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He regards the individual who can effectively manage emotion strategically in
negotiation as a social constructivist who understands "the interplay among social
exchange, emotional experience and emotional expression."( Barry 1999:95)
AFFECT
Barry (1999:95) defines affect as "a super ordinate concept that encompasses
moods and emotions that people experience either as generalized feelings or in
response to specific situational stimuli."
At a basic level Barry and Oliver (1996:128) analyse affect in terms ofintensity
or level ofactivation, ranging from strong to weak. On the other hand they analyse it in
terms of valence or tone, ranging from positive to negative. They describe positive
affect as "the experience of rewarding or pleasant moods or emotions," and negative
affect as "the experience of discomforting or unpleasant moods or emotions." To them
empirical observation in social settings shows more consistency for positive than for
negative affect because the latter "has a greater dimensionality, a more complex
structure, and a greater variety ofsources than does positive affect." They also refer to
evolution where the key to survival depends on the recognition of negative affect in
one's aggressor and the ability to effect negative affect to marshal readiness and
strength. Positive affect, on the other hand, was the basis for joy and happiness with
fewer survival implications. It is also thought to enhance the joint outcomes of
negotiating parties.
Barry and Oliver (1996:128) say some researchers look at affect in the light of
"the quality of social or relational behaviour (or) ongoing social perceptions having
positive or negative values." For example, where two or more interacting people are
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