5 Powerful Psychological Negotiating Tactics

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NegotiationsThere's some interesting psychology that goes into salary negotiation. Here's some new research that shows just how effective certain psychological strategies can be, and some tactics that make them less effective.

Not all of the advice on salary negotiation is worth mentioning here, if it works at all, since much of it is just regurgitated cliches that get passed along endlessly. However, there are some recent psychology studies that do provide scientific insight into how salary negotiations play out, what people do that can result in higher pay, and how those in-the-know might identify and counter those negotiation tactics. Here's five steps that you need to know:

1: Setting A High Anchor Number

When you mention a number, it effectively 'anchors' the conversation as a starting point from which all further discussions proceed. This 'anchoring' is a powerful tactic that has an immediate psychological effect that shouldn't be discounted. In a study from the Journal of Applied Social Psychology that simulated salary negotiations the researches found that when the anchor number is set high, the final agreed upon number is very likely to be higher. In this research, two studies were conducted to examine the effects of implausible anchors on initial salary offers. Participants provided a salary offer to a candidate after receiving a relevant anchor and an implausible anchor. The results of Study 1 indicated that a high implausible anchor influenced salary offers, even in the presence of the relevant anchor. Study 2 examined whether a more extreme implausible anchor would also affect salary offers. The results indicated that both the high anchor and the extremely high anchor led to...

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Average Salary For Physicians

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Here's what the U.S. Bureau of Labor Services (BLS) report as the average salary of a physician in the US.

In 2008, physicians practicing primary care had total median annual compensation of $186,044, and physicians practicing in medical specialties earned total median annual compensation of $339,738."

Let's look at a few specific specialties, in ascending order:

General Pediatricians $161,410
Psychiatrists $163,660
Family and General Practitioners $168,550
General Internists $183,990
Obstetricians and Gynecologists $204,470
Anesthesiologists $211,750
Surgeons $219,770

Physicians and Surgeons, All Other $173,860.

Oh, and nursing jobs are going to grow over the next decade.

The number of registered nurses is expected to swell to 3.2 million by 2018, accounting for approximately 581,500 new jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's up from 2.6 million today, and it represents the largest overall growth projection out of all occupations in the U.S. economy, for good reason.

Americans aged 65 and older will make up 19% of the population in 2030, up from 12.4% in 2000. As the population ages and the growth of the working-age population slows down, there will be an increased demand for health care services in general, and home health care services in particular. In the past year, the home health care services industry has experienced sales growth of 11.2%, making it the fastest growing industry in the U.S., according to Sageworks, a financial analysis company.

Along with registered nurses, Sageworks projects that home care aids, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other medical professions will be in high demand for the foreseeable future.