Media Effects: Online Communication and diversity in values and behavioral norms - ADRhub - Creighton NCR2024-03-28T22:39:28Zhttp://www.adrhub.com/forum/topics/media-effects-online-2?commentId=4905899%3AComment%3A4391&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThanks to all for your partic…tag:www.adrhub.com,2010-10-30:4905899:Comment:44322010-10-30T03:06:18.000ZLeah Winghttp://www.adrhub.com/profile/LeahWing
Thanks to all for your participation in this forum and for your thoughtful contributions this Cyberweek 2010! We hope it stimulates further discussions about the relationship between culture, conflict, and the use of technology for dispute resolution.<br />
Leah
Thanks to all for your participation in this forum and for your thoughtful contributions this Cyberweek 2010! We hope it stimulates further discussions about the relationship between culture, conflict, and the use of technology for dispute resolution.<br />
Leah I feel as though everyone has…tag:www.adrhub.com,2010-10-30:4905899:Comment:44242010-10-30T00:36:59.000ZJayme Tinehttp://www.adrhub.com/profile/JaymeTine
I feel as though everyone has made really great contributions to this discussion, so I would just like to briefly elaborate on the benefits of ODR that Hannah mentioned. I believe that it is true that ODR can take away some of the important qualities of traditional ADR, but that the level of convenience can easily supersede the drawbacks. Several people mentioned that body language and emotion is removed in ODR, which can cause misinterpretations to occur. However, in thinking about the case,…
I feel as though everyone has made really great contributions to this discussion, so I would just like to briefly elaborate on the benefits of ODR that Hannah mentioned. I believe that it is true that ODR can take away some of the important qualities of traditional ADR, but that the level of convenience can easily supersede the drawbacks. Several people mentioned that body language and emotion is removed in ODR, which can cause misinterpretations to occur. However, in thinking about the case, it could possibly be beneficial to not have body language and emotion involved. All three cultures are very different, and are likely to express themselves differently both verbally and physically. This could lead to just as much confusion face to face as not being able to see it at all. By having the opportunity to speak in neutral, plain text could lead to a more successful dispute resolution, given the extreme culture differences of the parties involved. /><br />
<cite>Hannah Kirschbaum said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://adrhub.com/forum/topics/media-effects-online-2?id=4905899%3ATopic%3A3225&page=2#4905899Comment4409"><div>I agree with what people have already said about the limitations of ODR. The inability to incorporate body language is a significant drawback considering a great deal of body language is unconscious and could actually prove to be an important aspect of a dispute resolution process. Additionally, as Catherine pointed out, body language can convey emotion, and it isn't realistic to have a dispute resolution without an involvement of emotion. I feel that emotion in a non face-to-face scenario would most likely be expressed by an increase in tension and temper (and vocal volume?). Also, besides the ODR limitation on body language, the understanding and interpretation of what is being said can be limited because of cultural differences, language barriers, etc., as well as the absence of subtle and nuanced communication. And, of course, as Leah mentioned, what is not being communicated can be compelling.<br/> <br/>
While I definitely agree that these are among the drawbacks to ODR, I think it is important to appreciate some positive aspects of ODR. As long as those parties who are involved have access to and understanding of the technology, it can be quite beneficial. Technology can act as an equalizer between otherwise unequal parties. There is an increase to the convenience and speediness of a dispute resolution when using ODR, especially when dealing with an international dispute.<br/>
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I personally feel that face-to-face communication, especially during a dispute or the resolution of a dispute, is much better than any other kind of communication. It creates a sense of connection between the participants that can foster and further the desire to resolve the dispute fairly and satisfactorily to all.</div>
</blockquote> I agree with what people have…tag:www.adrhub.com,2010-10-29:4905899:Comment:44092010-10-29T23:12:06.000ZHannah Kirschbaumhttp://www.adrhub.com/profile/HannahKirschbaum
I agree with what people have already said about the limitations of ODR. The inability to incorporate body language is a significant drawback considering a great deal of body language is unconscious and could actually prove to be an important aspect of a dispute resolution process. Additionally, as Catherine pointed out, body language can convey emotion, and it isn't realistic to have a dispute resolution without an involvement of emotion. I feel that emotion in a non face-to-face scenario…
