Educing Information: Interrogation - National Intelligence University

that the other party will refuse to act. In the game of chicken, for example, the
driver who supposedly threw the steering wheel out of the window might have
thrown a replica — and kept the real wheel out of view of the other driver.
Crafting a “Yesable Proposition”
Even when a negotiator has developed a good proposal that creates value and
distributes that value effectively, parties can fail to reach agreement because of
the manner in which the proposal is framed.
The Power of Framing
Framing can have a subtle but powerful impact on how the other side
perceives a proposal. For example, studies have found that negotiators instructed
to “minimize losses” rather than “maximize gains” were less likely to make
concessions, reach agreement, and view the resulting agreement as fair (Bazerman,
Magliozzi, and Neale, 1985; Neale and Northcraft, 1986; Neale, Huber, and
Northcraft, 1987).
The context in which a decision is framed can also affect how it is perceived.
One study found that participants would be willing to walk two blocks to save
$30 on a $70 watch, but not willing to walk that same distance to save $30 on an
$800 camera (Russo and Schoemaker 1989). Thirty dollars seems like a great deal
of money when compared to $70, but like a drop in the bucket when compared
to $800.
The identity of the person making the offer also influences its reception. A
study by Bazerman and Neale found that participants would be willing to pay
more for a bottle of beer they were told came from a fancy resort than for exactly
the same bottle supposedly from a run-down grocery store. Participants assumed
that the grocery store beer “is an obvious rip-off” (1992). Thus, it is important to
consider both who presents the offer and how it is presented.
Framing a “Yesable” Proposition
Ultimately, the question to ask is: What proposal would give the other side
an option they might accept The choice would have to address their interests
sufficiently, be realistic, and be operational. By having a good sense of the other
party’s interests and BATNA, a negotiator can craft such an offer, which is called
a “yesable proposition” (Fisher, Kopelman, and Schneider, 1994): it requires only
a “yes” in response.
Rather than confronting the other party with a problem, a yesable proposition
gives them an appealing offer. Consider a simple example. President Lyndon
Johnson instructed his staff to attach a proposal, and a set of boxes for him to
check “yes,” “no,” or “see me,” to any memo that crossed his desk. Johnson
understood the idea behind a yesable proposition: he required his staff to bring
him not only a problem, but also a suggestion for what could be done.
Two tools are useful in developing a yesable proposition: the Currently
Perceived Choice chart and the Target Future Choice chart.
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