Shooting From the Hip: The Counterintuitively Intuitive Nature of Deterrence

Brian C. Rathbun, Caleb Pomeroy, Joshua D. Kertzer, Munk School of Global Affairs , Public Policy, University of Toronto, Department of Political Science and Munk School of Global Affairs , Public Policy, University of Toronto, Department of Government, Harvard University

Journal of Conflict Resolution

Published online on June 23, 2026

Abstract

Journal of Conflict Resolution, Ahead of Print.
Much if not most of human judgment is intuitive rather than reflective, but what types of behaviors result from non-deliberative as opposed to deliberative choice? We argue that for evolutionary reasons, intuition favors retaliatory aggression and a ...