I agree with what people have already said about the limitations of ODR. The inability to incorporate body language is a significant drawback considering a great deal of body language is unconscious and could actually prove to be an important aspect of a dispute resolution process. Additionally, as Catherine pointed out, body language can convey emotion, and it isn't realistic to have a dispute resolution without an involvement of emotion. I feel that emotion in a non face-to-face scenario would most likely be expressed by an increase in tension and temper (and vocal volume?). Also, besides the ODR limitation on body language, the understanding and interpretation of what is being said can be limited because of cultural differences, language barriers, etc., as well as the absence of subtle and nuanced communication. And, of course, as Leah mentioned, what is not being communicated can be compelling.<br />
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While I definitely agree that these are among the drawbacks to ODR, I think it is important to appreciate some positive aspects of ODR. As long as those parties who are involved have access to and understanding of the technology, it can be quite beneficial. Technology can act as an equalizer between otherwise unequal parties. There is an increase to the convenience and speediness of a dispute resolution when using ODR, especially when dealing with an international dispute.<br />
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I personally feel that face-to-face communication, especially during a dispute or the resolution of a dispute, is much better than any other kind of communication. It creates a sense of connection between the participants that can foster and further the desire to resolve the dispute fairly and satisfactorily to all. Interesting points Catherine!…tag:www.adrhub.com,2010-10-29:4905899:Comment:43932010-10-29T22:42:02.000ZNoam Ebnerhttp://www.adrhub.com/profile/NoamEbner
Interesting points Catherine!<br />
On the issue of apology, you might want to check out a sister forum here at Cyberweek focusing on this, which you can find <a href="http://adrhub.com/forum/topics/media-effects-online?id=4905899%3ATopic%3A3221&page=1#comments">here</a>.<br />
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<cite>Catherine Mielcarz said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://adrhub.com/forum/topics/media-effects-online-2?commentId=4905899%3AComment%3A4391&xg_source=msg_com_forum#4905899Comment4391"><div>Jeff makes a valid…</div>
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Interesting points Catherine!<br />
On the issue of apology, you might want to check out a sister forum here at Cyberweek focusing on this, which you can find <a href="http://adrhub.com/forum/topics/media-effects-online?id=4905899%3ATopic%3A3221&page=1#comments">here</a>.<br />
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<cite>Catherine Mielcarz said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://adrhub.com/forum/topics/media-effects-online-2?commentId=4905899%3AComment%3A4391&xg_source=msg_com_forum#4905899Comment4391"><div>Jeff makes a valid point about the use of ODR and "keeping emotions in check." While I agree with this, and with the importance of remaining civil and professional during a dispute resolution...call me old fashioned but the loss of ability to convey emotions, especially through body language, seems to be one of the biggest faults of ODR. Communication through body language is a very important part of dispute resolutions (online and offline). I agree with Vance that we definitely do rely on body language to convey our points across, and while it might seem more professional to solve a dispute with the absence of this...it is not a realistic approach. The loss of the face-to-face connection is definitely negative. For example, (to keep it very simple), saying "I'm sorry." in text online vs, saying "I'm sorry" in person usually with a face of regret and body language that conveys apology. The second holds MUCH more meaning...and it is unfortunate that this meaning is usually lost through ODR.</div>
</blockquote> Jeff makes a valid point abou…tag:www.adrhub.com,2010-10-29:4905899:Comment:43912010-10-29T22:29:16.000ZCatherine Mielcarzhttp://www.adrhub.com/profile/CatherineMielcarz
Jeff makes a valid point about the use of ODR and "keeping emotions in check." While I agree with this, and with the importance of remaining civil and professional during a dispute resolution...call me old fashioned but the loss of ability to convey emotions, especially through body language, seems to be one of the biggest faults of ODR. Communication through body language is a very important part of dispute resolutions (online and offline). I agree with Vance that we definitely do rely on body…
Jeff makes a valid point about the use of ODR and "keeping emotions in check." While I agree with this, and with the importance of remaining civil and professional during a dispute resolution...call me old fashioned but the loss of ability to convey emotions, especially through body language, seems to be one of the biggest faults of ODR. Communication through body language is a very important part of dispute resolutions (online and offline). I agree with Vance that we definitely do rely on body language to convey our points across, and while it might seem more professional to solve a dispute with the absence of this...it is not a realistic approach. The loss of the face-to-face connection is definitely negative. For example, (to keep it very simple), saying "I'm sorry." in text online vs, saying "I'm sorry" in person usually with a face of regret and body language that conveys apology. The second holds MUCH more meaning...and it is unfortunate that this meaning is usually lost through ODR. A number of people are concer…tag:www.adrhub.com,2010-10-29:4905899:Comment:43862010-10-29T21:47:34.000ZLeah Winghttp://www.adrhub.com/profile/LeahWing
