ABSTRACT
The mere existence of a rule, a law, a moral standard, a social norm, or any other behavioral prescription does not guarantee that those subject to it will actually comply with it. It is evident that various forms of noncompliant behavior are common in most social systems. Even those who acknowledge the authoritativeness and generally favor the existence of specific behavioral prescriptions frequently find it advantageous to violate them in practice. 1 That is, the presence of incentives to cheat need not imply a desire to reject the authoritative force of the relevant behavioral prescriptions altogether. Similarly, the promulgation of a negotiated settlement, a contract, or a treaty does not mean that the participants will automatically conform to the behavioral standards set forth in their agreement. Actors quite frequently enter into agreements whose terms they are by no means determined to carry out.
