His research explores how the belief systems of policy makers can shape the process of decision making and subsequent foreign policy actions including: the dynamics of presidential advisory systems, reactions to security crises, and responses by the leaders of allied countries to great power conflict engagements. His work has appeared in the journals Political Psychology, Foreign Policy Analysis and Political Communication. Professor Marfleet is also interested in undergraduate pedagogy and has published in the Journal of Political Science Education. Along with Carleton Professor Barbara Allen, he received the 2006 Rowman and Littlefield Award for excellence in undergraduate teaching, the highest teaching award recognized by the American Political Science Association.