Signaling, Resolve, and Reputation in International Politics

Don Casler, Keren Yarhi-Milo

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Scholars of international politics persistently debate the nature and relative importance of reputation in explaining state behavior. This chapter diagrams the basic questions at stake in the research agenda on reputation, resolve, and signaling in international relations. After clarifying the meaning of key terms, it presents an overview of conventional rationalist scholarship on signaling, resolve, and reputation before contrasting these accounts with insights derived from psychology. Among the chapter’s core contributions is to highlight both the divergences and complementarities between these scholarly traditions in their accounts of how states and leaders develop beliefs about reputation and assess others, particularly through the lens of costly signals. The chapter concludes by making a series of suggestions for new scholarship along currently understudied avenues within an overall vibrant research program.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationThe Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology
EditorsLeonie Huddy, David O Sears, Jack S Levy, Jennifer Jerit
PublisherOxford University Press
Pages426-446
Number of pages21
Edition3
ISBN (Electronic)9780197541333
ISBN (Print)9780197541302
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 8 2023
Externally publishedYes

Publication series

NameOxford Handbooks

Keywords

  • credibility
  • decision making
  • foreign policy
  • leaders
  • reputation
  • resolve
  • signaling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Social Sciences

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