Is it better to give or to receive? In the above scenario, would Anita prefer to:

If you are the receiver, the other side can take advantage of you. Since Bonita knows Anita values the rug at $300, Bonita will only offer Anita $150 or so. If Anita is the proposer, since she knows Bonita values the rug somewhere between $400 and $600, she should be able to get $200.