Effect of Response Time on Perceptions of Bargaining Outcomes

This research reports three studies that examine how cues which emerge from the bargaining environment, such as the time taken by an opponent to respond to an offer, influence perceptions of bargaining outcomes. Study 1 finds that bargainers were more satisfied with outcomes when an offer was accepted after a delay than when accepted immediately. Study 2 shows that inferences of the level of conflict within the opponent underlie the effect of response time on perceptions of bargaining outcomes. Study 3 shows that the presence of an objective (or diagnostic) referent moderates the influence of response time. (c) 2006 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..