The effects of partisan third parties on negotiator behavior and outcome perceptions

Abstract

Two sources of 3rd-party partisanship are: (1) the preexisting affiliation a 3rd party may have with the negotiators and (2) the overt support a 3rd party demonstrates by imposing an outcome. In 2 experiments, Ss involved in a negotiation simulation were told prior to negotiation that the 3rd party was either positively affiliated with their side or with their opponent's side. In both studies, 3rd parties imposed settlements on the disputants, reflecting varying degrees of overt support. The results suggest that negative 3rd-party affiliation reduced disputant outcome expectations (thereby improving the likelihood of an agreement) and led to enhanced ratings of outcome and 3rd-party satisfaction relative to favorable 3rd-party affiliation. The results are consistent with predictions made by both prospect and control theory. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)