A number of people are concerned about that lack of visuals and lack of in person communication in which to 'read' body language. Clearly ODR presents significant limitations in this regard. Noam shared some great concrete examples of how he helps to facilitate clarifications when cultural differences could exacerbate already present tensions.<br />
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Are there other behavioral strategies or software or hardware applications people have used to 'get beyond' the limitations of both cultural differences…
A number of people are concerned about that lack of visuals and lack of in person communication in which to 'read' body language. Clearly ODR presents significant limitations in this regard. Noam shared some great concrete examples of how he helps to facilitate clarifications when cultural differences could exacerbate already present tensions.<br />
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Are there other behavioral strategies or software or hardware applications people have used to 'get beyond' the limitations of both cultural differences and of not meeting in-person?<br />
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What ideas or concerns do you have if this is not a priority for the ODR practitioner community?<br />
Leah Leah - Again, doing my thing…tag:www.adrhub.com,2010-10-28:4905899:Comment:43192010-10-28T21:09:36.000ZNoam Ebnerhttp://www.adrhub.com/profile/NoamEbner
Leah - Again, doing my thing touching on a corner of your comments: I couldn't come up with a full-blown cultural divide I tried to ask parties to bridge online; however, when it comes to <i>language</i> (which I think, in this regard, should certainly count as a part of culture) - lots of stories come to mind. One example is when I am working with people from Turkey, and people from other countries (in these cases, primarily US and UK): I have worked for several years in Turkey, and am fluent…
Leah - Again, doing my thing touching on a corner of your comments: I couldn't come up with a full-blown cultural divide I tried to ask parties to bridge online; however, when it comes to <i>language</i> (which I think, in this regard, should certainly count as a part of culture) - lots of stories come to mind. One example is when I am working with people from Turkey, and people from other countries (in these cases, primarily US and UK): I have worked for several years in Turkey, and am fluent in "Turkish English" - in other words, how native Turks speak, what words they use when, and what is behind their sentence structure, as they communicate in English. A couple of issues I commonly encounter:<br />
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Turks use this word "too" instead of "so": "that is too funny" means "so funny" or "very funny"; "I am too happy" means "I am so happy", and so on. In some connotations in US/UK English, saying "too" seems to be casting a doubt on the veracity of a statement: "That is too good" might be heard as "that is too good to be real, you must be making it up"; "I've been waiting for too long" might sound as a compliant or a blame instead of an I-statement of yearning, etc. This comes up more often than you might think!<br />
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When native English speakers start a sentence, they often use filler/prelim words such as "Well...", "So..." "Now..." to open it up. Turks actually usually use the Turkish word for "Now", when speaking in Turkish; however, when speaking English, they commonly<br />
open with the word "Actually...". To a native English speaker, this is a word with a contrary connotation; in their minds, the speaker is about to correct them on something. This triggers a defensive mindset and interpretation biases that tend towards the negative - even if they are about to receive a compliment!<br />
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These issues play out in written communication (and of course in videoconferencing) just as they do in face to face, oral, communication. In these cases, I often need to ask parties to reiterate what they have said, engage in reframing myself, or sometimes engage in full-blown explanation of the difference of nuance [and not always successfully! I've also seen language-nuance issues like these and others accumulate to blow a process out of the water! I believe that it is the use…tag:www.adrhub.com,2010-10-28:4905899:Comment:43092010-10-28T20:22:15.000ZTony Vitullihttp://www.adrhub.com/profile/TonyVitulli
I believe that it is the use of technology that can be considered one of the main problems in this case. Belleza obviously doesn’t have access to the same types of technology that both Japan and the United States do. Therefore, we have to assume that they cannot operate their tourism business with the same efficiency that Japan and the U.S. can. This will inherently lead to problems when trying to coordinate between these countries. Also, Japan and the U.S. are both considered developed…
