The Psychology of Brokering

Catalog description

This seminar will explore the critical role that different kinds of brokers play in social and organizational networks. Brokers influence other parties' interactions and relationships across numerous contexts, from journalism, music production and trade, to migration, diplomacy, and dealmaking. Brokers transfer information, facilitate collaborations within organizations, and promote exchange between organizations. They spread gossip, shape labor market outcomes, and occasionally instigate conflict. Hence, to understand interactions and relationships in social and organizational contexts, we must understand the dynamics of brokering. We will discuss intrapersonal, interpersonal, intragroup, and intergroup processes related to brokering. Topics of discussion will include social influence, trust, and status, among other topics. We will read research from multiple disciplines, including cognitive, personality, and social psychology, sociology, political science, and management. This course is intended for PhD students who wish to think together about theoretical ideas, methodology, and empirical findings related to brokering, and develop research projects in this field.