Gender Differences in the Intentional Use of Information in Competitive Negotiations

Abstract

The effect of gender on the intentional use of information during competitive negotiations was investigated. In this laboratory study, 267 participants in 3-person, single-gender groups engaged in a negotiation. Each respondent answered two questionnaires and participated in a negotiation that was audiotaped and coded. Motive (competitive/mixed motive) and gender of participants were crossed in a 2 2 factorial design. Results show that the participants engaged in the intentional use of information although they may not have identified their behavior as such. Furthermore, in the competitive negotiation context, male participants were more likely than were female participants to engage in intentional information use.