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International Online Training Program On Intractable Conflict |
Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado, USA |
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International Online Training Program On Intractable Conflict |
Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado, USA |
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Often, communications between people involved in conflict situations are misunderstood. People engaged in conflicts are often speaking in anger or fear; they also see the situation differently, and interpret outside events (including communication) differently. Thus, it is very common for people to interpret oral or written communication in ways which are very different from what the speaker or writer intended--even when they take care to communicate accurately and honestly.
One strategy for limiting this problem is to "pre-test" draft versions of written documents, speeches, or radio and television segments before officially broadcasting or publishing them. This can help pinpoint possible areas of misunderstanding before they become widespread. This can be done by recruiting a small test group of people who are both sympathetic with the opposing side and interested in contributing to more accurate communication and a more constructive debate. This group can be asked to review draft versions of communication materials and tell the authors how they think the materials will be interpreted. In cases where the test group identifies areas of probable misunderstanding, the materials can be reworked to avoid the problem.
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