Getting off to a “Hot” Start: How the Timing of Expressed Anger Influences Relational Outcomes in Negotiation

While expressing anger during a negotiation can have positive effects on expressers’ economic outcomes (e.g., larger concessions from their counterparts), it can also have adverse effects on their relational outcomes (e.g., decreased trust and a damaged relationship). However, little is known about whether and how the timing of expressed anger may affect expressers’ relational outcomes. Because negotiation is a dynamic social interaction that consists of various stages or phases, anger expressed at early vs. late stages of a negotiation may lead to different responses from a counterpart. Drawing on research on the temporal effects of negotiation strategies and tactics, we hypothesized that anger expression (vs. no anger) in negotiation will hurt expressers’ relational outcomes, and anger expressed at a late (vs. early) stage will be especially detrimental. Two studies provided consistent empirical support for our hypotheses. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.