Creating Agreement in Mediation Hearings

9411224 GARCIA这个项目的目的是发现调解的互动过程如何有助于争议各方之间达成协议。具体来说，调解如何以一种促进争议解决而不是持续分歧的方式，为拟议的解决方案提供谈判？先前的研究表明，如果参与者为潜在的解决方案提供创造性的想法，那么在调解中达成一致的可能性更大。包括这些活动的谈判程序更有可能产生“双赢”的解决方案——对双方都有利的解决方案。然而，先前的研究也表明，只有当参与者不致力于特定的解决方案时，这些好处才会产生。需要更多的数据来确定调解员和争议方在如何提出和/或解释提议的解决方案（作为解决的可能性或要求）方面是否存在重大差异。在一个社区调解项目中，将对大约30个调解听证会进行观察和录像。每次听证会的笔录和详细的观察记录将由研究生研究助理制作。这些数据将被编码，以供主要研究者使用理论定义的争议行为类别进行分析。在编码数据的基础上，首席研究员将比较调解员和争议者在提出和努力解决方案时的相互作用解释。＊＊＊

9411224 GARCIA The purpose of this project is to discover how the interactional process of mediation contributes to agreement between disputing parties. Specifically, how does mediation provide for negotiation about proposed solutions in a way that facilitates dispute resolution rather than continued disagreement? Previous research has shown that agreement in mediation is more likely if participants engage in the creative generation of ideas for potential solutions. Negotiation procedures which include such activities are more likely to result in "win-win" solutions-- those that benefit both disputants. However, previous research also suggests that these benefits result only if the participants are not committed to particular solutions. Additional data are needed to determine if there is a critical difference between how mediators and disputants propose and/or interpret proposed solutions: as possibilities or as requirements for resolution. Approximately 30 mediation hearings at a community mediation program will be observed and video-taped. Transcripts of each hearing and detailed observation records will be produced by graduate student research assistants. These data will be coded for analysis by the principal investigator, using theoretically defined categories of disputing behavior. On the basis of the coded data, the principal investigator will compare the interactional interpretations of mediators and disputants as they propose and work toward resolutions. ***