The effects of self-disclosure and attitude similarity on the reduction of interpersonal conflict in a modification of the Prisoner's Dilemma Game were investigated in an experimental study of the behavior of 60 undergraduate students. Results supported hypotheses that self-disclosure and attitude similarity would elicit more conflict-reducing…

Research administrators can avoid falling into bureaucratic traps by (1) understanding what is important and what is subordinate to it; (2) becoming a better manager; and (3) improving public relations by being more accessible, soliciting complaints, consulting, supporting clients, making the rules work for clients, and educating clients.

Socially competent children have been found to be effective negotiators, typically selecting more adaptive, non-physical strategies for resolving conflicts with peers. To explore this association, background information involving research with children's social strategies is presented. The research is part of a larger study concerning school-based…

This paper discusses teachers' moral mistakes, using data from 59 teacher interviews, 26 teacher written responses, and 98 ninth grade student written responses. Teachers and students described incidents in their schools that made them reflect on the moral nature of the situation. The most common moral dilemmas in schools related to teacher…

With the increase in violence over the past few decades, academic and human development practitioners have tried to better understand the dynamics of conflict and develop effective intervention and prevention strategies. There is an ever-deepening appreciation for the mediation process. The mediation process is a powerful problem-solving and…

Virtually everyone involved with forensics has, at one time or another, seen or heard references to debate teams or squads as "groups." Many questions concerning the label "group," however, exist. A brief examination of definitions of the term group by scholars in the field of small group communication confirms that T. M.…

This paper introduces a post-divorce therapy project in which therapists focus on communication patterns and help families resolve their problematic post-divorce situations by co-creating more useful ways of dealing with their disputes and conflicts. The paper also examines how therapists attempt to construct alternative relationships with and…

Headteachers in England, Scotland, and Denmark must respond to wide-ranging and often conflicting external demands. Simultaneously, they must develop strategies to enhance their staffs' skills and improve pupil performance. This paper examines the background of a collaborative research project on school leadership in the three countries;…

This paper presents the view that prevailing resentment against new immigrants and other ethnic minorities has clarified for many educators the need for teaching all students skills to resolve conflicts and reduce violence in schools. The paper advocates that peace education be integrated with multicultural education as a way for students to learn…

Teachers at an urban high school in New Brunswick (Canada) were reluctant to begin an intervention program directed at student anger and violence until they had gained input from the students themselves. A survey was conducted of the students' experience with violence and their opinions about how to address the problem. Participants were 769 (395…

This program was developed to help students address how they can create solutions to persistent problems in their residence halls and on campus. Too often diversity programs are inwardly-focused and far removed from practical action that could increase understanding and reduce conflict. This program seeks to combine self-reflection with active…

A study investigated the conceptual and functional meanings of the concept of conflict from the perspectives of United States culture (a low-context culture) and Chinese culture (a high-context culture). Subjects, 50 American and 48 Chinese graduate students in a midsize northeastern university, were interviewed using a semi-structured format to…

Some researchers and practitioners believe that schools can play a leading role in preventing violence among youth. This document offers a framework for collaboration that moves from simply recognizing the problem to preparing youth to live peaceably in a diverse community. The "Creating a Peaceable School" program is based on the premise that…

This paper offers a process for organizational decision making that will assist educators involved in school restructuring. The first part, which focuses on the nature of theory and the relationship of theory to practice, concludes that current organizational theory on decision making is inadequate. The next section outlines four stages of a…

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" depicts sibling relationships between Data and Lore (android), Worf and Kurn (Klingon) and Jean-Luc and Robert (human) that illustrate conflictual communication and suggest teaching applications. The most disturbing empirical communication research on conflict between brothers reports that male sibling…