Reporting on a content analysis of speeches and interviews of Soviet Politburo members, this study provides an initial assessment of the personal characteristics of these political leaders. The characteristics examined are ethnocentrism, belief in one's own ability to control events, need for power, need for affiliation, conceptual complexity, self-confidence, distrust of others, and task orientation. In addition to describing Politburo members and exploring the impact of situational variables on their personal characteristics, interrelations are reported between these characteristics and background data as well as position on detente.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
1. Rush, M.Succession in the U.S.S.R. In Analytic Support Center Symposium, Perspectives on national leadership succession. Washington, DC: Mathematica, June 1975.
2.
2. Walker, S. G.Cognitive maps and international realities: Henry A. Kissinger's operational code. Presented at the meeting of the American Political Science Association, San Francisco, California. September 1975.
3.
3. Holsti, O. R."The "operational code" as an approach to the analysis of belief systems (Report to the National Science Foundation). Durham, NC: Duke University, December 1977.
4.
4. Shure, G. H., & Meeker, R. J.A personality/attitude schedule for use in experimental bargaining studies (Report TM-2543). Santa Monica, California: Systems Development Corporation, 1965.
5.
5. Stewart, P. D.Understanding Soviet elite perceptions of East-West relations: A new approach and preliminary findings. Presented at the Kremlinology Conference, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, May 1979.
6.
Atkinson, J. W.Motives in fantasy, action and society. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1958.
7.
Axelrod, R.Structure of decision: The cognitive maps of political elites. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1976.
8.
Bales, R. F.Interaction process analysis. Cambridge, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1951.
9.
Barghoorn, F. C.Trends in top political leadership in U.S.S.R. In R. B. Farrell (Ed.), Political leadership in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Chicago: AVC, 1970.
10.
Byars, R. S.The task/affect quotient . Comparative Political Studies, 1972, 5, 109-120.
11.
Byars, R. S.Small-group theory and shifting styles of political leadership , Comparative Political Studies, 1973, 5, 443-469.
12.
Current Soviet Leaders, 1976, 3, 3-7.
13.
George, A. L.The "operational code": A neglected approach to the study of political leaders and decision making . International Studies Quarterly, 1969, 13, 190-222.
14.
Hermann, M. G.A psychological examination of political leaders. New York: Free Press, 1977.
15.
Hermann, M. G.Effects of personal characteristics of political leaders on foreign policy. In M. A. East, S. A. Salmore, & C. F. Hermann (Eds.), Why Nations Act. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage, 1978.
16.
Hermann, M. G.Who becomes a political leader? Some societal and regime influences on selection of a head of state. In L. Falkowski (Ed.), Psychological models in international politics. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1979.
17.
Hermann, M. G.Explaining foreign policy behavior using personal characteristics of political leaders . International Studies Quarterly, 1980, 24, 7-46.
18.
Hermann, M. G. , & Kogan, N.Personality and negotiating behavior. In D. Druckman (Ed.), Negotiations: Social-psychological perspectives. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage, 1977.
19.
Hodgson, J. H.The problem of succession. In P. Cocks, R. V. Daniels, & N. W. Heer (Eds.), The dynamics of Soviet politics. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1967.
20.
Holsti, O. R.The "operational code" approach to the study of political leaders: John Foster Dulles' philosophical and instrumental beliefs . Canadian Journal of Political Science, 1970, 3, 123-155.
21.
Lasswell, H. D.Psychopathology and politics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1930.
22.
Lasswell, H. D.Power and personality. New York: W. W. Norton, 1948.
23.
LeVine, R. & Campbell, D. T.Ethnocentrism. New York: John Wiley, 1972.
24.
linden, C. A.Khrushchev and the Soviet leadership: 1957-1964. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1966.
25.
McClelland, D. C.The achieving society. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1961.
26.
Newsweek. Brezhnev's stand-in. November 12, 1979, 61-62.
27.
Rakowska-Harmstone, T.Toward a theory of Soviet leadership maintenance. In P. Cocks, R. V. Daniels, & N. W. Heer (Eds.), The dynamics of Soviet politics. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1976.
28.
Rosenblatt, P. C.Origins and effects of group ethnocentrism and nationalism . Journal of Conflict Resolution, 1964, 8, 131-146.
29.
Rotter, J. B.Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement . Psychological Monographs, 1966, 80, (1, Whole No. 609).
30.
Scott, W. A.Reliability of content analysis: The case of nominal scale coding . Public Opinion Quarterly, 1955, 19, 321-325.
31.
Stewart, P. D.Attitudes of regional Soviet political leaders: Toward understanding the potential for change. In M. G. Hermann (Ed.), A psychological examination of political leaders. New York: Free Press, 1977.
32.
Stogdill, R. M.Handbook of leadership research. New York: Free Press, 1974.
33.
Thordarson, B.Trudeau and foreign policy: A study in decision-making. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1972.
34.
Tucker, R. C.The dictator and totalitarianism . World Politics, 1965, 17, 55-83.
35.
Vannoy, J. S.Generality of cognitive complexity-simplicity as a personality construct . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1965, 2, 385-396.
36.
Winter, D. G.The power motive. New York: Free Press, 1973.
37.
Winter, D. G. , & Stewart, A. J.Content analysis as a technique for assessing political leaders. In M. G. Hermann (Ed.), A psychological examination of political leaders. New York: Free Press, 1977.
38.
Ziller, R. C.The social selfNew York: Pergamon, 1973.
39.
Ziller, R. C. , Stone, W. F., Jackson, R. M., & Terbovic, N. J.Self-other orientations and political behavior. In M. G. Hermann (Ed.), A psychological examination of political leaders. New York: Free Press, 1977.
