Asset or Liability? How and Why Ghost Negotiators Impact Opponent’s Psychological Perceptions and Distributive Negotiation Behaviors

Abstract: Hiring consultants who advise during negotiations without being present at the bargaining table—so called ghost negotiators—is common practice. While offering strategic benefits, ghost negotiators may trigger negative opponent reactions. Our mixed-methods paper examines how ghost negotiator involvement affects opponents' emotions, perceptions, and distributive behaviors. Contrasting social identity and social comparison with power and dominance complementarity theory, we explore beneficial and detrimental effects and underlying mechanisms. Study 1 (N=69) categorized 962 open responses into 85 clusters using a largelanguage- model and thematic analysis, revealing predominantly negative reactions. The experimental Study 2 (N=435) confirmed these findings through factor and mediation analyses. Driven by decreased trust and increased challenge, opponents become more competitive (e.g., lower concession willingness, higher firstoffer assertiveness) when facing ghost negotiators, ultimately risking more impasses. Our findings suggest that hiring ghost negotiators requires carefully weighing strategic benefits against opponent-related detriments. We discuss implications for theory, practice, and future research.

Keywords: negotiation consultancy, mixed-methods, psychological reactions, ghost negotiation