Reactions to Majority Voting Procedures and Amelioration of Voting Minority Member Responses

Abstract

Two laboratory experiments investigated reactions to a majority rule social decision scheme. In Experiment 1, members of the voting majority perceived the decision process to be fairer; were more satisfied with the decision outcome, and performed at higher levels than did members of the voting minority. Implementation of a nonrepresentative decision (i.e., in which a decision maker failed to follow the recommendations of the majority) resulted in more extreme reactions by majority, as compared with minority, members. In Experiment 2, an attempt at minority conciliation was made based on either a unilateral decision by a decision maker or the voice of participants. Both the conciliatory offer and the manner in which the offer was enacted had independent and positive effects on minority perceptions and performance.