Final answer:
Vaughan suggests that when initiators show dissatisfaction, they tend to blame others, a strategy called Condemnation of the Condemners. This is part of the transactional model of hostility, and often includes displacement of their impulses onto less threatening targets.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Vaughan, when initiators display their dissatisfaction to others, they attempt to engage in strategies that direct attention away from their own shortcomings by blaming others, a tactic known as Condemnation of the Condemners. This involves turning the critique onto the person who is doing the accusing, thus shifting the focus and narrative away from the initiator’s potential failings or mistakes. Moreover, this can be seen as part of a transactional model of hostility, where the cycle of antagonistic behavior and reactions serve to further entrench an individual's hostile disposition.
For example, when faced with criticism, an individual might counter with reasons why the accuser is not qualified to judge, or they may suggest that the accuser is the one who is truly at fault. This deflection is not just limited to verbal altercations but can also be observed in behaviors. Individuals might channel their own inappropriate impulses or discontent onto a more acceptable or less threatening target, a process referred to as displacement.