Negotiating with those like me: Similarity salience increases positive attitudes in imagined negotiation with an out-group member.

What is it about?

Focusing on commonalities between oneself and another may make it easier to resolve conflicts. While the "search for common ground" is a popular adage in conflict resolution, little empirical evidence has supported the idea. The present research shows that when faced with negotiating against an outgroup member, focusing on similarities rather than differences creates greater optimism for the negotiation, greater willingness to comprise, and a heightened perception of our negotiation counterpart's intelligence.

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Photo by KA T on Unsplash

Photo by KA T on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Our findings show that a simple exercise that helps someone focus on their similarities with another individual, rather than their differences, can help resolve conflict. The present study also suggests that focusing on differences may be a default state for people in conflict, and therefore a deliberate practice of focusing on similarities may significantly improve our abilities to compromise and resolve conflicts.

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