The role of masculinity in understanding gender gaps in negotiation

We review empirical research on masculinity processes in negotiations. Studies to date are typically based on the precarious manhood thesis, which suggests that men seek to demonstrate their manhood to others, or on evolutionary psychology, which suggests that men are susceptible to evolutionary pressures to compete for mates. The current empirical literature on masculinity and negotiation suggests that men negotiate assertively, or even unethically, when they perceive their manhood to be threatened. Moreover, research repeatedly has shown that men's negotiation behavior is influenced by counterpart attributes, particularly the gender of the counterpart. Future research on the role of culture, the propensity to initiate negotiations as a criterion, power, and countermeasures for unethical negotiation behavior is needed.