The Social-Psychological The Social-Psychological Traditions: Traditions: FramingFraming

Structural-Systemic Perspective

Emotional Perspective

Cognitive Perspective

InterestsPerspective

Anatomy of a

Conflict: A Framewor

k for Analysis

StructuralStructural InterestInterest CognitiveCognitive EmotionalEmotional

CoreCore

ConcernsConcerns

Distribution Distribution of power & of power & resourcesresources

‘‘Built-in’ Built-in’ structural structural inequalitiesinequalities

Underlying Underlying interests, interests, goals and goals and objectivesobjectives

BeliefsBeliefs

SchemasSchemas

FramesFrames

FearFear

Loss and Loss and griefgrief

RageRage

PathologyPathology

GoalsGoals JusticeJustice Integration or Integration or compromisecompromise

ReframingReframing HealingHealing

Conflict Conflict Management Management TechniquesTechniques

RevolutionRevolution

Re-Re-distributiondistribution

De-De-constructionconstruction

Negotiation / Negotiation / mediationmediation

compromisecompromise

bargainingbargaining

win-winwin-win

Facilitated Facilitated contactcontact

Truth-tellingTruth-telling

Public Public

Acknowledge- Acknowledge- mentment

ForgivenessForgiveness

Basic Premise of Social Psychological Basic Premise of Social Psychological Approaches to ConflictApproaches to Conflict

World ViewWorld ViewCognitionCognitionNarrativeNarrative

EventEvent Lens Lens MeaningMeaningScriptScript Frame Frame

ConstructConstructAssumptive WorldAssumptive World

CultureCulture

This is a story about…

This is a story about….

This is a story about….

This is a story about….

This is a story about….

This is a story about….

This is a story about….

This is a story about….

This is a story about….

This is a story about….

This is a story about….

FRAMING AND REFRAMINGFRAMING AND REFRAMING

One useful term in bringing in focus the One useful term in bringing in focus the meaning that people give to the social meaning that people give to the social world / social conflict is “framing”world / social conflict is “framing”– ““underlying structures of belief, perception, underlying structures of belief, perception,

and appreciation” (Schon and Rein)and appreciation” (Schon and Rein)– ““set of beliefs, models, and stories about the set of beliefs, models, and stories about the

world “ (Dayton)world “ (Dayton)– how people subjectively understand and how people subjectively understand and

construct their worldconstruct their world

AssumptionsAssumptions

1. Social reality is constructed. 1. Social reality is constructed. Accordingly, different individuals looking at Accordingly, different individuals looking at the same conflict may hold contrasting and the same conflict may hold contrasting and perhaps even contradictory theories of perhaps even contradictory theories of what the conflict is about, how to transform what the conflict is about, how to transform it, and what constitutes success.it, and what constitutes success.

These different realities are rooted in….These different realities are rooted in….

2. Politics is a struggle over 2. Politics is a struggle over “naming, framing, and blaming”“naming, framing, and blaming”

““Illegal immigration is a scourge that threatens Illegal immigration is a scourge that threatens the very future of our nation”the very future of our nation” Tom Tancredo, Tom Tancredo, Member of the House of RepresentativesMember of the House of Representatives

Republican immigration reforms "would Republican immigration reforms "would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself."probably even Jesus himself." Hillary Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Member of the US SenateMember of the US Senate

““We are all capable of believing things We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a against solid reality, usually on a battlefield."battlefield."

George Orwell, 1946George Orwell, 1946

3. Complex situations with a high degree 3. Complex situations with a high degree of uncertainty and a lack of lack of uncertainty and a lack of lack agreement over ‘anchoring theories’ are agreement over ‘anchoring theories’ are highly susceptible to conflict resulting from highly susceptible to conflict resulting from frame discordanceframe discordance

Frame Concordance

Partial Frame Concordance

Frame Discordance

4. Homogeneous societies / communities 4. Homogeneous societies / communities are less likely to experience conflicts are less likely to experience conflicts related to differing perceptions than related to differing perceptions than heterogeneous societiesheterogeneous societies

5. The processes required to manage 5. The processes required to manage conflicts related to framing (cognitive) conflicts related to framing (cognitive) differences are not the same as those that differences are not the same as those that can be used to manage other types of can be used to manage other types of conflictsconflicts

Reframing as a Conflict Reframing as a Conflict Management ToolManagement Tool

I take open-mindedness to be a I take open-mindedness to be a willingness to construe knowledge willingness to construe knowledge and values from multiple and values from multiple perspectives without loss of perspectives without loss of commitment to one’s own values. commitment to one’s own values. Open-mindedness is the keystone Open-mindedness is the keystone of what we call a democratic of what we call a democratic culture.culture.

--Jerome Bruner

ExerciseExercise

How does President Bush frame 9-How does President Bush frame 9-11 events to the nation 11 events to the nation andand what what range of actions follow from this range of actions follow from this framing?framing?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releasehttp://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.htmls/2001/09/20010920-8.html

Reframing StrategiesReframing Strategies

DialogueDialogue

Repeated InteractionRepeated Interaction

InformationInformation

Prenegotiation workshopsPrenegotiation workshops

On a personal level . . .On a personal level . . .

Three dimensions of conflict frames: Three dimensions of conflict frames: – relationship vs taskrelationship vs task– emotional vs intellectualemotional vs intellectual– cooperative vs winning (Pinkley)cooperative vs winning (Pinkley)

Challenge to LearningChallenge to Learning Mental Models Mental Models

(Senge)(Senge)

Deeply held internal images, Deeply held internal images, assumptions, and myths developed assumptions, and myths developed from experience about how the from experience about how the world worksworld works

Challenge to LearningChallenge to LearningOvercoming Mental ModelsOvercoming Mental Models

(Senge)(Senge)

Bring espoused theory and theory in Bring espoused theory and theory in use into alignmentuse into alignment

Balance inquiry with advocacyBalance inquiry with advocacy

Recognize leaps of abstractionRecognize leaps of abstraction

Articulate Ladder of InferenceArticulate Ladder of InferenceUncovers path from observable data and experience Uncovers path from observable data and experience to beliefs, generalizations, and actionsto beliefs, generalizations, and actions

And frame our next actionAnd frame our next action

And draw conclusionsAnd draw conclusions

To which we add meaningTo which we add meaning

What we select for What we select for attentionattention

What actually happened (as observable)What actually happened (as observable)