Psychological Determinants of Competent Communication Behaviour of Union and Management Representatives in Negotiation Situations

Oyinloye Oloyede, Ayobami Ojebode, Aderemi I. Alarape, Abel C. Obosi

Abstract

Communication competence has been widely conceptualised as the perception of effectiveness and appropriateness of communication content. This paper examined the joint and relative interaction of cognitive complexity-ability for communication effectiveness and self-monitoringmotivation for communication appropriateness on competent communication behaviour of union and management representatives in negotiation situations. Dual-process theories of communication ability and motivation were adopted as framework, while the survey design was employed. Convenience sampling technique was used to select seven agriculture/forestry related research organizations in Ibadan, Nigeria. A three-scale questionnaire was administered to 257 purposively selected union (184) and management (73) representatives, who actively participated in various negotiations between 2001 and 2014. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to test the research hypothesis for joint and independent prediction, while a 2x2 ANOVA was used for interaction effect of cognitive complexity and self-monitoring on communication competence of representatives. A significant interaction effect and joint prediction of cognitive complexity and self-monitoring (F(2, 254)=5.189, R 2=0.039, p<.05) on communication competence was obtained. Meanwhile, only self-monitoring (=0.20; t=3.186, p<.05) independently predicted communication competence. Inspite of the joint prediction of communication competence by cognitive complexity and self-monitoring, training programme designed for union and management representatives should place more emphasis on selfmonitoring of appropriate negotiation behaviour than communication effectiveness associated with cognitive complexity.

Keywords

Competent Communication Behaviour, Cognitive Complexity, Self-monitoring

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