People involved in conflict generally, and in mediation specifically, encounter many events that initiate the physiologic stress response. What is this response and what triggers it? How does the stress response impact judgment, decision-making, and memory? What can mediators do to minimize the deleterious effects of the stress response? Learning the answers to these questions can help to make a more effective mediator.
What is the physiologic stress response?
The physiologic stress response is a complex and nuanced response that affects all parts of the body and brain and is driven by various hormones. Two stress hormones triggered by conflict are adrenaline and cortisol. We are aware of the adrenaline response because we can feel the increase in our heart rate and the sweaty palms that accompany the response. Cortisol is subtler, and we are usually unaware of it and its impact on our judgment.
