Chapter 11: Role of Perception in Negotiation

Negotiating parties can maximize their benefits without directly competing for resources in a win−lose manner. However, instead of aspiring for mutually advantageous, or integrative agreements, negotiators frequently settle for suboptimal results. It has been identified that misperceptions among negotiating parties are a prime reason for suboptimal outcomes.¹ In negotiations, perception is very important because it affects how parties understand and react to information as well as how they approach the negotiation process in general.^2,3 Perception affects how negotiators understand the situation, create bonds with one another, and maneuver through the intricate dynamics of negotiation. Achieving virtuous negotiating outcomes requires becoming cognizant of one’s own impressions as well as sensitive to those of others.^4,5 The ability to read people to identify their wants and predict their next move based on what they want to achieve is one of the most important talents of a skilled negotiator. A person’s behavior, both conscious and unconscious, can reveal a lot about them.