Decisional conflicts: a theoretical analysis

Abstract

This paper will present a set of theoretical constructs developed for the purpose of analyzing the psychological causes and consequences of decisional conflicts. Although the analysis is in terms of intrapersonal conflicts, it has many potential applications to politically relevant actions on the part of the leaders and representatives of organized groups and therefore may prove to be useful as a framework for studying certain aspects of intergroup conflicts. At various points throughout this paper I shall attempt to indicate how the constructs might be taken into account by social scientists engaged in research on factors affecting the success or failure of peace treaties, non-violence pacts, and other conciliatory agreements between hostile governments or rival organized groups. The historical examples to be cited come from biographical studies of men who were national leaders