A Reliance on Predatory Behavior in the
Context of Financial Negotiation as
Soon as Given a Chance? A Three
Group Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Study
on the Concept of Perceived Predation

Abstract

This article discusses the notion of perceived predation (the idea that a vis-à-vis wants us harm, by surprise) and reveals some of the key findings following a longitudinal study conducted with three different groups in 2011. The study shows that untrained people invited to negotiate financial transactions with another party naturally tend to adopt a strong stance, one that can be perceived as predatory, whereas those with training in negotiation adopt somewhat of a more conciliatory attitude. The important implication of such findings is that portfolio managers who attempt to maximize their client’s wealth in an unrestricted manner may well, consciously or not, turn against the very interests of those clients by using techniques that minimize perceived predation.