Lecturer: Prof. Andrew Ward

Lecture Title: Honoring the Legacy of Lee Ross: Understanding Factors that Promote Conflict and Hinder its Resolution 

 

Abstract: This talk discusses biases in social perception identified by Lee Ross—biases that both contribute to intergroup conflict and prevent its resolution.  I discuss these biases with regard to political partisanship in the United States and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East.  I also suggest techniques for overcoming psychological impediments that Lee Ross described as barriers to conflict resolution.  In so doing, I honor Professor Ross’s commitment to translational research, moving from the psychology laboratory to settings involving practitioners dedicated to resolving real-world disputes.