• The emotional or psychological significance of the issue. Issues around which there are strong feelings are often placed early in an agenda because parties will not be able to think or talk about anything else until those issues are raised and addressed. Early placement on an agenda may allow a counterpart to demonstrate that she had really heard the fellings of the other party concretely demonstrate eirher COGNITIVE OR emotional empathy and allow the other to vent talk and work through his emotions. It may also allow a negotiators to make a psychological concession by recognizing and legitimizing the perception or feeling of another party. And thus reduce emotional tension and polarization in negotiations.