This often creates conflict and frustration in the individual. A conflict becomes more stressful because of the intensity of frustration it involves. The individual generally lands in conflict when he or she faces a mutually incompatible situation. There are three types of conflict which the individual faces depending on the nature of goals and situation. 

These are:

(i) Approach-approach conflict: This type of conflict occurs when the individual has to choose between two or more desirable goals. In this kind of conflict both the goals are desirable, for example choosing between two marriage invitations on the same evening.

(ii) Avoidance-avoidance conflict: This kind of conflict occurs when an individual has to choose between two or more undesirable goals. This kind of conflict is often called “caught between the devil and the deep blue sea”. For example a youth with little educational qualification has to choose either unemployment or a low paid disagreeable job. This kind of conflict can create serious adjustment problems because even the resolution of the conflict may bring frustration rather than relief.

(iii) Approach-avoidance conflict: In this kind of conflict the individual has a strong tendency to both approach and to avoid the same goal. For example a young man may want to marry because of social and security reasons, while at the same

time he fears the responsibilities and loss of personal freedom he feels getting married will involve. This kind of conflict is generally resolved by accepting some negative and positive features of the goal. 

Approach-avoidance conflict is sometimes referred to as “mixed-blessing” conflicts because of the involvement of multiple alternatives.

Frustration: Frustration as an experiential state which may result from either a) blocking of needs and motives by some external forces which create hindrance and prevent the attainment of needs or b) by the absence of a desired goal.

Hindrances or obstacles can be both physical and social and create frustration in the individual. These include accidents, unhealthy interpersonal relationships, and death of loved ones. Personal characteristics such as physical handicaps, inadequate competencies, and lack of self-discipline can also be sources of frustration. Some of the common frustrations which often cause special difficulty include delay in getting

the desired outcome, lack of resources, failure, losses, and loneliness and mindlessness.