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Latent Conflict, Race, Trust, and Collaboration: A Qualitative Exploration of Intragroup Dynamics in Multi-Disciplinary Problem Solving

Author

• Walter McDaniels, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

First Advisor

Urszula Strawinska-Zanko

Second Advisor

Robin Cooper

Third Advisor

Ismael Muvingi

Keywords

academia, communal collaboration, communal mindset, conflict, conflict management, cooperation and competition theory, Columbia Community Committee, descriptive qualitative methodology, faith-based organizations, group dynamics, hyper-sensitive social issues, in-depth interviews, intragroup conflict, intragroup experiences, intrapersonal conflict, intrapersonal shifts, latent, law enforcement, law enforcement training, manifested conflict, multi-disciplinary approach, oral evidence, professional development, psychology, race-sensitive training, racial indifference, resolution, social justice advocacy, social work, thematic analysis, trust building

Abstract

This study explores the intragroup experiences of members within the Columbia Community Committee (pseudonym), also referred to as the CC Committee. The CC Committee is a multi-disciplinary group that utilized the expertise from the following disciplines; law enforcement, psychology, social work, academia, faith-based, and social justice advocacy. The CC Committee was charged with addressing the hyper-sensitive social ill identified as law enforcement race-sensitive training. The research question of this study examines the intragroup experiences when addressing a hyper-sensitive social ill. This study offers further understanding of how the dynamics of intragroup conflict can hinder or enhance professional development in law enforcement as well as other fields. By using a descriptive qualitative methodology, this study examined the oral evidence from in-depth interviews to further explore how the CC Committee members navigated latent and manifested conflict. The Theory of Cooperation and Competition and The Presentation of Self Theory was employed to further examine the complexities of the intrapersonal and group dynamic. By using a thematic analysis, four overarching themes with several sub-themes emerged and highlighted the evidence of intrapersonal shifts, trust building, racial indifference, and communal collaboration. This study supports the value of a communal mindset when addressing a hyper-sensitive social ill. A collaborative communal focus through the use of a multi-disciplinary approach produces the mental safe space for latent intrapersonal conflict to be further explored and manifested intragroup shifting to occur toward a shared productive result.

NSUWorks Citation

Walter McDaniels. 2025. Latent Conflict, Race, Trust, and Collaboration: A Qualitative Exploration of Intragroup Dynamics in Multi-Disciplinary Problem Solving. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, . (257)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/shss_dcar_etd/257.