Effects of Shared Responsibility and Goal Interdependence on Controversy and Decisionmaking Between Departments

The conditions under which departmental representatives constructively discuss their opposing positions was investigated. College students (N = 60) took the role of a department representative. Participants in the shared responsibility, compared to sole responsibility, condition indicated more openness by asking more questions and feeling more pressed to understand the other participants' arguments. Cooperative, compared to competitive, context induced participants to be more open-minded and more knowledgeable about opposing positions to develop favorable interpersonal relationships. Cooperative goal interdependence helped departmental representatives make effective use of opportunities to influence organizational decisionmaking.