Mediation: The Effects of Mediator Proposals, Number of Issues, and Altered Negotiator Aspirations

Abstract

This study investigated the effects that a mediator's proposals, the number of issues, and the mediator's alteration of the negotiators' aspirations have upon negotiators' bargaining outcomes. In the study subjects bargained face to face while a confederate acted as the mediator. The results revealed that (a) mediator proposals improve negotiators' outcomes, (b) proposals are more effective when few issues are under negotiation, and (c) raised negotiator aspirations result in higher payoffs only when there are few bargaining issues.