The Emotional Experience of Compromise : Anxiety, Shame, and Trust

The experience of compromise is often pervaded with uncomfortable emotions, among which anxiety and shame. During the negotiating process, compromisers are anxious to find a way out of the impasse of conflict and to secure a satisfactory deal. They evolve in a context of uncertainty—it is unclear how much the other parties are willing to concede. After striking a deal, compromisers may feel a sense of shame. They leave embarrassed of the concessions made and concerned that they undermined their moral integrity. In this paper, I argue that nurturing trust in the process of compromise is a powerful antidote against the discomfort of both anxiety and shame. I proceed as follows. First, I give an account of the emotional phenomenology of anxiety and shame in compromise by drawing on the philosophy of emotions. I show the moral significance of these emotions but also the burden that they inflict on compromisers. Second, I argue that trust can counteract some of the negative effects of anxiety and shame. Third, and finally, I conclude by providing concrete recommendations as to how compromisers can enhance trust in the process of striking an agreement.