THE STUDY INVESTIGATED THE EFFECTS OF CULTURAL TRAINING, MEDIATOR ORIENTATION, AND TASK CHARACTERISTICS UPON HETEROCULTURAL NEGOTIATION. INDIAN AND AMERICAN SUBJECTS NEGOTIATED CHILD REARING ISSUES UNDER THREE AMERICAN TRAINING CONDITIONS (CULTURE ASSIMILATOR VERSUS TRADITIONAL VERSUS IRRELEVANT TRAINING), THREE MEDIATOR CONDITIONS (HIGH VERSUS MODERATE VERSUS LOW LPC), AND TWO TASK CONDITIONS (FORMAL VERSUS INFORMAL NEGOTIATIONS). RESULTS FROM 36 TEAMS CONSISTING OF ONE AMERICAN NEGOTIATOR, ONE INDIAN NEGOTIATOR, AND AN AMERICAN MEDIATOR SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING--(1) INTERGROUP RELATIONS ARE FACILITATED WHEN ONE MEMBER OF THE NEGOTIATING GROUP HAS RECEIVED CULTURAL TRAINING, AND PROGRAMED (ASSIMILATOR) TRAINING IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TRADITIONAL ESSAY TRAINING--(2) INTRAGROUP RELATIONS ARE FACILITATED IF THE NEGOTIATORS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DEFEND POSITIONS FORMALLY ASSIGNED TO THEM, BUT ARE FREE TO INTERACT WITHOUT SUCH FORMAL RESTRAINTS--AND (3) WHEN THE TASK IS FORMAL, THE NEGOTIATORS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE IF THE MEDIATOR IS ORIENTED TOWARD MAINTAINING HARMONIOUS RELATIONS (HIGH LPC). IF THE SITUATION IS INFORMAL, THE NEGOTIATORS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE IF THE MEDIATOR IS MORE TASK-ORIENTED (LOW LPC). THIS DOCUMENT, AD-657-353, IS AVAILABLE FROM THE CLEARINGHOUSE FOR FEDERAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION, SPRINGFIELD, VA. 22151, MICROFICHE $0.65, HARDCOPY $3.00. (AUTHOR/LT)