Satisfaction and State (Mis)Behavior: The Relationship between State Behaviors toward International Organizations and Status Quo Evaluations

Satisfaction is poorly conceptualized in international relations and as a result is poorly measured. Following an extensive review of IR literature, a new theory of the role satisfaction plays in IR is developed along with a new measurement of status quo evaluations centered on state interactions with International Organizations. The theory is tested using the new measure and primarily logistic and multinomial logistic regression statistical techniques to find the effects of satisfaction on conflict initiation, conflict settlement, and what happens when dissatisfied states attempt to alter the international system. Most hypotheses are found to be correct, that satisfaction matters to conflict initiation, how certain types of conflict are settled, and under what conditions new International Organizations will be promoted by dissatisfied states.