Conflict expression: A decade of group conflict research.

The conflict expression framework was developed to generate new practical and theoretical insights into how conflict communication affects group processes and negotiated outcomes. The framework proposes that conflict expressions vary along two dimensions: directness and oppositional intensity. The framework suggested that the effects of different types of conflict on group processes and outcomes likely depend on how the conflict is expressed, that conflict within groups is likely perceived differently by different members of the same social unit, and that conflict affects negotiation processes dynamically through reciprocated statements and responses. We review research building on the framework - including empirical tests of the main propositions, methodological advances, and as a theoretical foundation for conflict communication research more broadly - and identify directions for the future.