Open Forum

THE MEDIATOR AS CONDUCTOR
The Mediator as Conductor articles are developing. There are now 5 articles published in PULSE, still available in last 5 months' issues (see archives)( I've  also attached the articles for those who can't access the archives ). They are part of a series of articles on  getting inside a mediator's heart - mind and building new mindsets, persona and skills. They are as much about the science and research (the "proof") as about the theories and practices that can be used by a mediator. References and future readings are always given with each article.
The starting point is around the word "entrainment":

Entrainment

Definition: Entrainment to music (and movement) is an extremely common behaviour, shared by humans of all cultures. It is a highly complex activity, which involves auditory, and also visual, proprioceptive and vestibular perception.

Socially, before speech, words, reading and writing existed, communication consisted of gestures, movements (including dance) and non-verbal utterances. Within humankind there is an integral connection to rhythm, unconsciously expressed in our day-night circadian rhythm, and the rhythmic switching  on/off of hormonal release and neurotransmitter production. These internal rhythms are affected by external rhythmic stimuli (e.g.movement {body, face and limbs} and music) in turn affecting groups of brain cells called neural oscillators

 " A rhythmic stimulus can entrain neural oscillators, and the neurons carry on responding at the entrained interval after the stimulus has stopped, exhibiting a "memory" of the interval. "[1]

The success of an orchestral piece relies on the conductor employing non-verbal movements like appropriate eye contact, rapid pacing, modulation of voice or mouthing of words and rhythmic body movements with baton, arms, head, torso and via facial gestures and expressions[2],[3].Such mechanisms and manoeuvres entrained the orchestra and the audience. A mediator or leader, By functioning like an orchestral conductor, and interacting with the mediatees as if they were an orchestra, she can at all times use gesture, movement, facial expressions and eye-contact to shift the positions of opposing mediatees towards entrainment and possible resolution.
Topics/themes include mediator -orientation and possible use of parts of:
Narrative theory
Neurolinguistic Patterning/programming (NLP)
Transactional Analysis
Emotional Intelligence
 Compassion in mediation (coming in march)
and more.
Read on .....
David Mitchell
#mediator development
#mediator techniques

[1]Jessica A. Grahn 2012. Neural Mechanisms of Rhythm Perception: Current

Findings and Future Perspectives. DOI: 10.1111/j.1756-8765.2012.01213.x

[2] Brian A. Silvey and Christopher M. Baumgartner. Undergraduate Conductors' and Conducting Teachers' Perceptions of Basic Conducting Efficacy.
DOI: 10.1177/8755123314554809

[3] Kumar AB and Morrison SJ (2016) The Conductor as Visual Guide: Gesture and Perception of Musical Content. Front. Psychol. 7:1049.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01049

THE MEDIATOR AS CONDUCTOR
The Mediator as Conductor articles are developing. There are now 5 articles published in PULSE, still available in last 5 months' issues (see archives)( I've  also attached the articles for those who can't access the archives ). They are part of a series of articles on  getting inside a mediator's heart - mind and building new mindsets, persona and skills. They are as much about the science and research (the "proof") as about the theories and practices that can be used by a mediator. References and future readings are always given with each article.
The starting point is around the word "entrainment":

Entrainment

Definition: Entrainment to music (and movement) is an extremely common behaviour, shared by humans of all cultures. It is a highly complex activity, which involves auditory, and also visual, proprioceptive and vestibular perception.

Socially, before speech, words, reading and writing existed, communication consisted of gestures, movements (including dance) and non-verbal utterances. Within humankind there is an integral connection to rhythm, unconsciously expressed in our day-night circadian rhythm, and the rhythmic switching  on/off of hormonal release and neurotransmitter production. These internal rhythms are affected by external rhythmic stimuli (e.g.movement {body, face and limbs} and music) in turn affecting groups of brain cells called neural oscillators

 " A rhythmic stimulus can entrain neural oscillators, and the neurons carry on responding at the entrained interval after the stimulus has stopped, exhibiting a "memory" of the interval. "[1]

The success of an orchestral piece relies on the conductor employing non-verbal movements like appropriate eye contact, rapid pacing, modulation of voice or mouthing of words and rhythmic body movements with baton, arms, head, torso and via facial gestures and expressions[2],[3].Such mechanisms and manoeuvres entrained the orchestra and the audience. A mediator or leader, By functioning like an orchestral conductor, and interacting with the mediatees as if they were an orchestra, she can at all times use gesture, movement, facial expressions and eye-contact to shift the positions of opposing mediatees towards entrainment and possible resolution.
Topics/themes include mediator -orientation and possible use of parts of:
Narrative theory
Neurolinguistic Patterning/programming (NLP)
Transactional Analysis
Emotional Intelligence
 Compassion in mediation (coming in march)
and more.
Read on .....
David Mitchell
#mediator development
#mediator techniques

[1]Jessica A. Grahn 2012. Neural Mechanisms of Rhythm Perception: Current

Findings and Future Perspectives. DOI: 10.1111/j.1756-8765.2012.01213.x

[2] Brian A. Silvey and Christopher M. Baumgartner. Undergraduate Conductors' and Conducting Teachers' Perceptions of Basic Conducting Efficacy.
DOI: 10.1177/8755123314554809

[3] Kumar AB and Morrison SJ (2016) The Conductor as Visual Guide: Gesture and Perception of Musical Content. Front. Psychol. 7:1049.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01049