I believe that it is the use of technology that can be considered one of the main problems in this case. Belleza obviously doesn’t have access to the same types of technology that both Japan and the United States do. Therefore, we have to assume that they cannot operate their tourism business with the same efficiency that Japan and the U.S. can. This will inherently lead to problems when trying to coordinate between these countries. Also, Japan and the U.S. are both considered developed countries, while Belleza would not be. They are simply trying to get their tourism business of the ground, and as in every new business there are going to be problems that arise in the beginning. A solution to this problem may be a technical analyst from one of these countries going to Belleza and helping them upgrade their technology to where it can work seamlessly with those in the U.S. and Japan. I believe that when the parties of both GMC and the tourism company from Japan/U.S. sit down at this virtual table that they will be able to hash out their differences rather smoothly. Both companies need the other if they wish to flourish in this new endeavor. I believe that they will come to an agreement on a sum of money to be repaid to the Japanese company, so long as their business relationship can be maintained after their negotiations. I think the point Vance bring…tag:www.adrhub.com,2010-10-28:4905899:Comment:43052010-10-28T20:17:04.000ZJeff Whitehttp://www.adrhub.com/profile/JeffWhite
I think the point Vance brings up about a lot of interpersonal communication being nonverbal is very important to this situation as well as ODR in general. The cultures involved here are very different, so as others have said it will be difficult to properly convey one's true message through a computer screen. While different cultures speak different languages, many nonverbal ways of communication are more universal. Things like body language, posture, and facial emotions are pretty much…
I think the point Vance brings up about a lot of interpersonal communication being nonverbal is very important to this situation as well as ODR in general. The cultures involved here are very different, so as others have said it will be difficult to properly convey one's true message through a computer screen. While different cultures speak different languages, many nonverbal ways of communication are more universal. Things like body language, posture, and facial emotions are pretty much understood throughout the world. The lack of nonverbal communication could certainly be a problem of ODR. One positive about the use of ODR is that it is easier to keep emotions in check in an online situation than it is in person. With a contentious subject, it is sometimes hard to remain civil in the heat of an argument. Online resolution allows one to focus more upon the facts of the situation instead of emotions. This would be beneficial to a mediator and arbitrator as well. Vance Jackson said:Thanks ev…tag:www.adrhub.com,2010-10-28:4905899:Comment:43002010-10-28T20:07:25.000ZWill Edgingtonhttp://www.adrhub.com/profile/WillEdgington
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<cite>Vance Jackson said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://adrhub.com/forum/topics/media-effects-online-2#4905899Comment4063"><div>Thanks everyone for a great discussion. After reading the case, several questions arise for me:<br></br> <br></br> *In general, what effects did cultural differences have on the evolution of the conflict?<br></br> <br></br>
*Are there specific cultural misunderstandings that could occur when using an online mediation (videoconferencing) format? How could these be avoided? Also,…</div>
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<cite>Vance Jackson said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://adrhub.com/forum/topics/media-effects-online-2#4905899Comment4063"><div>Thanks everyone for a great discussion. After reading the case, several questions arise for me:<br/> <br/> *In general, what effects did cultural differences have on the evolution of the conflict?<br/>
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*Are there specific cultural misunderstandings that could occur when using an online mediation (videoconferencing) format? How could these be avoided? Also, are there cultural misunderstandings that could be avoided by using this online format?<br/>
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*So much of our interpersonal communication is actually nonverbal. Do online mediation formats limit our ability to fully communicate with one another? As a negotiator, are there advantages/disadvantages to limiting your nonverbal behaviors?<br/>
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Vance</div>
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This has already been touched upon by Mary and Catherine, but I believe that online or electronic communication in general can be extremely limiting. Cultural misunderstandings is definitely an issue here as we have three vastly different cultures involved but I think that settling disputes online can be problematic even within a single culture. As Vance said, much of our interpersonal communication is nonverbal. Personally, I know that talking on the phone or video chatting, even with people I'm very close to, can be misleading simply because you cannot see their body language in its entirety. Even in the case of video chatting, people can feel a strong disconnect without the direct, face-to-face interaction that we're used to and misunderstandings can easily arise. As humans we rely heavily on body language and we react differently to situations when we're limited to verbal and/or partial body language.