Thou shalt not kill: social psychological processes and international humanitarian law among combatants

We report findings from an empirical study (N = 339) of the attitudes and behavior of combatants from four conflict-ridden countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Republic of the Congo, and Colombia) who were surveyed by delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The study focuses on violations of international humanitarian law (IHL), with a specific emphasis on violence against other human beings. Results indicate that having been victim of violence is positively associated with violent behavior committed in the past, notably by making it more likely for the combatant to be a volunteer in an armed group, rather than a recruit. Also, status of the combatants (volunteer vs. recruited), having committed violations in the past, and knowledge of IHL, jointly predict intentions to respect IHL in the future. Finally, we find that the self-justification processes of demonization of the enemy predicts lower intention to respect IHL, but high knowledge of IHL can act as a remedy.