Neurocognitive differences between anger and disappointment in negotiations.

Negotiations can be very emotional. But how do emotions affect the bargaining
process? Research on the interpersonal effects of emotions in negotiations has
focused mainly on the effects of anger. We, however, are also interested in the
effects of another negative emotion that is often communicated in negotiations,
namely disappointment. Anger and disappointment are two negative emotions, but
have been shown to have different effects on others. Previous research has
shown that in high power positions anger and disappointment are both
advantageous: people make high offers to high power disappointed and angry
opponents. In low power positions, however, anger backfired but disappointment
did not: people offered more to low power disappointed than to low power angry
opponents. Previous results showed that anger was reciprocated (anger evoked
anger in others), but disappointment was complemented. Disappointment evoked
guilt in others, which caused opponents to offer more. As these behavioral
results already revealed, anger and disappointment may activate different parts
of the brain. Indeed the experience of anger has been shown to be correlated
with activity in the left prefrontal cortex and the experience of guilt with
activity in the anterior ventromedial prefrontal cortex. This study further
aims to examine the processes that underlie the interpersonal effects of anger
and disappointment.

The main objective is to examine whether different negative emotions have
different behavioral and physiological effects on opponents in bargaining and
whether these behavioral or physiological effects influence each other. We
focus on anger and disappointment, for these are two of the most often
communicated emotions in bargaining.

This study uses an experimental design. Participants will perform a
computerized decision-making task, and we will measure brain activation using
functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) while they are performing the
task.

n.a.

There are no risks associated with behavioral testing except the occasional
possibility of some frustration with poor performance or fatigue. Testing will
stop if a subject displays frustration or appears tired. Moreover, there are no
known risks associated with participating in an fMRI study.
Although there is no direct benefit to the participants from this proposed
research, there are greater benefits to society from the potential knowledge
gained from this study. In this study we strive to better understand social
decision making behavior by taking into account the cognitive and neural
constraints on this process, as investigated by psychology and neuroscience.
Moreover, as social decision making is a very emotional process, it is
important to include people*s experienced emotions. In addition, our results
may give insight on the effectiveness of certain emotions.
The importance of the benefits gained from this research thus far outweighs the
minimal risks involved.