Processes and consequences of international negotiations

The results of laboratory and field investigations are used to suggest approaches to the analysis of international negotiation. A framework is developed in terms of the way in which nations arrive at their positions or postures, the process of negotiating, and the consequences of negotiation outcomes for the international system. Position formation is considered from the standpoint of the national attribute and policymaking process perspectives. Aspects of the negotiating process emphasized include preconditions and preparations, commitment tactics and concession‐making strategies, and such interferences as cultural differences, personal style, attributions, and stresses. Consequences are discussed in terms of conflict and cooperation among nations and the relationship between behaviors and structures in international relations. The strategies of moving between levels of analysis and of weaving together diverse data sources into a mosaic of influences yield insights that contribute to an understanding of negotiating in the international context. 1977 The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues