University Students’ Perceptions of Conflict Resolution

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions of American and international students on conflict resolution, and to determine if the students were willing to participate in conflict resolution. A survey was given to 226 students at an eastern university that asked them to identify a major international conflict and whether they felt that the conflict could be resolve. Among this group, 122 (54%) were international students and 104 (46%) were Americans. The results indicated that most of the students felt that the conflict could be resolved. However, the foreign students were more optimistic than the American students about resolving these conflicts. The conflicts identified were consistent with the current status of the world, and reflected the knowledge of the respondents about world affairs. A follow-up survey was conducted to determine if the students were willing to participate in conflict resolution.