Groups should increase survival — but under stress they often fracture. Conflict during emergencies is not caused by “bad people” or lack of teamwork. It emerges from predictable stress dynamics: fear, ambiguity, role confusion, and competition over control and resources.
Groups fight during emergencies because stress amplifies uncertainty, status concerns, and role confusion. When people don’t know who decides what, how resources are allocated, or what the plan is, conflict becomes a substitute for coordination.
Emergencies strip away normal routines and authority structures. When the environment becomes uncertain, people instinctively try to regain control — often through argument, dominance, or resistance.
Conflict is rarely about the surface issue. It is about fear, loss of agency, and unclear responsibility.
When no one knows who decides, everyone tries to. This creates power struggles instead of action.
Stress threatens identity and competence. People defend status aggressively when they feel diminished.
Scarcity — real or perceived — triggers hoarding and suspicion.
One person’s stress spreads rapidly through tone and behavior.
Panic Contagion →People split off, duplicate effort, or work at cross-purposes.
Minor disagreements become personal and irreversible.
Cooperation collapses just when it’s needed most.
Fewer choices reduce conflict and overload.
Groups fail under stress when authority, roles, and plans are unclear. Cooperation is not automatic — it must be designed before pressure hits.
Back to Decision-Making Hub →No. Conflict is predictable, which means it can be reduced with clear roles and decision rules.
Stress amplifies emotion, and small disagreements become proxies for control and fear.
Clarity. Clear roles and triggers matter more than agreement.
