Theory of Mind, Persuasion, and Cognitive Security with Dr. Kara Masick | CSI #28

Cognitive Security is a term now used in national security contexts by information professionals engaged in both offensive operations abroad (such as influence operations supporting strategic communications) and defensive missions (primarily concerned with countering foreign malign influence). In this talk, I will first share the significance of psychology’s Theory of Mind (ToM) to persuasion 'offense' and then share my hypothesis about the significance of robustly developed ToMs for 'defense' - particularly from operations designed to sow and amplify discord and polarization. Major Kara Masick, PhD is an active-duty Air Force Information Operations Officer (14F) specializing in Psychological Operations (PSYOPs) who was the first 14F officially assigned to the J39 of Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber). She was sponsored by USSOCOM to study Psychology and did that within GMU's Measurement Research methodology Evaluation and Statistics Lab with a dissertation on persuasion. Dr. Kara Masick's interview on The Cognitive Crucible.    • #174 Kara Masick on Assessment Insights fr...