Week Four: Post One

1). After reading Chapter 11 in its entirety, answer the following question:  Why should communication majors make good mediators?  What might lawyers and psychotherapists find it difficult to effectively play the role of mediator?

Communication majors should make good mediators (hopefully) because they have had the opportunity to learn about effective methods of communication and mediation. Chapter 11 in particular, focuses on mediation and the role of the mediator. Lawyers and psychotherapists might find it difficult to play the role of the mediator because there are specific guidelines that a mediator must follow to be effective and these guidelines are not necessarily observed in the same way in these professions. For example, this chapter discusses the idea that it might be difficult for a lawyer to play the role of a mediator because they may mistakenly treat mediation like litigation. In this, the lawyer would not remain neutral, and in fact, may actually take an oppositional or defensive standpoint. Because the agreements decided upon in mediation are not made by a third party (i.e. a judge or a jury) but by the disputants themselves, the participants may be less likely to cooperate if they feel that the mediator does not maintain a very neutral disposition.