Perceiving communication conflict

Two experiments were undertaken to test the independent and interactive effect of cognitive complexity and information load on the perception of communication conflict and ratings of conflict severity. Results provide support for hypotheses derived from information processing theory which predict that high complexity decoders, under optimal conditions of information load, are better able to perceive conflict and record higher estimates of conflict severity than low complexity decoders under these same communication conditions. Information processing theory was deemed an appropriate theoretical point of departure for assembling a theory of conflict perception.