Scenario 1:

Aiden comes in from work. Jane had cooked dinner and is waiting for him so they could eat. However, Aiden is tired and just wants to go to bed. Jane is furious and refuses to speak to him. In response, he merely goes to their room and sleeps.

Scenario 2:

Aiden comes in from work. Jane cooked dinner and is waiting for him so they could eat. However, Aiden is tired and just wants to go to bed. Jane is furious and tells him how she feels whenever he does this to her. Aiden empathizes with Jane’s feelings and offers a compromise; the next time he would be in late for dinner, he promises to call ahead of time.

In the supportive scenario, what do Aiden and Jane do in order to alleviate the conflict?
a.
They asked open ended questions.
b.
They strove to promote equality.
c.
List all problems and annoyances.
d.
They empathized with each other.

In the first scenario, the two characters are frustrated at each other as they misunderstand each other. Jane does not understand why Aiden is late. On the same note Aiden expects Jane to understand why he is late. This creates a scene of the problems and annoyances in the house.

In the second scenario, we see a different picture. There is clear communication. Aiden gives his side of the story and Jane gives her side too. They both understand why they were frustrated with each other. They then make a resolution to solve the conflict. In other words, they empathize with each other.