Conflict Resolution
Primary 6 · Social and Religious Studies
Conflict Resolution
Lesson 1 of 4
25 min
Let's begin
At break time, Mugisha and Gatete both grab the only football. They pull. They shout. Soon a crowd gathers, and nobody is playing at all.
That is a conflict. Conflicts happen everywhere: at school, at home, in villages and between countries.
Today you will learn the types of conflict and what causes them.
A conflict is when two or more people or groups disagree or have a problem with each other, because they want different things or see things differently.
Conflict is a normal part of life. What matters is how we handle it: with violence, or with peace.
| Type | Who is involved | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Intrapersonal | One person, inside their own mind | Keza wants to watch TV, but she knows she should finish her homework. |
| Interpersonal | Two or more people | Mugisha and Gatete fight over the football. |
| Group (intergroup) | Two or more groups | Two villages argue over who may use a spring. |
| National | Groups inside one country | A civil war. |
| International | Two or more countries | A quarrel over a border. |
Remember the prefixes: intra- means inside; inter- means between.
Worked example
The football fight.
Step 1 Who is involved? Two boys, so it is an interpersonal conflict.
Step 2 Why? There is only one ball and no plan for sharing it. The cause is a scarce resource.
Step 3 Knowing the cause helps us find a fix: agree on turns, or make two teams that share one game.
Tip
Ask WHO and WHY
Who is in the conflict tells you its type. Why it started tells you its cause. You need both before you can solve it.
Answer each one, then tap Show answer to check.
What is a conflict?
Answer: a disagreement or problem between two or more people or groups (or inside one person's mind).
Umutoni cannot decide whether to tell the truth about a broken cup. What type of conflict is this?
Answer: intrapersonal: it is inside her own mind.
Two families argue over where their farm boundary is. Name the type and one possible cause.
Answer: a group or interpersonal conflict between families; the cause is a scarce resource (land) or a misunderstanding about the boundary.
Name three causes of conflict.
Answer: any three of: scarce resources, misunderstanding, greed, jealousy, different opinions, discrimination, rumours, bad leadership, alcohol or drugs, broken promises.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Quick check
Match each type of conflict to an example.
Tap one on the left, then its partner on the right.
