Individual Differences and Situational Constraint Predict Information Search in Negotiation Planning

Planning is critical for negotiation success as it facilitates obtaining superior outcomes. However, little empirically is known about this topic. We argue that individual differences are important to understanding planning behavior because planning affords greater opportunities for individual differences to manifest compared to other phases of negotiation. We conducted a series of studies with the aim of understanding how the Big Five factors and gender predict information search and preference while planning. In Study 1, we examined information search behavior using the Mouselab paradigm. When the search space was large, agreeableness predicted persistence in search, and women spent significantly more time on the task, and looked for value creating and relationship related information to a greater extent than men (Study 1a). In a more constrained situation or with a smaller search space, few associations between individual differences and search behavior emerged (Studies 1b and 1c). In Study 2, we used a survey design to elicit preferences for information type. In this task, multiple personality factors predicted preferences. Conscientiousness and openness predicted preferences for value claiming information, and women preferred value creating information. Conscientiousness predicted preference for value claiming choice of information through the preference for value claiming information. How individual differences manifest in information search and preference in negotiation planning is a function of both task type and complexity.