DISCURSIVE PSYCHOLOGY IN FAMILY MEDIATION

This article aims to define the role of discursive psychology in family mediation. In the theoretical elaboration on discursive psychology in family mediation, firstly the definition of the term discursive psychology, as well as the application background of discourse analysis in psychology, are provided. Secondly, the theoretical foundation of the family mediation institution is discussed. In terms of the practical application of discourse psychology in family mediation, the methodology of discursive psychology is described with the application of discourse analysis as a tool. The practical data come from recorded family mediation.


Introduction
Mediation as a practical activity has been performed in different areas one of which is family mediation. Since the second half of the twentieth century, family mediation has been one of the alternative dispute resolution services provided. In the twenty-first-century, family mediation has been present in various cultures worldwide, especially in respect of family mediation including cross-cultural dimension. Since psychological themes and concepts such as communication, emotion, and intent occur in the process of family mediation we concentrate on discursive psychology to define its role in family mediation and its importance in the process of mediation.

Discursive psychology
The application of psychological discourse analysis in the family mediation process should be preceded by the definition of the term discursive psychology. APA Dictionary of Psychology defines the term discursive psychology as ''the study of social interactions and interpersonal relationships with a particular focus on understanding the ways in which individuals construct events via written, spoken, or symbolic communication'' [APA Dictionary]. As the above definition indicates, discursive psychology is the study of interaction from the communication performance. Instead of concentrating on cognition, the inner life of the mind [Edwards, Potter 2005] and its underlying competence [Chomsky 1965: 8] discursive psychology focuses on the performance in human interaction.
The background of discursive psychology as an interdisciplinary entity has its roots in various scientific disciplines and approaches. Although it evolved out of Discourse Analysis in the discursive psychology perspective it is possible to recognise ''influence of the late Wittgenstein and poststructuralism as well as of social studies of science, conversation analysis, and ethnomethodology'' [Molder 2012, p. 2]. The impact of Wittgenstein upon the development of discursive psychology is noticeable in its initial stage with the references to cognition [Edwards 1997, Molder 2005, the inner and outer reality of the mind perceived as ''not a private space but a phenomenon that is made publicly accountable through language'' [Molder 2012, p. 2]. The influence of poststructuralism and social science is visible ''in the focus of discursive psychologists on facts not as "states of affairs" but as constructions put together for particular purposes. Like poststructuralists, discursive psychologists are interested in how reality and truth are produced through text and talk, that is, how representations take on a life of their own and become solid and robust [Molder 2012: 2]. The impact of conversation analytic studies upon the development of discursive psychology is noticeable in the approach to the Speech Act Theory [Austin 1962: 11] in which the language used by the individual is not only as a source of information but also a source of actions. For conversation analysts, the importance of the speech act is in the participants' treatment of utterances through which the analyst can understand what the action is [Molder 2012].
The origins of discursive psychology are traced to the late 1980s and the formation of Discourse and Rhetoric Group (DARG) [Tileaga 2012]. In contrast to the mainstream treatment of discourse as a ''mirror'' of human thoughts and intentions, Potter and Wetherell (1987) demonstrate that human attitudes vary according to the social situation in which they are [Potter, Wetherell 1987]. Potter and Wetherell (1987) state that discursive psychology is a paradigm in which cognition and attitudes vary according to social interaction in which they participate [Potter, Wetherell 1987]. The position of discursive psychology refers to the Discourse Action Model [Edwards, Potter 1992]. In this Discourse Action Model, the emphasis is put on the analysis of the recorded talk and the rhetorical features of the talk [Edwards, Potter 1992]. The core point of this model is that in discursive psychology ''the focus is on action, not cognition" [Edwards, Potter 1992: 154].
Discursive psychology is focused on studies related to the naturally occurring and experimentally engineered human interaction to understand how individuals conduct actions through written, spoken, or symbolic communication. Although in both cognitive and experimental psychology talks are treated as windows into the human minds and the description of people's mental content, discursive psychology treats talks are social actions. Talks are the means of doing things in a socially meaningful world. In discursive psychology, talks are primarily perceived actions.
This perception of talks as actions especially as a course of action might be of importance for the mediator, to change attitude e.g. in the process of family mediation.

Family mediation
Family mediation is an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) measure due to which the mediator assists the parties involved in a dispute to reach an agreement. Instead of going to court the Ministry of Justice of the member states of the European Union is Since family mediation is frequently exercised in the course of separation and divorce it concentrates on the regulation of such issues as parental responsibility involving arrangements for future parenting, resolution on financial spousal and child support, the compensation and distribution of assets and debts. Family mediation is also very effective in working out divorce arrangements and settling cross-border conflicts related to the exercise of access rights and child abduction.

