Explaining the Influence of Anger and Compassion on Negotiators’ Interaction Goals: An Assessment of Trust and Distrust as Two Distinct Mediators

Abstract

This study examined the influence of anger and compassion, two discrete emotions that differ in valence and appraisals, on negotiators’ interaction goals through trust and distrust, two related, but functionally distinct constructs. Findings showed that the influence of anger (a negative emotion with appraisal of other-person control) on perceived importance of competitively oriented goals was mediated by distrust, but not trust, whereas the influence of compassion (a positive emotion with appraisal of situational control) on perceived importance of cooperatively oriented goals was mediated by trust, but not distrust. This study not only sheds light on the process whereby anger and compassion influence negotiation performance but also supports the proposition that trust and distrust represent two distinct psychological processes that are associated with different antecedents and consequences.