Karen_A._Mingst,_Ivan_M._Arregu_n-Toft]_Essentia

Foreign Policy Elites: Individuals Who  Matter 187

PErsonalIty CharaCtErIstICs

oF lEadErs

FIGU rE 6.2

Personality Characteristics of Leaders

Perception of control:

Nationalism:

Need for power:

Need for affiliation:

Conceptual complexity:

belief in ability to control events; high

degree of control over situations; governments

able to influence state and nation

strong emotional ties to nation; emphasis on

national honor and dignity

need to establish, maintain, and project

power or influence over others

concern for establishing and maintaining

friendly relationships with others

ability to discuss with other people places,

policies, ideas in a discerning way

feelings of doubt, uneasiness about others;

doubt about motives and actions of others

Distrust of others:

Foreign Policy Orientations

Independent leader:

Participatory leader:

high in nationalism

high in perception of control

high in need for power

low in conceptual complexity

high in distrust of others

low in nationalism

low in perception of control

high in need for affiliation

high in conceptual complexity

low in distrust of others

Source: Margaret G. Hermann, “Explaining Foreign Policy Be hav ior Using the Personal Characteristics

of Po liti cal Leaders,” International Studies Quarterly 24:1 (March 1980): 7–46.