University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The effect of mediator credibility on disputants' perceptions and behaviors

Arnold, Josh Allan

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/21558

Description

Title
The effect of mediator credibility on disputants' perceptions and behaviors
Author(s)
Arnold, Josh Allan
Issue Date
1996
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Camevile, Peter
Department of Study
Psychology
Discipline
Psychology
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • Business Administration, General
  • Psychology, Social
  • Mass Communications
Language
eng
Abstract
This study examined one dimension of a larger conceptual model of mediator credibility. Specifically, the study investigated the effects of perceived expertise and two related factors, mediator information and recommendation quality, on disputants' perceptions and behaviors. Participants played the role of student employee representatives and bargained with student management representatives over a number of issues. During the course of the negotiation, a mediator made recommendations as to how the conflict should be resolved. The experiment varied participants' perceptions of the mediator's expertise (whether the mediator was an expert or a novice), perceptions of the mediator's information level (whether the mediator had complete or partial information about disputants' issues and priorities), and perceptions of the quality of the mediator's recommendation (whether the mediator made integrative, compromise, or non-integrative recommendations). The results indicated that perceived expertise had strong effects on how favorably disputants' viewed the mediator (e.g., acceptability, confidence, trustworthiness, satisfaction). Perceptions of mediator expertise and recommendation quality interacted and influenced disputant behavior: Expertise only influenced concessions in the low quality recommendation condition. Perceived mediator information level had strong effects on perceptions of fairness and satisfaction with the mediator's offers. Overall, the results were consistent with the predictions of the general model of mediator credibility and findings from the attitude change literature.
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/21558
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 1996 Arnold, Josh Allan

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Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois PRIMARY
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois
Dissertations and Theses - Psychology
Dissertations and Theses from the Dept. of Psychology