Should He Chitchat? The Benefits of Small Talk for Male Versus Female Negotiators

Abstract

Past research links the use of small talk in negotiations to positive outcomes. We posit that men and women may not benefit equally from small talk. Building on stereotype and environmental certainty theories, we propose contexts when male negotiators who small talk are perceived more favorably. Studies 1a/1b show that men enjoy a social boost from small talk when cues for behavior are not strongly articulated. Study 2 identifies a social boost from small talk to both genders when cues for behavior are clearly articulated, but this boost only translates into better deals for men who small talk. Overall, small talk in negotiations has a stronger, more consistent effect for men.

Notes

¹Participants indicated how much they wanted to offer to their hypothetical counterpart before we measured their perceptions, and they did not know whether this offer was accepted to maintain situational ambiguity.

²As in the prior study, participants indicated how much they wanted to offer to their hypothetical counterpart before we measured their perceptions, and they did not know whether this offer was accepted to maintain situational ambiguity.