ABSTRACT
It would be fair to say that the development of the study of international security and the broader study of international relations has been hampered by a common neglect of psychological factors. As James Goldgeier notes:
A major impediment to the development of adequate explanation and prediction in the study of international relations and foreign policy is the failure by many academics in the field to treat seriously the role of psychological factors in individual decision making and intergroup relations. Work in both of these areas has demonstrated the prevalence of systematic biases due to cognitive limitations and emotional needs. Key puzzles will remain unresolved without incorporating these insights into our analytical frameworks. 1
