Choosing the best means to an end: the influence of negotiation motives on representative selection
(2008) EASP 15th General meeting, Opatja — Location: Opatja (10.June.2008)
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- Abstract
- One decision that a group has to make before negotiating is to choose its representative. We propose that the selection of an ingroup’s representative may depend upon the group’s main goal in the negotiation. Following the contextual-functional model of differentiation as well as literature on negotiation and conflict resolution we suggest that groups involved in negotiations can have two types of goals: instrumental and identity goals. Identity goals relate to strategies directed towards the maintenance of a positive social identity whereas instrumental goals are concerned with the division of resources and imply a focus on ways to influence the other party. In the present studies, we show that these goals influence the choice of a group’s representative. When choosing a representative, groups with instrumental goals prefer a more extreme (prototypical) ingroup member. In contrast, groups with identity goals favour more moderate ingroup members. This pattern reverses when groups have the possibility to choose their representatives among both ingroup and outgroup members. We argue that the possibility of choosing an outgroup member as an ingroup representative puts groups with instrumental motives in a strategic mindset. This leads them to make more moderate choices in order to maximize their influence on the counterpart. Results are discussed in terms of self-categorization theory and perspective-taking approaches. Our work supports the idea that people endorse lay theories of persuasion and that the strategies they use depend upon the salience of the intergroup context in the negotiation.
Citations
Pinto Teixeira, C. N. (2008). Choosing the best means to an end: the influence of negotiation motives on representative selection. EASP 15th General meeting, Opatja, Opatja. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/67317