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Gender Differences in Virtual Negotiation: Theory and Research

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Abstract

Social roles create conflicting behavioral expectations for female negotiators; however, virtual negotiations reduce social pressures. This paper reviews theoretical explanations on why men and women might differ in negotiations that occur through email, telephone, or video. Forty-three negotiation studies comparing face-to-face and virtual negotiations were examined for gender differences. All studies were reported in English but not limited to US participants. While many reports omitted gender information, meta-analytic findings supported the prediction that women would be more hostile in virtual compared to face-to-face negotiations, as well as finding no hostility difference for men between virtual and face-to-face negotiations. While negotiators overall were more successful face-to-face than virtually, results separated by gender did not find this effect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, DePaul University, 2219 N Kenmore Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60614, USA

    Alice F. Stuhlmacher

  2. SUNY—New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, USA

    Maryalice Citera & Toni Willis

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  1. Alice F. Stuhlmacher
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Correspondence to Alice F. Stuhlmacher.

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Asterisk (*) indicates studies used in the meta-analysis.

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Stuhlmacher, A.F., Citera, M. & Willis, T. Gender Differences in Virtual Negotiation: Theory and Research. Sex Roles 57, 329–339 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-007-9252-y

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