Advancing the Social Psychology of Conflict Resolution

Transcription

1 Peace and Conflict, 14: , 2008 Copyright # Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: print= online DOI: / The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice (2nd ed.), Morton Deutsch, Peter T. Coleman, & Eric C. Marcus, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Advancing the Social Psychology of Conflict Resolution Marc Pilisuk Saybrook Graduate School Conflict resolution is gradually being transformed from art to social science. Important within the social science contribution is our understanding of what occurs between two or more parties who perceive a disagreement between them. The condition is ubiquitous but the characteristics, perceptions, and motives of the participants will widely vary as will their skills, knowledge, and the internal and external constraints that will limit or enhance their moves. So, too, will there be important differences in the circumstances of need that may affect their views of what might be changed in their positions and in the power that each party holds to push its agenda. These are all concepts that have been studied in social psychology, some for half a century. In this 940-page anthology, the authors have assembled what the field of social psychology has to offer to our understanding of conflict and to its constructive resolution. The senior editor, Morton Deutsch, contributed some of the seminal research in conflict resolution, and has followed the evolution of the field for many years. As he notes, the aim of the anthology is to enrich the field by presenting the theoretical underpinnings that throw light on the fundamental social psychological processes involved in all levels of conflict. The 38 separate articles do indeed fill the promise significantly. To a large extent, the articles focus on highlighting concepts, defining categories, and taking note of the growing research Correspondence should be addressed to Marc Pilisuk, Saybrook Graduate School, 747 Front St., 3rd Fl., San Francisco, CA mpilisuk@saybrook.edu 433

2 434 PILISUK literature. The areas of illustration in the book go from the marital to the international. The Handbook does an excellent job in mentioning diverse factors affecting how conflicts are resolved. The emphasis is on a problem-solving model, which is well described by Weitzman and Weitzman. The underlying value premise in this, and in many of the contributions, is that humans are capable of compassion and of being reasonable and fair. When conditions permit, these traits flourish, and a social psychology of conflict resolution emerges. This approach aids our understanding of the process by which agreements can be reached through communication, often assisted by a third party. Problem solving is not restricted to cognitive change, and the volume contains an important contribution regarding the role of emotions and deeply rooted motives. Among the critical concepts discussed in The Handbook is the importance of rapport that can develop through direct contact the so-called schmooze effect. Another deals with biases in perception, some stereotypic, about fairness or about the zero-sum aspects of the presenting difference and how to deal with these misperceptions. The intentional use of reflection to redefine options is well described, as is the use of playfulness and creativity. A theme across several of the book s contributions deals with conflicts involving matters of identity be it ethnic, religious, or gender identity. In each case, we deepen our understanding that participant positions are more than happenstance differences on a particular issue, but rather expressions of reference groups and cultural anchor points central to personal identity. Although the collection has a major focus on the problem-solving process, there are solid presentations dealing with such issues of context as historical injustice. One important area of context included is the role of religion in defining disputes, contributing to their intensity, and healing them. Another is the area of moral exclusion in which differences serve to give license to the harming and demeaning of certain disputants. Moral exclusion has implications for who may come to the table, or to the conflict-resolving situation, and what respect they are afforded. The discussion includes ways of increasing the scope of the moral community and the role of cultural imperialism. Although the information covered may be useful to specialists in conflict resolution, The Handbook is not designed primarily for the purpose of making us better mediators in the tradition of such works as Christopher Moore s, The Mediation Process: Practical Strategies for Resolving Conflict; or Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton s, Getting to Yes. The focus on problem solving results in some slighting of transformative mediation, which was highlighted by Baruch Bush and Joe Folger s book,

3 CONFLICT RESOLUTION 435 The Promise of Mediation. That book contrasts problem-solving and transformative mediation. Problem-solving mediation practitioners focus on reaching a mutually acceptable settlement of the dispute. Hence, they use the process to move the substance of the dialogue toward areas of consensus and resolvable issues, avoiding areas where consensus is less likely. Although mediators in this model do need to be guided by the participants, they are inclined to play the role of concertmaster in helping to craft terms of settlement and obtaining the parties agreement. The emphasis in the transformative approach is not to seek resolution of the immediate problem, but instead to enhance the empowerment and mutual recognition of the parties. Empowerment, according to Bush and Folger, means enabling the parties to define their own issues and to seek their own solutions. As in several contributions of The Handbook, the transformative model strives to have participants see the other person s point of view to understand how they define the problem and why they seek the solution that they do. (Seeing and understanding, it should be noted, do not constitute agreement with those views.) Often, empowerment and recognition pave the way for a mutually agreeable settlement, but that is only a secondary effect. The main goal of fostering the parties empowerment and recognition enables them to approach their defined problem, as well as later problems, with a stronger, yet more open, view regardless of whether they actually reach an agreement. The effectiveness of this approach is difficult to evaluate. However, The Handbook adds references to important new work on outcome evaluations for conflict resolution interventions. The well-illustrated examples provide a valuable classification system that helps clarify the specific aspects of a conflict resolution being evaluated. Process versus long-term effects are discussed, as are measures to assess the degree of symmetry among definitions of the problem among various stakeholders. The wave of experimental research in game theory is treated rather dismissively in the book. True, prisoner dilemma research may well have produced some trivial findings, but there were studies testing the value of unilateral initiatives even after deadlock of distrust had been created. Other studies included the effects of the communication of promises for a pattern of conciliatory overtures and the strength of trust, faith, greed, and despair in the conflict process. There are kernels that might be worth preserving. The Handbook also might have taken note of some truly brilliant theorizing about the values and limitations of decision theory in conflict resolution as captured in two classic works by Anatol Rapaport: Fights, Games, and Debates and Strategy and Conscience. The social-psychology emphasis may explain why some areas of conflict resolution have been left out. One is the arena of formal negotiation and

4 436 PILISUK arbitration procedures that govern behavior in labor management disputes. Another is the political meaning of the growth of conflict resolution, as well as the complex issue of mediation as an alternative to litigation. Although ethical issues are discussed, the social and political contexts for the rise in popularity of mediation processes are beyond the framework and yet should be important to theorists and practitioners. No book on conflict resolution can do everything. This one brings social psychology to bear on the topic far more thoroughly than anything else I have seen. It truly takes stock of and advances our understanding of social psychological and related factors in conflict resolution. It provides an indispensable reference particularly for those wanting to do further research. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Marc Pilisuk is a clinical and social psychologist. He teaches at the Saybrook Graduate School and is a Professor Emeritus of Community Psychology in the Department of Human and Community Development at the University of California at Davis. He was a founder of the first teach-in; a past president of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence; and a steering committee member of Psychologists for Social Responsibility. His most recent book, Who Benefits from Global Violence and War: Uncovering a Destructive System, was published by Greenwood=Praeger. REFERENCES Bush, R. A. B. & Folger, J. P. (1994). The promise of meditation: Responding to conflict through empowerment and recognition. San Francisco: Jossey Bass. Fisher, R., Urey, W., & Patton, B. (1991). Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in. New York: Penguin. Moore, C. W. (1996). The mediation process: Practical strategies for resolving conflict. San Francisco: Jossey Bass. Rapaport, A. (1964). Strategy and conscience. New York: Harper and Row. Rapaport, A. (1960). Fights, games and debates. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

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