3 Nephi 11:29 is probably the strongest condemnation of contention in the scriptures, although we are, at times, admonished to contend. The idea of struggling against someone, more generically, or even against God (wrestling with God), is often a righteous cause. What then, is this contention that is condemned.
Many references tie the contention that is so often condemned to anger or hate. This kind of contention is linked to pride in Proverbs 13:10. Proverbs 22:10 identifies the scorner as the cause of contention. In that way, I would be inclined to connect the idea of contention to "contempt". In my experience, when a discussion is injected with mocking and name-calling, then it seems a sure sign that they quality and value of the discussion has become negative. These become highly emotional fights rather than struggles with God for the truth.
Contempt, as a related phenomena is interesting, as it has been my observation that contempt is often the mechanism by which people sever their connections with other people, after they have already come to be irritated by the connection. There is no willingness to reason or understand in contempt. eg. Contempt has been identified as a precursor to divorce, and much work is done in therapy to address the issue of contempt, but I think this is misguided. I think that, while contempt does hasten the divorce, it emanates from a more fundamental urge to end the connection, which will still exist, even if the contemptuous behavior is addressed. Perhaps it is still of value to address the contempt, but the source of that desire to sever the connection will still need to be dealt with, and is of more fundamental importance.