Work

War is a mind game: countering weaponised information

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Cognitive warfare is the weaponisation of information that exploits natural cognitive vulnerabilities to disrupt, manipulate and control individuals’ perceptions of reality. NATO’s current countermeasures, such as pre-bunking, strategic communications, and trust-building efforts, don’t fully address the deeper psychological and cognitive vulnerabilities targeted in cognitive warfare. In addition to common cognitive vulnerabilities like emotions, cognitive biases, and uncertainty, other critical traits are being exploited on the cognitive battlefield to manipulate and control vulnerable individuals.

Source: Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18151674

Authors: Havlik, Marek, Horacek, Jiri

Institutions: National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Mental Health

Language: English

Topic: Misinformation and Its Impacts

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy, Grantová Agentura České Republiky, Agentura Pro Zdravotnický Výzkum České Republiky

Awards: Impact of media news on mental health: cognitive and neural mechanisms, G4915646155, G6122881674