Parties to a negotiation start the process with deep-rooted preconceptions about how they should act towards each other. Emotional and rational attitudes are hard to change and are generally consistent with beliefs, opinions, and biases. A satisfactory negotiation cannot occur until both the parties modify their attitudes sufficiently to engage in the share-bargaining and problem-solving processes encountered in all negotiations.
Also known as attitudinal structuring, the concept is a part of a larger net of bargaining processes and strategies used in negotiations. It’s a way to manage relationships and create a social aspect in the negotiation process. The relationship you are looking to create with another party can be structured through different types of attitudes or emotions. How you will proceed depends on the types of attitudes the other party is displaying like aggression, anger, accommodation, cooperation, etc.
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