This study investigated the behavior of male negotiators as a function
of the sex of their opponents and observers having no stake in the ou
tcomes. Participants were 409 graduate and undergraduate students who
engaged in role played negotiation. Analyses were conducted for only t
he all-male dyads. These males were rated as more dominating and offer
ed to pay more when observed by women (n=29) than by men (n=64). Previ
ously, dominating behavior had been interpreted as ''chivalry'' when m
ale negotiators had stake-holding constituents. Since our observers we
re disinterested, our results (stated above) suggest that ''machismo''
might: be a better interpretation than ''chivalry'' for such behavior
. Although we found no evidence of obliging behavior by men with femal
e opponents (which could be defined as chivalry), me did find dominati
ng behavior by men with female constituents (which could also be defin
ed as chivalry), but only when these men had female opponents.