physiological factors like increased heart rate and blood pressure. Conflict dilemmas tend to occur on a cultural level when it comes to norms. Men may be rewarded more for being assertive, whereas women may be judged more for being assertive. Despite this, commonalities far outweigh differences. Some cultures may prefer a direct, assertive approach while others are more passive, desiring to maintain harmony.