Accountability to constituents: A two-edged sword

Abstract

Expectation of cooperative future interaction with the other negotiator (ECFI) was crossed with accountability to constituents. Accountability produced contentious behavior and it reduced joint benefit when ECFI was absent, but it increased joint benefit when ECFI was present. The results can be construed as supporting a dual-concern model, suggesting that behavior is a function of both a concern for personal goals and a concern for the relationship with the other party.