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4 - Egocentric Bias in Perceptions of Customary International Law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2021

By
Ryan M. Scoville
Edited by
Harlan Grant Cohen  and
Timothy Meyer
Harlan Grant Cohen
Affiliation:
University of Georgia
Timothy Meyer
Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University, Tennessee
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Summary

A substantial body of research in social psychology suggests that egocentric biases inhibit individuals’ ability to discern norms. This chapter identifies and explains two of those biases - the False Consensus Effect and the False Uniqueness Effect - and then explores their relevance and implications for efforts to identify customary international law (CIL). Among other things, the analysis offers insights on the persistent objector rule, the origins and evolution of CIL, and the merits of rational choice models of state action.

Keywords

International lawcustomary international lawegocentric biasnormsinterdisciplinary analysisfalse consensus effectfalse uniqueness effectsocial psychology
Type
Chapter
Information
International Law as Behavior , pp. 74 - 97
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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