Characterization of a Conflict

The fact that a conflict takes place in many rounds can obscure its nature. This research aims to answer the question of how to determine whether several rounds of a conflict happening at different points in time are connected. A conflict starts when a decision maker challenges a status quo. A decision maker can be involved in more than one conflict at a time, the features that differentiate conflicts are the objectives of the decision makers. The objectives are reflected in the decision makers´ preferences over outcomes. The ultimate goal for a decision maker in a conflict is to obtain the most preferred achievable state.