Discuss the following situation. Two roommates are conflicting over who has to pay how much for the cable bill when one person ordered the sports channel upgrade without getting explicit agreement in advance from the other roommate. Roleplay the conversation that might occur when the first cable bill arrives with the new charges. Identify the types of goals that emerge during the conversation (process, image/face, content/substantive, or relationship).

If a process goal was evident, the conflict would be about how the decision was made; if a relationship goal were evident, the dispute focus would be on: “Do we have the type of relationship where one person can make decisions for the other?” or “Who has the power to make these types of decisions?” If a content goal were most important, it would be about the money; if a face goal were activated, the conflict would be about self-image and not losing esteem (or, if approached negatively, putting the other person down).