Conciliation and verbal responses as functions of orientation and threat in group interaction

Levels of orientation and threat behavior were manipulated in contexts where subjects thought that they were in consensus‐seeking discussions. Dependent variables were subjects’ conciliatory behavior and levels of orientation and threat exhibited by the statements they chose. The high orientation condition was found to produce high orientation choices. The effect of threat level was complex. Women, in general, behaved more rationally than men to gain rewards.