Survivor Episode 4, Ego Check.

 

Episode 4 of Survivor Blood Vs. Water was highly amusing and a prime example of conflict in groups.  During this episode, a member of the constantly winning tribe of Hunahpu named Drew, makes it known to the viewers that he is not the biggest fan of Kelly.  When the original flint is found near their tribes fire, Drew gets the idea to trade back their unused flint for the fishing gear they had to forfeit.  Kelly thinks this is a ridiculous idea, and at the reward challenge makes it known that she does not agree with Drew’s actions of bartering what so ever.  Further angering Drew, when the tribe wins reward, he is chosen to go to Exile Island.  While on Exile Island he wants to continue to stroke his own ego and boast to Jacquelin that he is the leader of his tribe and to help out her tribe he is going to throw the immunity challenge to help cleanse his tribe.  In the book Working In Groups, conflict is defined as, “the disagreement and disharmony that occurs in groups when members express differences in regards to group goals; member ideas, behavior, and roles; or group procedures and norms.”  With Drew’s obnoxious attitude and want to barter at the reward challenge for the fishing gear he wont shut up about, he is initiating conflict between his tribe that will prove to be detrimental to his existence in the game.

Substantive Conflict, as described in Working in Groups, “occurs when members disagree about issues, ideas, decisions, actions, or goals.”  After throwing the immunity challenge and forcing his tribe into tribal council, Drew initiates substantive conflict when discussing the goals and decision of his alliance.  Drew’s alliance doesn’t agree with voting off Kelly, and feels Drew is a little bit weird for being so passionate and paranoid about voting her off.  To Drew’s surprise, he is blindsided at tribal council and his plan of cleansing his tribe of untrustworthy members resulted in himself going home early.