Contact Theory

Recently, 60 Minutes presented a segment on Story Corps and, more particularly, on its program One Small Step, which is “… a national effort to help bridge divides during a contentious election year.” (Id.) To do so, the program brings people of diverse, if not opposite, backgrounds together to spend [Read More]

An Unfinished Difficult Conversation

Last year, I attended a memorial service online. The service meant a lot to me. The telephone rang, and rather than letting it ring and go to voicemail, I picked up and very quickly said I was attending the service and said goodbye. Even though the caller (“Jane”) was aware [Read More]

By |July 12th, 2024|Research|

Do Not Mediate in the Heat!

If you have paid the slightest attention to the news over the last few weeks, you have noticed that a heat wave is gripping most of the nation. Excessive heat warnings seem to be posted everywhere. Thus, a recent New York Times article entitled “How Heat Affects the Brain” by [Read More]

Razors

While we all think of “razors” as a tool for shaving, I learned that it also has a different definition. The term refers to a heuristic or shortcut (aka “rule of thumb” ) used by scientists to guide them in creating theoretical models. “The term  “razor” refers to the “shaving [Read More]

By |May 31st, 2024|Research|

The Many Types of Empathy

I always thought that empathy was empathy. That is “…the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place. Essentially, it is putting yourself in someone else's position and feeling what they are feeling” (“What is Empathy” by [Read More]

By |May 24th, 2024|Research|

Albert Mehrabian’s Rule of 55-38-7

Many years ago, I learned about Albert Mehrabian's rule of 55-38-7 in communication. This rule states that 55% of our communication is through body language, 38% through tone of voice, and only 7% through actual words (Project Management). Professor Mehrabian, a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, Los [Read More]

By |May 10th, 2024|Research|

The Emotional ChatGPT

Recently, the Harvard Program on Negotiation posted a blog about “Emotional Intelligence as a Negotiating Skill” (By Katie Shonk- February 12, 2024). It noted that  experts predicted that  those scoring high on emotional intelligence would have better negotiated outcomes and discusses a 2015 study by researchers Kihwan Kim of Buena [Read More]

By |March 8th, 2024|Research|
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