IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/compsc/v41y2024i6p649-669.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Punishment and blame: How core beliefs affect support for the use of force in a nuclear crisis

Author

Listed:
  • Lisa Langdon Koch

Abstract

How do Americans’ core beliefs about punishment, and their intuitions about which actors deserve blame, shape attitudes toward the use of force against a hostile state? I apply insights from recent work in social psychology to investigate the causal mechanisms linking punitive beliefs to support for a nuclear strike. In a large- N study, I find that the strength and ethical logic underlying beliefs about punishment affect attitudes regarding the use of nuclear weapons, and who to blame for the crisis, which mediates the causal pathway. Those who ground their support for severe punishment not in the logic of moral justice, but in societal benefit, are more likely to hold foreign citizens socially responsible for their state's actions.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa Langdon Koch, 2024. "Punishment and blame: How core beliefs affect support for the use of force in a nuclear crisis," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 41(6), pages 649-669, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:compsc:v:41:y:2024:i:6:p:649-669
    DOI: 10.1177/07388942231210296
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07388942231210296
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/07388942231210296?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brian C. Rathbun & Rachel Stein, 2020. "Greater Goods: Morality and Attitudes toward the Use of Nuclear Weapons," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 64(5), pages 787-816, May.
    2. Michal Smetana & Marek Vranka, 2021. "How moral foundations shape public approval of nuclear, chemical, and conventional strikes: new evidence from experimental surveys," International Interactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2), pages 374-390, March.
    3. Ansolabehere, Stephen & Schaffner, Brian F., 2014. "Does Survey Mode Still Matter? Findings from a 2010 Multi-Mode Comparison," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(3), pages 285-303, July.
    4. Leonie Huddy & Nadia Khatib, 2007. "American Patriotism, National Identity, and Political Involvement," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 51(1), pages 63-77, January.
    5. Johnson, Eric J & Hershey, John & Meszaros, Jacqueline & Kunreuther, Howard, 1993. "Framing, Probability Distortions, and Insurance Decisions," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 35-51, August.
    6. Stein, Rachel M., 2015. "War and Revenge: Explaining Conflict Initiation by Democracies," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 109(3), pages 556-573, August.
    7. Javeline, Debra, 2003. "The Role of Blame in Collective Action: Evidence from Russia," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 97(1), pages 107-121, February.
    8. Jacob M. Montgomery & Brendan Nyhan & Michelle Torres, 2018. "How Conditioning on Posttreatment Variables Can Ruin Your Experiment and What to Do about It," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 62(3), pages 760-775, July.
    9. Raymond Hicks & Dustin Tingley, 2011. "Causal mediation analysis," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 11(4), pages 605-619, December.
    10. Julia Marshall & Daniel A. Yudkin & Molly J. Crockett, 2021. "Children punish third parties to satisfy both consequentialist and retributive motives," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(3), pages 361-368, March.
    11. Joshua D. Kertzer & Thomas Zeitzoff, 2017. "A Bottom‐Up Theory of Public Opinion about Foreign Policy," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 61(3), pages 543-558, July.
    12. Press, Daryl G. & Sagan, Scott D. & Valentino, Benjamin A., 2013. "Atomic Aversion: Experimental Evidence on Taboos, Traditions, and the Non-Use of Nuclear Weapons," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 107(1), pages 188-206, February.
    13. Liberman, Peter, 2006. "An Eye for an Eye: Public Support for War Against Evildoers," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 60(3), pages 687-722, July.
    14. Tomz, Michael, 2007. "Domestic Audience Costs in International Relations: An Experimental Approach," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 61(4), pages 821-840, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Prather, Lauren, 2024. "Ideology at the Water’s Edge: Explaining Variation in Public Support for Foreign Aid," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    2. Rudolph, Lukas & Freitag, Markus & Thurner, Paul, 2021. "Deontological and Consequentialist Preferences Towards Arms Exports -- A Comparative Conjoint Experiment in France and Germany," SocArXiv r73pv_v1, Center for Open Science.
    3. Rudolph, Lukas & Freitag, Markus & Thurner, Paul, 2021. "The Comparative Legitimacy of Arms Exports - A Conjoint Experiment in Germany and France," SocArXiv r73pv, Center for Open Science.
    4. Caleb Pomeroy & Brian C Rathbun, 2024. "Just business? Moral condemnation and virtuous violence in the American and Russian mass publics," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 61(4), pages 560-575, July.
    5. Jonathan A. Chu, 2019. "A Clash of Norms? How Reciprocity and International Humanitarian Law affect American Opinion on the Treatment of POWs," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 63(5), pages 1140-1164, May.
    6. Dongshu Liu & Li Shao, 2024. "Nationalist propaganda and support for war in an authoritarian context: Evidence from China," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 61(6), pages 985-1001, November.
    7. Sangyong Son & Jong Hee Park, 2023. "Nonproliferation Information and Attitude Change: Evidence From South Korea," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 67(6), pages 1095-1127, July.
    8. Aklin, Michaël, 2021. "Do high electricity bills undermine public support for renewables? Evidence from the European Union," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    9. Brian C. Rathbun & Rachel Stein, 2020. "Greater Goods: Morality and Attitudes toward the Use of Nuclear Weapons," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 64(5), pages 787-816, May.
    10. Gomez, Miguel Alberto & Winger, Gregory, 2023. "Public Opinion and Alliance Commitments in Cybersecurity: An Attack Against All?," SocArXiv bcwhu, Center for Open Science.
    11. Gomez, Miguel Alberto & Winger, Gregory, 2023. "Public Opinion and Alliance Commitments in Cybersecurity: An Attack Against All?," SocArXiv bcwhu_v1, Center for Open Science.
    12. Wiebke Roß & Jens Weghake, 2018. "Wa(h)re Liebe: Was Online-Dating-Plattformen über zweiseitige Märkte lehren," TUC Working Papers in Economics 0017, Abteilung für Volkswirtschaftslehre, Technische Universität Clausthal (Department of Economics, Technical University Clausthal).
    13. D. Gunzler & W. Tang & N. Lu & P. Wu & X. Tu, 2014. "A Class of Distribution-Free Models for Longitudinal Mediation Analysis," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 79(4), pages 543-568, October.
    14. Sean D. Ehrlich & Christopher Gahagan, 2023. "The Multisided Threat to Free Trade: Protectionism and Fair Trade During Increasing Populism," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 11(1), pages 223-236.
    15. Rana, Arslan Tariq & Kebewar, Mazen, 2014. "The Political Economy of FDI flows into Developing Countries: Does the depth of International Trade Agreements Matter?," EconStor Preprints 91501, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    16. Christoph Dworschak, 2024. "Bias mitigation in empirical peace and conflict studies: A short primer on posttreatment variables," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 61(3), pages 462-476, May.
    17. Akinwumi Sharimakin & Rasheed O. Alao & Oluseyi Omosuyi, 2024. "Foreign remittances, deprivation and patriotism," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 753-780, February.
    18. Xiao Lin, 2020. "Feeling Is Believing? Evidence From Earthquake Shaking Experience and Insurance Demand," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 87(2), pages 351-380, June.
    19. Stefano DellaVigna, 2009. "Psychology and Economics: Evidence from the Field," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 47(2), pages 315-372, June.
    20. Hu, Shu & Das, Dhiman, 2019. "Quality of life among older adults in China and India: Does productive engagement help?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 144-153.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:compsc:v:41:y:2024:i:6:p:649-669. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://pss.la.psu.edu/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.