UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALL ASSISTANTS AS MEDIATORS - AN INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF DISPUTANT AND MEDIATOR RELATIONSHIPS ON INTERVENTIONPREFERENCES

The present research investigated whether (a) preexisting affiliation (bias) between a mediator and 1 disputant and (b) interpersonal hostil ity between 2 disputants affected university Residence hall Assistants ' (RAs') mediation strategies. Respondents (N = 45) read 1 of 4 versio ns of a dispute scenario; versions varied independent variables accord ing to a 2 x 2 design (high vs. low mediator affiliation and high vs. low disputant hostility). Respondents indicated the probability of usi ng 18 mediation techniques. Results suggested that both independent va riables significantly affected strategy selection. When friends with t he complainant, the RA was likely to first avoid mediating. Hostility between disputants was related to less problem solving. In all conditi ons, RAs mentioned techniques consistent with stage theories of mediat ion, moving from problem definition to problem solving to pressing the parties.