I have recently become familiar with the SCARF Model as a way to think about how we interact with others. In particular, I think about this model as it relates to potential conflict. The model, based on a paper by David Rock, suggests that there are five social domains that activate the same threat and reward responses we use for physical survival. The model helps explain the sometimes strong emotional reactions we may have in social interactions, and thus sometimes the root of conflict.
SCARF stands for the five key “domains” that influence our behavior in social situations. They are:
- Status: our relative importance to others, similar to our sense of respect
- Certainty: our ability to predict the future, a relative sense of security
- Autonomy: our sense of control over events
- Relatedness: how safe we feel with others, or a sense of belonging
- Fairness: how fair we perceive our situations and relations with others are
Rock suggests that if we perceive one or more of these domains as under attack, we may respond in ways similar to if we were under physical attack. Such a response can lessen our ability to engage constructively with others: to be creative, to engage in problem solving, and to communicate effectively.
This model resonates with me because I have worked with students who feel as though one or more of these domains is threatened: a PI who threatens one’s sense of respect, or a work environment that provides a lack of both security and autonomy. These domains are often central to our sense of self, and so feeling threatened may feel like an attack on our identity. Rock believes that knowing the elements of SCARF can help us and those we interact with engage in more positive, less threatening ways.