Conflict is a natural part of any relationship ... According to Fritz Heider’s classic “balance theory,” this discomfort may stem from a deep-seated need for consistency and alignment ...

Conflict can be understood as a form of societalization, which means that conflicts develop a socially integrative function by renegotiating social norms, values and structures. In contrast, concepts ...

By positing a credible possibility that the cost of an attack would be too high to justify it, this theory does not just apply to nuclear war. Other forms of conflict, including ongoing tensions ...