definitions

role conflict

noun

emotional conflict arising when competing demands are made on an individual in the fulfillment of his or her multiple social roles.

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Nearby words

rolandic epilepsy, rolando's area, rolando's fissure, rolando's gelatinous substance, role, role conflict, role model, role set, role strain, role-play, role-playing

Origin of role conflict

First recorded in 1960–65
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Culture definitions for role conflict

role conflict

A situation in which a person is expected to play two incompatible roles. For example, a boss will suffer role conflict if forced to fire an employee who is also a close friend.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.