Ezra's Bookshelf

Perception and Misperception in International Politics

by Robert Jervis · 464 pages · ~8.5 hrs

Foreign PolicyPsychology & Mind

Recommended on

buy on bookshop.org →
Robert Jervis's Perception and Misperception in International Politics is a landmark study of how cognitive psychology illuminates international relations. Jervis, a Columbia political scientist, examines how decision-makers perceive the world, learn from history, and misinterpret the actions of other states. He identifies systematic biases: leaders tend to see their own actions as more benign than others perceive them, to underestimate the role of situation in explaining behavior, and to assimilate new information to existing beliefs. The book draws on historical case studies from World War I to the Cold War, showing how misperception has contributed to conflict. Jervis is equally interested in how accurate perception is possible and what might improve it. The theoretical framework draws on cognitive and social psychology, but Jervis writes for political scientists and historians, not psychologists; technical concepts are explained accessibly. Perception and Misperception has influenced both academic international relations and practitioners; understanding how cognitive biases operate is essential for diplomats and intelligence analysts. This edition includes a new preface reflecting on how the book's insights apply to contemporary challenges. Essential reading for anyone interested in why international conflicts arise and how they might be avoided.

For fans of

Reviews