Congruent and Contradictory Verbal and Nonverbal Communications of Cooperativeness and Competitiveness in Negotiations

Abstract

Within the communication literature there is an assumption that the congruency of verbal and nonverbal messages is important for accurate and persuasive communication and that nonverbal messages are more powerful than verbal messages in communication. Research by conflict theorists and educational psychologists indicate just the opposite. This study examined the effects of verbal and nonverbal messages indicating cooperativeness or competitiveness on negotiation outcomes. In two of the conditions the verbal and nonverbal messages were congruent, in the other two conditions they were contradictory. The results indicate that congruency of verbal and nonverbal messages was not an important factor in determining negotiation outcomes, although it did affect accuracy of communication. Verbal messages had much more impact than did nonverbal messages. The communication of cooperative intentions promoted a decision by the receiver to engage in cooperative behaviors and to arrive at cooperative negotiation outcomes.