{"id":3375,"date":"2026-08-17T12:02:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T17:02:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/?page_id=3375"},"modified":"2026-09-17T13:12:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T18:12:48","slug":"the-strategic-mind","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/collections\/ken-fox\/the-strategic-mind\/","title":{"rendered":"The Strategic Mind"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-background\" style=\"background-color:#616265\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-stretch is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-bottom\" style=\"grid-template-columns:16% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a class=\"\" href=\"\/dri-skills-lab\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"861\" height=\"451\" src=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2024\/01\/DRI-Skills-Lab-Logo-2C-rgb-REV_V-5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1619 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2024\/01\/DRI-Skills-Lab-Logo-2C-rgb-REV_V-5.png 861w, https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2024\/01\/DRI-Skills-Lab-Logo-2C-rgb-REV_V-5-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2024\/01\/DRI-Skills-Lab-Logo-2C-rgb-REV_V-5-768x402.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 861px) 100vw, 861px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<header class=\"wp-block-group alignfull\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><nav style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:700;background-color: #616265\" class=\"has-text-color has-white-color has-background has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-left alignfull cmenu1 wp-block-navigation is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-navigation-is-layout-9cdb7320 wp-block-navigation-is-layout-flex\" aria-label=\"Main\" \n\t\t data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-context='{\"overlayOpenedBy\":{\"click\":false,\"hover\":false,\"focus\":false},\"type\":\"overlay\",\"roleAttribute\":\"\",\"ariaLabel\":\"Menu\"}'><button aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Open menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-open\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.openMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 7.5h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><path d=\"M4 15h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container has-text-color has-white-color has-background\" style=\"background-color: #939495\" id=\"modal-1\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--has-modal-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--is-menu-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\"\n\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"-1\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-close\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-dialog\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-modal=\"state.ariaModal\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.ariaLabel\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--role=\"state.roleAttribute\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button aria-label=\"Close menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-close\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.closeMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"m13.06 12 6.47-6.47-1.06-1.06L12 10.94 5.53 4.47 4.47 5.53 10.94 12l-6.47 6.47 1.06 1.06L12 13.06l6.47 6.47 1.06-1.06L13.06 12Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-content\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.focusFirstElement\"\n\t\t\t id=\"modal-1-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:700;background-color: #616265\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__container has-text-color has-white-color has-background has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-left alignfull cmenu1 wp-block-navigation\"><li style=\"text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"has-text-color has-white-color has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item menu_link wp-block-home-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-home-link__content wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\" rel=\"home\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item activelink wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/resources\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">RESOURCES<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/dri-press\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">DRI PRESS<\/span><\/a><\/li><li data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;submenuOpenedBy&quot;: { &quot;click&quot;: false, &quot;hover&quot;: false, &quot;focus&quot;: false }, &quot;type&quot;: &quot;submenu&quot;, &quot;modal&quot;: null, &quot;previousFocus&quot;: null }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.openMenuOnHover\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.closeMenuOnHover\" data-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"wp-block-navigation-item has-small-font-size has-child open-on-hover-click wp-block-navigation-submenu\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/collections\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">COLLECTIONS<\/span><\/a><button data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isMenuOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggleMenuOnClick\" aria-label=\"COLLECTIONS submenu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-icon wp-block-navigation-submenu__toggle\" ><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M1.50002 4L6.00002 8L10.5 4\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><ul data-wp-on--focus=\"actions.openMenuOnFocus\" style=\"color:#ffffff;background-color:#939495\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-container has-text-color has-white-color has-background wp-block-navigation-submenu\"><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/collections\/marjorie-aaron\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Marjorie Corman Aaron<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/collections\/jim-coben\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Jim Coben<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/collections\/jim-hilbert\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Jim Hilbert<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/nextgen\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">NEXTGEN<\/span><\/a><\/li><li style=\"text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/forums\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Forums<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/nav><\/div><\/header>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"margin-top:2rem;margin-bottom:2rem\">The Strategic Mind<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you move into this module on the strategic mind, it is possible that students (and you) will have a reaction along the lines of \u201cFinally! This is what conflict is <em>really<\/em> about! Why didn\u2019t we just start the class here (and why are we bothering with anything else)?