Category Archives: research

Your “Likes” Can Reveal Your Personality

Posted on March 20, 2013 by stevemehta

Recently, I have been conducting some research on what items surrounding a person say about that person’s personality and then I was delighted to see a fascinating study on a related issue addressing people’s likes from Facebook.  In essence, the study research what predictive information can be gleened from a person’s “like” of something. The […] Continue reading →

Posted in facebook, like, personality, Pyschological Research and negotiations, research, reveal, study, traits | Comments Off

Your Super Powerful all convincing Mediation Statement

Posted on November 27, 2012 by stevemehta

So you want persuade the other side or the mediator?  Well use more adjectives and you will be amazing in your power of persuasion according to new research. Purdue researchers contrasted the use of adjectives by successful and less successful authors, both in classics and modern books.  They found that in both cases, the author […] Continue reading →

Posted in adjective, communication, evocative, expressive, language, Mediation, negotiation, persuasion, Pyschological Research and negotiations, research | Comments Off

If You Are Too Touchy, I Might Get An Angry Feely

Posted on November 12, 2012 by stevemehta

Touch is a powerful force in any social interaction.  There is much research to demonstrate the beneficial effect of touch.  For example, several studies have found that touch can help bond, increase tips, and develop a connection between others.  However, recent research has demonstrated that in a competitive situation, touch can be considered negative and […] Continue reading →

Posted in back, backfire, benefit, camps, dominance, jeroen, Mediation, negotation, pat, patting, Pyschological Research and negotiations, research, shoulder, touch, touching | Comments Off

Lies Can Easily Be The Truth

Posted on October 31, 2012 by stevemehta

Many people are shocked and amazed when they find out that the juries are susceptible to lies of unscrupulous experts or witnesses.  They often state with incredulity that the truth should come out in trial.  Unfortunately, however, the truth doesn’t always come out.  Recently, a study from Australia helped to give a better understanding why […] Continue reading →

Posted in belief, beliefs, expert, jury, lies, Mediation, negotiation, parties, party, persuasion, preconcieved, Pyschological Research and negotiations, research, Stephan Lewandowsky, truth, witness | Comments Off

Cell Phones Hurt Communication

Posted on September 26, 2012 by stevemehta

Cell phones have revolutionized the way that we communicate.  Many people attorneys believe that having a cell phone has made them more efficient and productive.  But is there a cost?  Can cell phones actually hinder communication.  My answer is yes. According to new research from Andrew Przybylski and Netta Weinstein, cell phones can actually harm the interactivity [...] Continue reading →

Posted in bond, cell, communication, connectionj, disrupt, disruptive, interrupt, intimacy, Mediation, phone, Pyschological Research and negotiations, research | Comments Off

The Mediator and the Hare: Story Telling in Mediation

Posted on August 24, 2012 by stevemehta

Story telling is a fundamental part of human interaction.  From early on, humans communicated through stories.  They taught lessons through stories, and they experienced life through stories.  Take a look at all religious books — The Bible, the Bhagvad Gita, etc — and they are all stories with a purpose. Behavioral psychologist Susan M. Weinschenk Ph.D. notes: Research [...] Continue reading →

Posted in communication, effective, Mediation, mehta, research, steve, story, storytelling, telling, timing | Comments Off

The Imbibing Idiot

Posted on August 1, 2012 by stevemehta

Most people in mediation don’t fully realize that many — if not all– of the issues that are in question — liability, damages, cause, effect, consequences, good faith, ability to perform, etc..are affected by the perception that is created throughout the litigation and mediation.  The reality is that perception is reality, not the other way [...] Continue reading →

Posted in alcohol, drunk, effect, idiot, imbibing, Mediation, perception, power, Pyschological Research and negotiations, reality, research, rick, scott, study | Comments Off

Let’s Make A Deal With Bubble Gum

Posted on December 9, 2011 by stevemehta

  Want to become smarter, even if only for a little bit.  Well, I have the answer for you.  Chew some gum. Recently a study found that people who chew gum before testing on a subject increased their cognitive function.  The study showed that the increase in brain power, however, lasted only for 15 minutes. [...] Continue reading →

Posted in benefit, bubble, creative, gum, increase, Mediation, negotiation, Pyschological Research and negotiations, research, study, thinking | Comments Off

What Do the End of the Worlders, Austin Powers and Mediation Have to Do With Each Other?

Posted on June 28, 2011 by stevemehta

Recently, I was at a soccer tournament recently and a goal keeper saved a goal. At the same time, one of the parents jokingly stated that the Goalkeeper had saved the world. How, I asked. The parent then reminded me that a religious organization had recently professed that the world was going to end on that exact date and time. At that same time, the Goal keeper had saved the goal, and as a result saved the soccer team from total destruction. The next day, the religious organization claimed that they had miscalculated and that the new date was really the end of the world. That world saving goal keeper got me thinking about why people are convinced about their positions and why they don’t change their mind even in the face of overwhelming evidence. That process brought me to the the concept of the Backfire Effect. Continue reading →

Posted in austin, backfire, belief, Brendan, conviction, convinced, David McRaney, effect, influence, jason, Mediation, Nyhan, persuade, persuasion, powers, Pyschological Research and negotiations, Reifler, research, study | Comments Off