Fradely Delacruz, senior sociology major and political science minor, was recently published by the New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators (NJAPM) for her essay, “The Psychology of Mediation.” The article is available on the NJAPM website for review by the site’s professional community of lawyers, judges, psychologists, financial planners, and others with a professional interest in dispute resolution.
“Fradely is an extremely positive example of student achievement in the real world while still on campus. [Her essay] is timely and socially relevant,” said Lawrence Jones, adjunct professor of political science and sociology. Delacruz originally wrote the paper for Jones’ Law and Society course.
In the essay, Delacruz presents her research and perspective on mediation while exploring the role that psychology plays throughout the mediation process. She investigates how the psychology of mediation impacts society on an emotional and mental level, and also affects the processes individuals undergo in decision-making, self-reflection, and self-representation. Delacruz underscores how a mediator can utilize psychology to guide both sides to negotiate and compromise towards a resolution while helping to repress the mediator’s own biases and feelings. She argues that mediation is the underlying basis of promoting fairness through a restorative perspective on legal disputes for all parties involved.
Delacruz is currently interning in Washington D.C. with the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI), a non-partisan organization founded by Members of Congress in 1978 to advance the Hispanic Community’s Economic Progress with a focus on Social Responsibility and Global Competitiveness. She is the second Monmouth student to be published by NJAPM after senior Anastasia Franquisini, whose article was shared on the site in August 2021.