Mental Models in Conflict Resolution

3 Credit Hours

This seminar course focuses on the "mental models" that play-or could play-roles in the development, evolution, and attempts to address conflict. In studying these models (some of which overlap or are intricately interrelated), students will draw upon perspectives from social science disciplines such as economics and psychology; neuroscience; and cognitive maps of lawyering (e.g., traditional, client-centered, collaborative), negotiation (e.g., adversarial and problem-solving), and mediation (e.g., narrow, broad, transformative, understanding-based). Students will also explore the following: relationships between and among mental models, emotions, and lawyering and other dispute resolution strategies and techniques; whether the mental models are explicit or implicit, conscious or subconscious; and which mental models are most appropriate in particular circumstances. Evaluation: Final paper, presentation of paper, and class participation Teaching Method: Some lecture, discussion and student presentations.