Definition:

conflict as a disagreement through which the people involved see a threat to their needs, interests or concerns.

Disagreement - Generally, we are aware there is some level of difference in the positions of the two (or more) parties involved in the conflict.

The true disagreement versus the perceived disagreement may be quite different from one another. In fact, conflict tends to be accompanied by significant levels of misunderstanding that exaggerate the perceived disagreement

considerably.

People involved - There are often differences in our sense of who is involved in the conflict. Sometimes, people are surprised to learn they are a party to the conflict, while other times we are shocked to learn we are not included in the disagreement.

Perceived threat - People respond to the perceived threat, rather than the true threat, facing them.

Therefore, it is not surprising that satisfactory resolution of most conflicts can prove so challenging and time consuming to address.

Conflicts occur when people (or other parties) perceive that, as a consequence of a disagreement, there is a threat to their needs, interests or concerns.

Resolution occurs  when people (or other parties) perceive that, as a consequence of an open minded discussion, there is no longer a threat to their needs, interests or concerns.