Unfixing the fixed pie: A motivated information-processing approach to integrative negotiation

Negotiators tend to believe that own and other's outcomes are diametrically opposed. When such fixed-pie perceptions (FPPs) are not revised during neg otiation, integrative agreements are unlikely. Lt was predicted that accura cy motivation helps negotiators to release their FPPs. In 2 experiments, ac curacy motivation was manipulated by (not) holding negotiators accountable for the manner in which they negotiated. Experiment 1 showed that accountab ility reduced FPPs during face-to-face negotiation and produced more integr ative agreements Experiment 2 corroborated these results: Accountable negot iators revised their FPPs even when information exchange was experimentally held constant. Experiment 2 also showed that accountability is effective d uring the encoding of outcome information. Negotiators appear flexible in t heir reliance on FPPs, which is consistent with a motivated information-pro cessing model of negotiation.