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Exploitation of psychological processes in information influence operations: Insights from cognitive science

close up of nerv cells

Phenomena such as disinformation and propaganda have been widely studied across various academic disciplines, each offering unique perspectives on their causes, mechanisms, and effects. These disciplines include, for instance, political science, media & communication studies, philosophy, computer science, and military science. Despite the breadth of research, cognitive science appears to be underrepresented in this research landscape – particularly in studies conducted within the Nordic countries. Overall, cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and emotional responses are often exploited by influence operations, and understanding these processes offers insight into points of vulnerability.

The report Exploitation of Psychological Processes in Information Influence Operations: Insights from Cognitive Science explores how cognitive science can enhance and inform research on information influence by emphasizing the human factors that should be considered in this context. By integrating principles from cognitive science, we can gain insights into how individuals process information, form beliefs, and make decisions in response to information manipulation. This interdisciplinary approach seeks to generate new ideas for studying, analysing, and understanding the impact of disinformation and related phenomena. While this report does not aim to provide an exhaustive list of these research areas, it offers a starting point for understanding cognitive mechanisms at play.