Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Belief Rigidity As A Viable Target In The Peaceful Resolution Of Enduring Conflict, Bianca Slocombe, Colin Wastell

New England Journal of Public Policy

Strategies for conflict resolution typically rest on an assumption that disputing parties consist of rational actors motivated by instrumental concerns. But the theoretical framework of the devoted actor explains that adherence to sacred values, fusion with a group, and the perception of threat interact to predict costly actions detached from the rational calculation of gain and loss. This article discusses an ongoing research program that aims to inform potential interventions in costly sacrifice at the level of belief adherence—the capacity to decrease an actor’s perceived understanding of a rigid belief may prevent or reduce his or her willingness to act …