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This potential reaction may arise because law and other professional schools increasingly focus on a Western cultural orientation toward \u201cproblem solving\u201d in conflict work. The theories we examine in this module reflect this ideological and cultural foundation \u2013 a standpoint that may already be familiar or comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are several points to keep in mind as you guide students through this module:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:15px\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"font-size:15px\">Students might forget that this week\u2019s perspective is just like all the others in this class: <strong>one<\/strong> of many \u201cmosaic tiles.\u201d As a perspective, the strategic mind is neither more (nor less) than other theory-based perspectives that offer their own different insights into conflict. Some students may feel as if they have finally come home to a deeper or more comfortable \u201ctruth\u201d about people and conflict. If so, it may be because this particular perspective is already part of their framework. Thus,&nbsp; this week\u2019s readings simply reinforce this preexisting view. As Nealon and Giroux might say (a supplemental reading from the module on perspectivism), the theories that focus on behavior and strategic thinking are so like the \u201cair\u201d many of students breathe that its underlying assumptions become invisible, taken for granted, \u201ccommon sense,\u201d and thus relatively unexamined.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:15px\">One reason this module is placed at this point in the course is so students will have been exposed to several other perspectives before they come to this one, hopefully de-centering this week\u2019s perspective and locating it as one within a larger and more complex framework of multiple perspectives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:15px\">One risk you may observe with your students in this module is that, because it might be familiar, students may assume they already understand it and, thus, might not read as carefully as they do with other perspectives. Or, in the alternative, they read it somewhat more selectively, resonating more easily with the principles that most reinforce what they already know and believe, while not paying as much attention to the nuances, differences, and limitations found elsewhere in this module&#8217;s readings \u2013 classic confirmation bias.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of these risks can be overcome by remaining aware of them. By this point in class, students will have arrived at a point where they have a growing collection of different ways to think about conflict. They may be more ready to think about the strategic mind within this larger context &#8211; to step back, look at how the different perspectives inter-relate, and begin to see the larger, more complex picture of conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Readings and supplemental resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color has-normal-font-size wp-elements-02f2910c281b102d11d11a7802f5046c\" style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Primary readings:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Perspectives on Conflict, chapter 6&nbsp; \u2013 The Strategic Mind<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color has-normal-font-size wp-elements-ed17c720c62d6d0b8df3356f1ce5023f\" style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Supplemental resources:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Learning theory&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kanfer, FH &amp; Phillips, JS (1970). <em>The Behavioral Learning Model in Clinical Psychology. <\/em>In Learning Foundations of Behavioral Therapy. NY: John Wyley &amp; Sons, pp. 51-91.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Social Confrontation Episode&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newell, W. and Stutman, R. <em>Negotiating Confrontation: The Problematic Nature of Initiation and Response<\/em>, in Research on Language and Social Interaction, Vol. 23, 1989\/90: 139-162.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Social psychological theories&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sorenson, R., Morse, E., and Savage, G. A Test of Motivations Underlying Choice of Conflict Strategies in the Dual-concern Model, Vol. 10, 1999: 25-44.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Link to TEDTalk&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Classroom Handouts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2026\/08\/Social-Confrontation-Episode-Worksheet.pdf\">Social Confontation Episode (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Classroom Activities, Discussion Prompts, and Assignments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2243679\">Dynamic Negotiating Approach Diagnostic (DYNAD) (Link to SSRN)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2026\/09\/Win-as-much-as-you-can-Prisoners-Dilemma-Simplified-Red-Black-a.pdf\">Win as Much as You Can! (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Strategic Mind Overview As you move into this module on the strategic mind, it is possible that students (and you) will have a reaction along the lines of \u201cFinally! This is what conflict is really about! Why didn\u2019t we just start the class here (and why are we bothering with anything else)?\u201d&nbsp; This potential [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":3321,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/landing.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":true,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3375","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3375"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3375\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3517,"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3375\/revisions\/3517"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}