Role conflict occurs when role expectations are perceived as what?

Role conflict arises when individuals are faced with expectations from different roles that they occupy, which are perceived as mutually exclusive or contradictory. This leads to a situation where fulfilling the expectations of one role interferes with the ability to meet the expectations of another. For example, if a person is expected to prioritize their job responsibilities over their family commitments, the conflicting demands can create stress and confusion about how to allocate their time and energy.

In this context, the essence of role conflict lies in the opposing expectations that create a dilemma for the individual, forcing them to navigate between competing demands. The other options do not accurately capture the nature of role conflict as they describe situations that may lead to confusion or lack of clarity but do not highlight the key aspect of contradictory expectations across roles.