Professional mediators' judgments of mediation tactics: Multidimensional scaling and cluster analyses

Abstract

The contingency approach to research on mediation has become increasingly popular in recent years. In building contingency models, researchers have used general mediation strategies to organize mediation tactics. However, none of the extant organizing schemes have been verified empirically. In the present study, 54 active professional mediators sorted 36 mediation tactics into as many mutually exclusive categories as they wanted. A matrix of tactic similarities was derived from the aggregate data. Multidimensional scaling and clustering analyses were used to identify structure in the matrix. The best scaling solution yielded three dimensions, labeled substantive-reflexive, affective-cognitive, and forcing-facilitating . Hierarchical clustering provided strong support for K. Kressel and D. G. Pruitt's (see record 1986-11565-001 ) categories: reflexive, substantive, and contextual. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)