Here’s an example of what we knew on a validated basis long before Jacobs did his research: https://gssdataexplorer.norc.org/documents/878/display
All Jacobs adds to this is the legally popular but otherwise irrelevant notion of trimesters (which, granted, roughly correspond to the historical determinant of “quickening” and the potential ethical tipping point – for those for whom biological life isn’t enough – of “viability”). I don’t think he actually demonstrates that people think trimesters are important, though, as opposed to thinking that the progression of pregnancy is important, and “trimesters” was how Jacobs was capturing that. Justice Blackmun made trimesters important in Roe, and they have generally remained something of a factor in litigation ever since. Blackmun was more or less explicitly looking for the social compromise Jacobs seeks.
For me, that’s one example (among many) of Jacobs’ “inside the box” thinking: he starts with what is relevant to judges and lawyers, and asks people what they think about that, rather than spending more effort figuring out what people outside courthouses think is relevant.
Mediation theory: I know there is theory of mediation, and academic work on mediation techniques, but that’s about as much as I know. Mediation theory can happen in sociology departments, in psychology departments, in clinical psychology and counseling programs, in “peace studies,” and in law schools.