The Basic Range of Mediator’s Communication Techniques

Abstract

Introduction. The relevance of the research is related to the need for scientific understanding of the communicative units of new socionomic professions. The article is devoted to mediation as a new communicative professional field. The effectiveness of mediation is directly related to the communicative competence of the mediator, who is specifically involved into resolving the conflict between the parties. The mediator applies his or her communication skills to regulate conflict negotiations. The aim of the study is a linguistic description of the main communicative techniques of a mediator — an independent mediator in conflict negotiations. Research objectives: definition of communicative techniques in mediation, selection and interpretation of units of the mediator’s communicative instruments. Research methods: critical analysis of scientific and methodological literature and data collected during communication with mediators and during courses for mediators. Results: the study defines the mediator’s communicative techniques, selects and summarizes the main communicative tools of the mediator’s professional activity. A list of the basic range of communication techniques in mediation has been compiled: echo technique, summary technique, idea development technique, reporting the perception of the other, reporting one’s own well-being, listening technique, asking questions technique. Examples from the practice of professional mediators are considered and a linguistic justification of the discursive competence of the mediator is given. The scientific novelty lies in the linguistic interpretation of communicative techniques of the communication sphere of mediation, which is closed for direct scientific observation. Practical significance: the described communication techniques can be useful for the formation of skills for conducting civilized communication.