What possible reason could Petrov or those in similar situations have had for not pushing the button? Maybe he believed that the US would retaliate and kill his family at home, and that deterred him. In other words, he believed his enemy would push the button.
Or maybe he just did not want to kill millions of people?
In Petrov’s case in particular, the new satellite-based early warning system was unproven so he didn’t completely trust it, and he didn’t believe a US first strike would use only one missile, or later, only four more, instead of hundreds. Furthermore, ground radar didn’t confirm. And, of course, attacking on a false alarm would be suicidal because he believed the Enemy would push the button, so striking first “just in case”, failed his cost-benefit analysis.
Or maybe he just did not want to kill millions of people?
In Petrov’s case in particular, the new satellite-based early warning system was unproven so he didn’t completely trust it, and he didn’t believe a US first strike would use only one missile, or later, only four more, instead of hundreds. Furthermore, ground radar didn’t confirm. And, of course, attacking on a false alarm would be suicidal because he believed the Enemy would push the button, so striking first “just in case”, failed his cost-benefit analysis.
It was not “just” a commitment to pacifism.