Misbelieving Several weeks ago, I went to a bookstore with my husband to pick up a book he wanted. He did not buy it, but I found an intriguing book: Misbelief: What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things by Dan Ariely (HarperCollins, New York, 2023.) While the book discusses what [Read More]
As mentioned, I teach an online course at USC’s Gould School of Law, which is couched in employment law and teaches how to mediate from soup to nuts. The book we use advocates the use of joint sessions. But I always tell my students that, for some reason, in California, [Read More]
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]
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]
A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about proposed legislation- SB 940- allowing the State Bar of California to certify mediators or, more accurately, certify ADR provider organizations. See Certifying Mediators. The California Legislature is also considering another bill- SB 1141- that, if passed, could have a profound impact [Read More]
I opened the Science section of the New York Times last week to find an article about the value of mediation when siblings cannot agree on the next care steps for their elderly parents. Entitled “When Families Fight Over a Relative With Dementia, It’s Time to Call in the Mediator.,” [Read More]
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]
On May 1, 2024, the Senate Judiciary Committee of the California legislature passed a heavily amended Senate Bill 940 aimed at regulating both arbitration and mediation services in California. According to a Los Angeles Daily Journal article published on May 2, 2024 (subscription only), the arbitration provisions may well run [Read More]
