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Dominic Johnson - Strategic Instincts: The Adaptive Advantages of Cognitive Biases in International Politics - 9780691137452 - V9780691137452
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Strategic Instincts: The Adaptive Advantages of Cognitive Biases in International Politics

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Description for Strategic Instincts: The Adaptive Advantages of Cognitive Biases in International Politics Hardback. BIC Classification: WZ. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational. .

"A very timely book."—Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America
How cognitive biases can guide good decision making in politics and international relations


A widespread assumption in political science and international relations is that cognitive biases—quirks of the brain we all share as human beings—are detrimental and responsible for policy failures, disasters, and wars. In Strategic Instincts, Dominic Johnson challenges this assumption, explaining that these nonrational behaviors can actually support favorable results in international politics and contribute to political and strategic success. By studying past examples, he considers the ways that cognitive biases act as “strategic instincts,” lending a competitive edge in policy decisions, especially under conditions of unpredictability and imperfect information.

Drawing from evolutionary theory and behavioral sciences, Johnson looks at three influential cognitive biases—overconfidence, the fundamental attribution error, and in-group/out-group bias. He then examines the advantageous as well as the detrimental effects of these biases through historical case studies of the American Revolution, the Munich Crisis, and the Pacific campaign in World War II. He acknowledges the dark side of biases—when confidence becomes hubris, when attribution errors become paranoia, and when group bias becomes prejudice. Ultimately, Johnson makes a case for a more nuanced understanding of the causes and consequences of cognitive biases and argues that in the complex world of international relations, strategic instincts can, in the right context, guide better performance.

Strategic Instincts shows how an evolutionary perspective can offer the crucial next step in bringing psychological insights to bear on foundational questions in international politics.

Product Details

Format
Hardback
Publication date
2020
Publisher
Princeton University Press United States
Condition
New
Number of Pages
392
Place of Publication
New Jersey, United States
ISBN
9780691137452
SKU
V9780691137452
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 15 to 20 working days
Ref
99-15

About Dominic Johnson
Dominic D. P. Johnson is the Alistair Buchan Professor of International Relations at St Antony's College, University of Oxford. He is the author of God Is Watching You and Overconfidence and War and the coauthor of Failing to Win.

Reviews for Strategic Instincts: The Adaptive Advantages of Cognitive Biases in International Politics
"Rich. . . . Full of insights."
Foreign Affairs
"Remarkable in its scope and fascinating to read. I hope it’s widely read by politicians, military experts, and diplomats because it offers a variety of consequential actionable insights."
-Daniel T. Blumstein, Journal of Bioeconomics "Johnson’s work furthers our understanding of how adaptive traits of human psychology that evolved over the millenniums yield competitive advantages in modern times."
-Ziyuan Wang, China International Strategy Review

Goodreads reviews for Strategic Instincts: The Adaptive Advantages of Cognitive Biases in International Politics


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