LAUSR

This study investigates the intrapersonal and interpersonal mechanisms of relational progression across multi-session buyer–seller negotiations using the actor–partner interdependence mediation model approach. Self-reported data were collected from 94 South Korean participants through multi-session negotiation simulations. Results showed that buyers and sellers were empirically distinguishable from each other. While intrapersonal relational progression was observed within both buyers and sellers, this effect was significantly greater within sellers and was mediated by self-perceived communication quality. The overall interpersonal relational impact occurred unilaterally from sellers to buyers and was mediated by buyer’s perceived communication quality. The study reveals the asymmetric structure of bidirectional relational progression in buyer–seller negotiations with sellers taking a more active stance at both intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions.