The Importance of Individual and Role Variables

Abstract

Adopting the decision-making approach indicates that the individual’s personality is seen to be important, but to what extent is it influential in the making of decisions? Indeed, do individuals count at all: can one person make a difference in a nation’s foreign policy? Unfortunately the whole issue of the influence of personality upon politics is still a minefield, through which the political scientist has to tread very carefully. Some experts, such as Russett,¹ believe that personality characteristics are not significant during a crisis, whilst others like Rosenau,² Greenstein³ and Brodie⁴ do believe that personality is crucial to decisions made. Others have not even thought about it. The Soviet Union places considerable weight upon the personal qualities of individual US presidents; Zhurkin stated that ‘the last word in making decisions in international crisis situations rests with the President. The old rule that “crisis is the President’s show” still holds.’⁵