ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø Faculty Research Working Paper Series
ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø Working Paper No. RWP12-046
October 2012
Abstract
A fundamental form of human interaction, negotiation is essential to the management of
relationships, the coordination of paid and household labor, the distribution of resources, and the
creation of economic value. Understanding the effects of gender on negotiation gives us
important insights into how micro-level interactions contribute to larger social phenomena, such
as gender gaps in pay and authority. Recent research on gender in negotiation has shown us how
gender stereotypes constrain women from negotiating access to resources and opportunities
through lowered performance expectations and gendered behavioral constraints. However, this
widening research stream is also beginning to provide hints for how individuals and
organizations can overcome these limitations to women’s negotiation potential.
In this chapter, I provide a brief history of psychological research on gender in
negotiation, starting with the study of gender-stereotypic personality attributions and
transitioning to a more sophisticated analysis of the effects of gender stereotypes on negotiation
behaviors and performance. I review contemporary research on gender in negotiation using two
interrelated frameworks. The first outlines the ways in which gender stereotypes influence
negotiation, the second outlines situational factors that help predict when gender effects are
likely to emerge in negotiation. These include ambiguity, which facilitates the emergence of
gender effects, and gender triggers, which influence the salience and relevance of gender within
the negotiating context. Finally, I highlight practical implications of research on gender in
negotiation and point to future research directions that could transform insights about barriers to
women’s negotiation performance into positive levers for change.
Citation
Bowles, Hannah Riley. "Psychological Perspectives on Gender in Negotiation." ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP12-046, October 2012.