What is the third stage of conflict?

• A. Stage-3 - Escalation
• B. Stage-1 - Initiation
• C. Stage-4 - Resolution
• D. Stage-2 - Tension

Answer: (A)

Conflicts progress through stages: initiation, tension, escalation, and resolution. The third stage is escalation, when disagreements intensify and communication breaks down. Emotions rise, positions harden, and actions become more confrontational or reactive. This is the turning point where the risk of further deterioration increases unless someone intervenes. That’s why this is the best answer: it precisely denotes the rise in intensity after the initial onset and growing strain, just before efforts to resolve the issue. The earlier initiation stage is when the issue first appears; tension is the mounting unease between parties; resolution comes after escalation as the conflict is ultimately settled.