Adaptive Appraisals of Anxiety Moderate the Association between Cortisol Reactivity and Performance in Salary Negotiations

Abstract

Prior research suggests that stress can be harmful in high-stakes contexts such as negotiations. However, few studies actually measure stress physiologically during negotiations, nor do studies offer interventions to combat the potential negative effects of heightened physiological responses in negotiation contexts. In the current research, we offer evidence that the negative effects of cortisol increases on negotiation performance can be reduced through a reappraisal of anxiety manipulation. We experimentally induced adaptive appraisals by randomly assigning 97 male and female participants to receive either instructions to appraise their anxiety as beneficial to the negotiation or no specific instructions on how to appraise the situation. We also measured participants’ cortisol responses prior to and following the negotiation. Results revealed that cortisol increases were positively related to negotiation performance for participants who were told to view anxiety as beneficial, and not detrimental, for negotiation performance (appraisal condition). In contrast, cortisol increases were negatively related to negotiation performance for participants given no instructions on appraising their anxiety (control condition). These findings offer a means through which to combat the potentially deleterious effects of heightened cortisol reactivity on negotiation outcomes.

Anxiety and Performance in Sex, Sport, and Stage: Identifying Common Ground

“…Although choking has been described in various ways (see Buszard et al, 2013; Mesagno and Hill, 2013; Mesagno and Beckmann, 2017), an important distinction exists between choking and athletic performance anxiety: performance anxiety, a feeling commonly experienced by performers, may either enhance or disrupt performance (Alter et al, 2010; Dias et al, 2012; Brooks, 2014; Akinola et al, 2016), perhaps as the YDL inverted U-function suggests, analogous to the manner in which pressure/anxiety may enhance sexual response in some individuals but disrupt it in dysfunctional/vulnerable individuals (Jones et al, 1993; Duncan et al, 2016). Thus, choking refers to the substandard performance (judged by either self or audience standards) occurring under pressure conditions (Baumeister and Showers, 1986) that may include rewards/punishments, evaluative audiences, competition, ego threat, and one-chance events.…”

Stress, Mindsets, and Success in Navy SEALs Special Warfare Training

“…In addition, self-report is prone to social desirability effects and methodological artifacts (Podsakoff and Organ, 1986). For research examining objective performance, studies have generally been limited to one task or exam (Brooks, 2014;Akinola et al, 2016;Crum et al, 2017). By collecting longitudinal, objective measures of performance, we can start to understand whether stress mindsets are important to holistic functioning and achievement.…”

“…In environments with prolonged and highintensity demands, are stress mindsets still beneficial? Some research has suggested that these mindsets may be even more impactful during extreme stress (Akinola et al, 2016;Park et al, 2017). Other research has suggested the opposite -that mindsets cannot override physiological limits during extreme challenges (Vohs et al, 2012).…”

Introducing the skills‐based model of personal resilience: Drawing on content and process factors to build resilience in the workplace

“…Greater ability to flexibly change or adapt affective and physiological responses in response to changing or challenging demands has been found to be associated with greater resilience (Waugh et al, 2011). Strategies that have been found helpful to calm the threat response include the following: mindfulness and other forms of meditation (e.g., Davidson, Kabat‐Zinn, & Schumacher, 2003; Shapiro, Astin, Bishop, & Cordova, 2005); acceptance of emotion (Ford, Lam, John, & Mauss, 2017; Hayes & Smith, 2005); arousal reappraisal (Akinola, Fridman, Mor, Morris, & Crum, 2016; Beltzer, Nock, Peters, & Jamieson, 2014); controlled breathing (Ma et al, 2017; Welford, 2010); and connecting with others (Ozbay et al, 2007).…”