Methodology
Although discursive psychology is widely considered to be a form of discourse analysis drawn involving psychological themes and concepts, it has evolved into a relatively new subdiscipline of psychology strongly associated with methodological innovation and the analysis of language data. Its importance consists of the theoretical elaboration of conceptualisation of psychological phenomena such as communication and cognition (e.g. emotions, attitudes) in discursive terms. Edwards proposes the adoption of ''a discourse-based perspective on language and cognition" [Edwards 1997: 19]. In this discourse based perspective, emotions are considered in terms of words and categories to "perform social actions on and for the occasion of their production" [Edwards 1997: 22]. Discursive psychology has become a methodology for appropriate data and forms of data collection and the limits of interpretation [Schegloff 2010, Wetherell 1998, Wetherell 2012.
The theoretical principles of discursive psychology are embedded in the nature of discourse [Potter, Edwards 2001, Potter 2003]. Firstly, discourse is both constructed and constructive process. It is constructed as it is composed of linguistic units and structures such as words, categories, and sentences to present a particular version of the world. It is also constructive as in the presented world it is a product of talk itself. Secondly, the discourse is action-oriented not only due to the fact that talking or writing are actions in themselves but discourse is the primary medium for social action e.g. to invite, to justify, to blame, and so on. Thirdly, discourse is situated within a specific sequential environment as words form sentences and are understood according to the linear sequence of what precedes and follows them.
Discursive psychology as a methodology goes beyond the discourse of attitudes and behaviour. Potter and Wetherell (1987) present a methodological and theoretical challenge to wellestablished psychology, namely to cognitive psychology [Potter, Wetherell 1987]. This challenge refers mainly to the status of data talk. As indicated by Potter and Wetherell (1987), the talk should not be treated as transparent direct information to describe or report something [Potter, Wetherell 1987]. It should be analysed as a form of action or practice. Thus the application of discourse analysis has become a tool to analyse the text from the perspectives of the content, form, and context in human interaction.
In contrast to cognitivism which treats human action as a product of cognition. Edwards states that in discursive psychology cognition is a topic for investigation [Edwards 1997]. To study cognition's involvement in a participant's concern, discursive psychology treats mind, experience, emotion in terms of being constructed and oriented to an interaction.

Discussion of results
In this section, we specify the research procedure, which involves devising a research question, gaining access and consent, data collection and building a corpus, transcription, coding, and analysis involved in discursive psychology. The research question of the conducted analysis refers to the way how discursive psychology facilitates family mediation at different stages of media- The final Stage Five is the closure, which should contain the solutions in the family conflict.
In the process of family mediation, the role of the mediator is of prime importance. His/her discursive psychological skills and the competence of conducting the discourse analysis of the texts produced by the conflicted parties are of prime importance as it is the mediator, who should guide the parties towards the conflict resolution. As an independent and neutral person, the mediator has no right to make decisions. The main task of the mediator is to steer the conflicted parties through the family mediation process to solve the problem. The independence and neutrality of the mediator are emphasized in all recorded data e.g. when the mediator says; I am impartial, so I'm not taking either side I'm not representing either of you [Family Mediation Individual]. The impartiality of the mediator means that the mediator is obliged to support the conflicted parties similarly in the process of family mediation.
The analytic approach based on discursive psychology methodology with the application of discourse analysis helps the mediator understand how the parties of family mediation communicate and enter their interaction to overcome the conflict. Although the analysed family mediations are completely different due to the underlying conflicts related to the mediation issues, it is possible to state that the heterosexual couples who intend to get separated or divorced show different inferences about their inner beliefs and judgments related to truthfulness. Their assertions that they want to do their best for children may be treated as their demonstration of competence rather than performance, which is easily noticeable in Stage Three, i.e. communication.
Stage One related to convening the Mediation is to bring the family conflicted parties to a preliminary meeting during which they should discuss the underlying issues of the family conflict and consider options for its resolution. The goal of Stage One is to pave the way for the actual conflict resolution through the process of family mediation.
At this stage, the mediator's responsibility is to assess the family conflict situation, identify the areas of conflict and their underlying factors in most cases related to the communication problems, introduce options for improving the communication through the control of emotions revealed in the language used to find the solution to the family conflict.
In Stage One, the mediation is to assess the situation in the family. At this stage, the mediation should determine what the conflicted parties seek to accomplish, whether it is a case of separation or divorce or solving the problems within the marriage. Stage One involves carrying out several specific tasks to determine the specific goal of mediation, to de-escalate the conflicted situation to suggest or initiate a specific conflict resolution process through mediation or consensus building. At this stage, the mediation identifies the tasks i.e. what should be done as well as actions i.e. how it should be done to obtain the result of this convening stage i.e. the willingness of the conflicted parties to participate in family mediation.
To obtain the willingness of the conflicted parties to participate in mediation, the mediator contacts the parties separately informing them about the aim of mediation. Although different mediations are analysed the underlying aim of all those mediations is the same i.e. to obtain the conflict resolution in the form of the written agreement which both conflicted parties sign in the presence of the mediator. In practical terms, family mediation aims to help families build understanding and reach an agreement by reducing the conflict and costs of coming to terms. Although it is a multi-layered strategy, family mediation is designed to accommodate different people and situations to obtain willingness towards participation in mediation. At this stage, the mediator informs the parties separately, i.e. What I am always doing my mediations have separate time with each of you before we decide to go ahead to a joint session make sure making sure that mediation is the right choice for you [An Inside Look], usually during the telephone conversation or face to face meeting, i.e. As I explained to you in the telephone the purpose of this meeting is primarily for me to introduce myself to you to give some explanation about the mediation process [Family Mediation Individual], about the aim of mediation to obtain the parties' willingness to participate in mediation. The presentation of the mediation aim is rec- The application of discursive psychology with the applied discourse analysis helps the me- If the conflicted parties do not settle, the mediator should express maintain a positive attitude and indicate the progress which was made and highlight its importance. The mediator should likewise encourage the conflicted parties to continue talking so that their communication is free from negative emotions and leads to agreement.