When you agree with a friend or partner, it’s easy for personality differences (even pretty big ones) to remain hidden beneath the surface. But the minute you encounter your first major hurdle, the conflict tends to bubble up core elements of personal style: Do you lean into the discussion with logic and reason? Or, do you instantly shut down, or, perhaps, let your emotions take over? Certain fight-or-flight responses or styles of conflict resolution tend to show up more commonly in folks of particular zodiac signs, given their general dispositions. And as a result, some signs tend to embrace conflict while others prefer to avoid it like the plague.

Because a person’s conflict-resolution style can be tied to a few different elements of personality, including their worldview and their communication quirks, there are three different planets in a natal chart that can generally influence it, says astrologer Vanessa Hardy: “Mars is the force that drives conflict itself; Mercury relates to the strategy behind your point of view, and how you communicate with others; and the sun reflects your overall intention and how you see the world.” (While your sun sign is likely the one you’d read for in a horoscope, you can find your Mercury and Mars signs by plugging your birth date and time into a natal-chart generator like this one.)

Below, Hardy shares the zodiac signs that tend to lean all the way into conflict resolution and the ones that would rather do, well, anything else. And it’s worth checking the list not only for your sun, Mercury, and Mars signs, but also for those of any potential foes—because any conflict takes (at least) two to tango.

The 3 zodiac signs that best embrace conflict resolution, according to an astrologer

Aries

Contrary to popular belief that Aries is the impulsive and quick-to-anger sign (after all, their planetary ruler is Mars), a ram can be a great foe to have in an argument. “The upside to a conflict with an Aries is that things come up and out quickly,” says Hardy. As a cardinal fire sign, Aries tends to show up in disagreements with a strong burst of feelings that can dissipate just as easily once they’re addressed. “To swiftly navigate a conflict with an Aries, be an ethical and formidable opponent,” says Hardy. “And try not to take anything personally.”

Taurus

While the shadow side of fixed-sign Taurus is often characterized by stubbornness, the trait of determination means these bulls also won’t beat around the bush in an argument. “If a conflict comes up, they won’t ignore it,” says Hardy. “When it comes to change, they might dig their heels in a bit, but if you can show them that a positive return will come from that change, you might get your way.”

Because Taurus is ruled by pleasure-centric Venus, they value harmony and finding a path back to enjoyment, and will work slowly and methodically toward that, Hardy adds. “Just speak calmly to a Taurus for the surest route to resolution,” she says. “They do not appreciate explosive conversations.”

Aquarius

“Aquarius is the sign of progress and humanity—two incredibly important elements of navigating conflict, as we know agreements must be made in order to move forward,” says Hardy. An Aquarius’s fixed-sign tenacity shows up mostly in terms of cerebral thoughts, given their air element. And that means they tend to navigate conflict with detached logic more so than emotions. “As with all air signs, they just don’t take anything incredibly personally,” says Hardy.

To wit, you can feel free to share your honest thoughts and feelings in a conflict with an Aquarius. “Their rulership by innovation-oriented Uranus tends to give them an open mind and a desire to establish a working order for things,” says Hardy.

The 4 zodiac signs that want absolutely nothing to do with conflict

Gemini

As a mutable air sign known for being neither here nor there, Gemini can be a tough one to pin down in an argument, says Hardy: “They’re often difficult to read, as they have a tendency to over-examine conflict in their head without directly addressing it.” As a result, their words don’t always match what they’re thinking during a disagreement. To navigate that, Hardy suggests paying closer attention to their actions and paring down your own language. “Direct, clear communication is necessary to wade through the mental gymnastics they might be doing,” she says.

Virgo

According to Hardy, analytical Virgo tends to fixate on the inefficiencies within a larger system that others might not even notice. “This can make conflict with a Virgo unclear or confusing, particularly because Virgo isn’t usually one to speak up, either preferring to ruminate on the situation or suffer in silence instead,” she says.

In fact, the quieter a Virgo is, the more likely there’s an issue, adds Hardy. If you sense that that’s happening, it might fall on you to bring it up, encourage the Virgo to air their grievances, and show them the futility of getting mired in small details.

Libra

Like Taurus, Libra is ruled by Venus, which orients them toward pleasure, love, and harmony—but in this case, so much so that they tend to run from any conflict at all costs. “This tendency to defer to others when conflict comes up can make resolution really challenging,” says Hardy. Furthermore, Libra’s strong desire to be well-received by others can also make it difficult for them to be honest about their own position in a fight, which can just delay resolution and build resentment even further, she adds.

As a result, you might need to dig deep in an argument with a Libra to get to their actual perspective on the issue. “Their first instinct is more often to come to a resolution that makes them out to be the good guy, but that idea of harmony isn’t always in alignment with their true feelings on the matter,” says Hardy.

Pisces

Naturally intuitive and empathetic, Pisces can easily get caught up in the negative emotions of others, leading them to stray as far away from a fight as possible. “When under pressure, they become the slippery fish,” says Hardy. “And they can often inadvertently create (or worsen) a conflict by being evasive or attempting to avoid the emotional toll.”

Because of their deep connection to their own emotions, a Pisces often looks inward when conflict arises and blames themselves. “They have a tendency to see their own shortcomings through broad strokes and get stuck in self-deprecation in order to justify things falling apart,” says Hardy. To work toward a realistic resolution without hurting a Pisces, she suggests carefully differentiating the conflict at hand from the way you feel about this person overall and the key role they play in your life.

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