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Balance of Power and Aggression: An Experiment in Simulation

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Date Issued:
1968
Summary:
There are many theories in the field of international relations that relate the level of aggression in the international system to the distribution of power among nations. Unfortunately, most such propositions are difficult to validate or refute in the real world for which they were formulated. For this reason an experiment was devised which attempted to east two such conflicting positions, "balance of power", and "preponderance of power", into testable form. The experimental paradigm employed was a modified version of the two person mixed-motive game developed at the Systems Analysis Corporation, Santa Monica, California. Fifty-four subjects participa ted in the experiment. Twenty-seven subjects were placed into each of three treatment conditions: "balance of power": "moderate-inequality of power"; and "preponderant-inequality of power". In the "balance of power" condition all subjects were allotted twenty shocks. In the "moderate- inequality of power condition" one subject received twenty- five shocks while his dyadic partner received fifteen shocks. In the "preponderant-inequality of power" one subject received thirty shocks while his dyadic partner received ten shocks. All subjects played a total of fifteen games. A count was made of each subjects responses on eight game-play variables which were viewed as indices of cooperative or aggressive behavior. Additional data were also gathered with respect to each subjects sex, academic aptttude and attitudinal attributes. The purpose of the additional data was to identify variables, other than the treatment condition, affecting game behavior. Thus, facilitating future experimentation. The results of this research indicate that balanced situations tend to produce more cooperative non-aggressive behavior, while imbalances of power tend to generate less cooperative and more aggressive behavi.or. In addition, a balanced situation, when compared to the imbalanced situations, was found to increase the likelihood of participants never employing shock capabilities. Both this experiment and a pilot experiment found de-escalation cycles diffficult to instigate and unlikely to develop from natural causes. Finally, attitudinal, sex, and SCAT data did not appear to be meaningful factors in explaining game play. However, post-experiment sample data indiciated these factors must receive continued attention in future research.
Title: Balance of Power and Aggression: An Experiment in Simulation.
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Name(s): Tindell, James O.
Vincent, Jack E., Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Department of Political Science
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 1968
Date Issued: 1968
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 93 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: There are many theories in the field of international relations that relate the level of aggression in the international system to the distribution of power among nations. Unfortunately, most such propositions are difficult to validate or refute in the real world for which they were formulated. For this reason an experiment was devised which attempted to east two such conflicting positions, "balance of power", and "preponderance of power", into testable form. The experimental paradigm employed was a modified version of the two person mixed-motive game developed at the Systems Analysis Corporation, Santa Monica, California. Fifty-four subjects participa ted in the experiment. Twenty-seven subjects were placed into each of three treatment conditions: "balance of power": "moderate-inequality of power"; and "preponderant-inequality of power". In the "balance of power" condition all subjects were allotted twenty shocks. In the "moderate- inequality of power condition" one subject received twenty- five shocks while his dyadic partner received fifteen shocks. In the "preponderant-inequality of power" one subject received thirty shocks while his dyadic partner received ten shocks. All subjects played a total of fifteen games. A count was made of each subjects responses on eight game-play variables which were viewed as indices of cooperative or aggressive behavior. Additional data were also gathered with respect to each subjects sex, academic aptttude and attitudinal attributes. The purpose of the additional data was to identify variables, other than the treatment condition, affecting game behavior. Thus, facilitating future experimentation. The results of this research indicate that balanced situations tend to produce more cooperative non-aggressive behavior, while imbalances of power tend to generate less cooperative and more aggressive behavi.or. In addition, a balanced situation, when compared to the imbalanced situations, was found to increase the likelihood of participants never employing shock capabilities. Both this experiment and a pilot experiment found de-escalation cycles diffficult to instigate and unlikely to develop from natural causes. Finally, attitudinal, sex, and SCAT data did not appear to be meaningful factors in explaining game play. However, post-experiment sample data indiciated these factors must receive continued attention in future research.
Identifier: FA00012599 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1968.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Subject(s): Aggressiveness (Psychology)
Balance of power
Psychology--Experiments
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012599
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.