July 23, 2020

Six Key Psychological Principles at Play in Mediations

Josh Fruchter
In several of our past blog posts, we’ve referenced various psychological principles applicable in mediations. An awareness of psychological principles can help mediators understand why parties have taken certain positions or why they are behaving in a certain way, as well as anticipate how parties may respond to a mediator’s..
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July 10, 2019

Bracketing in Mediation: When to Use It and Why It Works

Josh Fruchter
Participants in mediations will be familiar with bracketing — a technique widely used by mediators to bridge seemingly insurmountable gaps between what one side is offering and the other side is demanding. Why bracketing works offers a fascinating glimpse into the psychology of negotiation and mediation. Let’s assume a plaintiff..
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May 28, 2019

Principles of Cognitive Dissonance at Play in Mediation

Josh Fruchter
Psychologists tell us that humans prize harmony between their actions and beliefs. Accordingly, when we act contrary to a strong belief, alarm bells go off in the brain, and we feel mental discomfort, or “dissonance.” To eliminate this tension, we can either abandon the belief or change the behavior. To..
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