DescriptionThis dissertation focuses on how distractions affect decision-making. The distractions studied here are in the form of text-messaging using a mobile phone in the context of interdependent decision-making tasks such as a negotiation. The effects are studies under two types of negotiations: distributive (one that requires participants to be competitive) versus collaborative (interests of both parties are similar). Through a series of four experimental studies, the effects of distractions were observed in the following three types of experimental conditions: (1.) one-person in a dyad is texting during the negotiation, (2.) both persons in a dyad are texting in a negotiation and (3.) control group, with no distractions. Findings indicate that performance in a negotiation is adversely affected when a person is distracted. Control groups performed best, followed by ‘both-receiver’ or both-distracted groups. In study 1, it is found that perceptions of trust, satisfaction and professionalism of the distracted person are lower than those for non-distracted persons. In study 4, findings indicate a main effect of distractions for information sharing such that receivers shared least information, followed by observers, followed by ‘both-receivers’ and then by the control group.