Glossary / Lexicon

Bargaining means seeking an agreement through direct negotiation between parties to a conflict. Bargaining is also the stage of death in which patients try to restore their belief in a just world and may promise to be good or live life better in exchange for life.

Description

In psychology, bargaining is a stage of grief that follows denial and precedes depression. It involves attempting to negotiate or make deals to avoid the pain of loss or change. People going through this stage may try to make deals with a higher power or try to find a way to change the situation through their actions. Bargaining can be a coping mechanism to try to regain control in a situation that feels overwhelming. It is a natural response to loss and can provide temporary relief from the intense emotions of grief. However, if prolonged, bargaining can impede the process of acceptance and healing.

Application Areas

• Coping with grief and loss
• Negotiating in interpersonal relationships
• Negotiating in business settings
• Mediation processes

Treatment and Risks

• Treatment for bargaining in the psychology context may involve therapy to help individuals work through their losses and come to terms with reality.
• Risks of prolonged bargaining include getting stuck in a cycle of unrealistic negotiations, leading to prolonged distress and difficulty in moving forward.

Examples

• An individual bargaining with a higher power to save their loved one from a terminal illness
• A person negotiating with their emotions to try to avoid accepting the end of a romantic relationship
• An employee bargaining with their employer for better working conditions

Similar Concepts and Synonyms

• Negotiation
• Compromise
• Exchange

Articles with 'Bargaining' in the title

• Negotiation and bargaining: Negotiation and bargaining : Negotiation and bargaining is defined as a method of resolving conflict in which two (2) sides use verbal skill and strategy to reach an agreement
• Plea bargaining: Plea bargaining means making an agreement between defense and prosecution for certain leniencies in return for a guilty plea.

Summary

Bargaining in the psychology context is a stage of grief where individuals attempt to negotiate or make deals to avoid the pain of loss. It is a coping mechanism that can provide temporary relief but may impede the process of acceptance and healing if prolonged.

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