This paper analyses the cohesion between culture and emotion in negotiations. The guiding question in this empirical study is to what extent cultural differences affect the use of emotions in negotiations. Many studies compare cultures with strongly diverging behaviors. Research in geographically concentrated areas like European countries is rare. Hence, this paper aims at revealing differences in emotional behavior between Germany and Italy.

We conduct an online-based negotiation experiment with 32 participants from Germany and Italy. Emotions are measured with the emotion recognition software SHORE™ as well as with the observation of the emotional behavior in terms of expressiveness. In both examined countries significant differences were found. The Italians show emotions more frequently and more intensively than Germans. This especially holds for negative emotions. In terms of emotion regulation Germans are ahead of Italian participants as they suppress their emotions in negotiations. There is a slight trend that Italians show more positive emotions and less negative ones than the Germans and that a high level of uncertainty avoidance goes along with a high expressiveness of emotions.collaboration between worlds