DESIGNED DISORIENTATION The Cognitive Architecture of Genuine International Development
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This paper examines why international experience frequently fails to produce genuine intercultural competence, despite significant organizational investment. Drawing on Kahneman’s dual-process theory and Mezirow’s transformative learning framework, it argues that exposure without cognitive infrastructure reinforces existing biases rather than transforming them. The paper identifies the cognitive mechanism underlying this failure—System 1 dominance under cognitive load—and outlines four structural conditions required for transformation: cognitive preparation, structured sensemaking, genuine engagement, and re-entry integration. It further introduces the concept of “designed disorientation” as a necessary condition for meaningful international development and proposes implications for talent management and program design.
Author: Szwarc, Sandra Monica
Language: English
Subfield: Communication
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7153989779
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