The Effects of Motivational and Content Control on Dispute Mediation (Negotiation, Power, Arbitration)

The purpose of the present research was to investigate the effects of two types of mediation techniques--content control and motivational control-upon the likelihood of an agreement and the type of agreement (integrative agreement vs. compromise agreement). Two studies were conducted. Study 1 was a laboratory experiment using 86 pairs of college students as disputants. Trained mediators used either content control, in the form of narrowing the scope of discussion, or motivational control, in the form of making the parties aware of additional costs of nonsettlement (or both or neither technique). Results indicated that mediators using content control increased the number of multi-issue disputes that were resolved and increased the likelihood of a compromise agreement. Motivational control did not produce significant effects. Study 2 was a survey of 282 professional mediators and arbitrators and was conducted to extend the generality of the findings of Study 1. Results indicated that professional third parties endorsed both content control and motivational control techniques. Implications for future research based upon the Sheppard model are discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Ross, William Henry, Jr.

• Psychology, Industrial

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8701601

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/69683