Expectancy Effects and Negotiation

Expectations are a natural and necessary element in all negotiation. As one of the most important approaches to the settlement of conflict, negotiation necessarily entails the exchange of ambiguous information—about both one's adversary and the problem at hand. It is precisely because of this ambiguity that expectations, both intrapersonal and interpersonal, come to play an important role. While such expectations can be helpful in bringing about conflict settlement through negotiation, they can also contribute to the escalation of conflict and can move conflict in destructive directions. This article outlines both the beneficial and harmful effects of expectations in negotiation and speculates about some possible approaches to overcoming the negative effects of expectations. 1990 The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues