Agreeableness and Conflict Management Styles: A Cross-Validated Extension

We integrated the personality and conflict management (I/O psychology) literature and established the Big Five personality traits and their facets as predictors of conflict management styles. 621 participants completed the Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II and the NEO PI-R personality scale. Agreeableness and its facets explained significant amount of variance (4-23%) in conflict management styles. Machiavellian individuals (less straightforward, compliant and modest) preferred to dominate, compliant individuals were less trusting, and altruistic individuals preferred to self-sacrifice for an integrative solution. By randomly splitting the sample, the key findings were cross-validated. Our results are relevant to selection decisions and designing training programs.