The Change and Convergence of Mental Models in Negotiation: Taking Social Conditions Into Consideration

28 Pages Posted: 24 Oct 2009 Last revised: 11 Nov 2009

See all articles by Wu Liu

Wu Liu

Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Leigh Anne Liu

Georgia State University - J. Mack Robinson College of Business

Jiandong Zhang

Shanghai University of International Business and Economics

Date Written: June 15, 2009

Abstract

The change and convergence of mental models have received increasing attention, while the antecedents have been under researched. The purpose of this study is to explore under which conditions people are likely to change and converge their mental models in the context of dyadic negotiation. Based on the motivated information processing model of negotiation (De Dreu & Carnevale, 2003), we propose that the group membership of the other party (ingroup vs. outgroup) and accountability (high vs. low) influence the change and convergence of mental models in negotiation. We collected data from 256 college students in China, and some of our hypotheses were supported. One of the most interesting finding was that shared mental model mediated the relationship between social conditions (group membership and accountability) and joint gain. The implications of our study are discussed.

Suggested Citation

Liu, Wu and Liu, Leigh Anne and Zhang, Jiandong, The Change and Convergence of Mental Models in Negotiation: Taking Social Conditions Into Consideration (June 15, 2009). 22nd Annual IACM Conference Paper, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1493540 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1493540

Wu Liu (Contact Author)

Hong Kong Polytechnic University ( email )

Hung Hom Kowloon
Hong Kong

Leigh Anne Liu

Georgia State University - J. Mack Robinson College of Business ( email )

P.O. Box 4050
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
United States

Jiandong Zhang

Shanghai University of International Business and Economics ( email )

No. 1900, Wenxiang Road
Shanghai, 201620
China