Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
Published on: March 2, 2011
Negotiators' bargaining histories and their effects on future negotiation performance.
Kathleen M O'connor1, Josh A Arnold, Ethan R Burris
1Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. kmo8@cornell.edu
Previous negotiation outcomes significantly impact future deal quality. Past impasses lead to worse future deals, even with new partners, highlighting the importance of bargaining history.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Economics
- Social Psychology
- Negotiation Research
Background:
- Negotiation outcomes are often studied in isolation.
- The influence of prior negotiation experiences on subsequent bargaining is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how previous negotiation experiences affect the quality of subsequent deals.
- To determine if past negotiation success or failure predicts future negotiation performance.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted involving negotiators.
- Participants' prior negotiation outcomes (impasse vs. agreement) were compared to their subsequent negotiation performance.
- The effect of changing negotiation partners was examined.
Main Results:
- Negotiators experiencing a prior impasse were more likely to reach an impasse or a low-value deal in their next negotiation.
- This effect persisted even when negotiators switched partners for the second negotiation.
- Past bargaining performance strongly predicted future negotiation behavior.
Conclusions:
- Bargaining histories are significant predictors of negotiation behavior.
- Negotiations should be viewed as interconnected exchanges rather than isolated events.
- Understanding past negotiation experiences is crucial for improving future deal-making.
More Related Videos
11:13The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
08:24The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Hindsight Biases
Framing Effects
Routes of Persuasion
Causes of Social Behavior II: Cognitive Processes
Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory
Halo Effect