Why is negotiation so difficult?
Reactive devaluation
, explained.What is Reactive devaluation?
Reactive devaluation refers to our tendency to disparage proposals made by another party, especially if this party is viewed as negative or antagonistic. This cognitive bias can serve as a major barrier in negotiations.
Where this bias occurs
Suppose that Sarah and her next-door neighbor have an ongoing feud. Sarah finds herself exhausted, after disputing about property lines, garbage collection, noise complaints, and general upkeep for years. She knows at some point, something has to change.
One day Sarah’s neighbor knocks on her door with a proposal. He says that he won’t let garbage pile up between their houses if she moves her fence over one foot and keeps down the noise on weekdays. Sarah sees that this agreement could be helpful in some ways, but feels uncertain. She thinks, “Why would he propose this agreement if it didn’t benefit him more than her? It must be unfair. ”
Even though Sarah discussed a similar agreement with her husband the other day, she remains uneasy about her neighbor’s offering. Thus, Sarah declines the offer in order to keep the ball in her court. Her evaluation of the proposal is clouded by her opinion of her neighbor as well as her unwillingness to accept the terms proposed by another party. This is an example of reactive devaluation.
Ultimately, this bias negatively affects Sarah in the long-run and contributes to further animosity between her and her neighbor.
