Understanding Foreign Policy Decision Making

Presents a psychological approach to foreign policy decision making. This approach focuses on the decision process, dynamics, and outcome.

Part I. Introduction: 1. Why study foreign policy from a decision making perspective?; Part II. The Decision Environment: 2. Types of decisions and levels of analysis in foreign policy decision making; 3. Biases in decision making; Part III. Models of Decision Making: 4. The rational actor model; 5. Alternatives to the rational actor model; Part IV. Determinants of Foreign Policy Decision Making: 6. Psychological factors shaping foreign policy decisions; 7. International, domestic and cultural factors influencing foreign policy decision making; Part V. Marketing Foreign Policy: 8. Marketing, framing and media effects in foreign policy decision making; Part VI. Conclusion: 9. Conclusion: wrapping things up; Appendix: an applied decision analysis exercise and simulation.