Positive political discourse is the heart of democracy. The purposes of political discourse include making an effective decision about the course the society should take and building a moral bond among all members of the society. A responsibility of social sciences within a democratic society is to provide the theory, research, and normative…

This article discusses the nature of conflict and conflict resolution within educational organizations, focuses specifically upon the causes of conflict between students and school personnel and outlines several factors relevant to increasing the probability that such conflicts will be managed constructively. (Author)

Comment includes implications for communication theory. (CH)

The paper considers the efficacy of role reversal, used in conflict situations, for reducing distortions in perceptions of the opponent's position, for increasing understanding of the opponent's position, for clarifying communication during negotiations, and for inducing cooperative behavior in conflict situations. It was noted that little…

Thirty undergraduate students discussed a moral issue with a confederate who held either the same or the opposing opinion. Subjects in the controversy condition indicated more accurate understanding of the confederate's reasoning than their counterparts; however, noncontroversy subjects erroneously believed they understood the confederate's…

One type of conflict is controversy (disagreement), which is discussed as a teaching technique that can be used in the classroom. Five possible procedures are suggested for introducing it to students. For journal availability, see SO 504 878. (ND)

A peer mediation program in a suburban elementary school was studied to determine the types of conflicts, the strategies used in conflict resolution, and the types of resolutions at school and at home. Comparisons of 144 program students with 83 untrained students revealed significant impact of peer mediation. (SLD)

Reports on a study of the effects of a peer-mediation training program among 92 elementary school students. Finds that the training program was successful in teaching negotiation and mediation procedures and skills. Reports that the training dramatically reduced the number of conflicts referred to teachers and principal. (CFR)

Research indicates that classroom controversy facilitates student problem solving, creativity, perspective taking, epistemic curiosity, conceptual conflict, and transition in stages of cognitive and moral reasoning. Thus, creating controversy is an important teaching strategy for increasing learning and intellectual development. Conditions…

Forty-five undergraduates discussed a moral issue with a confederate who had the same opinion (no controversy) or opposite opinion (controversy). Subjects in the controversy conditions discussed within either a cooperative or a competitive context. Subjects in the controversy conditions indicated more conceptual conflict or uncertainty, engaged in…

Focuses on three issues which are hypothesized as affecting the negotiation of an agreement in a mixed-motive conflict: congruency of verbal and nonverbal messages, relative impact of verbal and nonverbal messages, and expression of cooperative or competitive intentions. (MH)

Discusses the necessity of student-student interactions for enhancing achievement, socialization, and healthy psychological development. Presents evidence concerning the constructive impact of the appropriate use of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic goal structures and the power of effectively managed controversy within the classroom.…

The effects of two types of structured academic conflict, controversy and debate, were compared with individual study on a number of dependent variables. Sixth graders (n=72) were assigned conditions on a stratified random basis controlling for sex, reading ability, and handicapping conditions. Results indicated that controversy promoted the most…