The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Adam Fivenson of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) discusses his co-authored piece: Shielding Democracy: Civil Society Adaptations to Kremlin Disinformation about Ukraine. Research Questions: Adam Fivenson suggests an interested student examine How will the many changes taking place in our information ecosystem impact the 50+ national elections coming between now and the end of 2024? Based on their prior actions and their efforts around the world, how might authoritarian actors take advantage of our evolving information space to spread divisive narratives that harm democracy? Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #151 Daniel Runde on Chinese Soft Power Shielding Democracy: Civil Society Adaptations to Kremlin Disinformation about Ukraine by Adam Fivenson, Galyna Petrenko, Veronika Víchová, and Andrej Poleščuk We Are Social 2023 Digital Report European Union Digital Services Act Russian War Report (Atlantic Council) Russian War Report: DFRLab releases investigations on Russian info ops before and after the invasion by the Digital Forensic Research Lab Other reports German Marshall Fund's Civic Information Handbook DFRLab's Narrative Warfare and Undermining Ukraine reports Atlantic Council: Scaling Trust on the Web Ukrainian counter-disinfo organizations Detector Media-Ukrainian journalists focused on countering Russian info ops StopFake-Ukrainian fact checkers Vox Ukraine-Ukrainian fact checkers and news organization Ukraine Crisis Media Center-Ukrainian news organizations Other European organizations doing work to counter disinformation European Values-Czech advocacy group Political Capital-Hungarian think thanks and advocacy group Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights-Polish advocacy group GLOBSEC-Slovakian think tank LAC-based organization: Chequeado-Argentine fact checkers with LAC-wide network Counter Disinfo Networks National Democratic Institute's (NDI) Disinformation Hub International Republic Institute's (IRI) BEACON project Zinc Network's Open Information Partnership German Marshall Fund's Black Sea Trust Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: Adam Fivenson is the senior program officer for information space integrity at the National Endowment for Democracy's International Forum for Democratic Studies, where he conducts research on the integrity in the information space and countering authoritarian information activities. Prior to joining the Forum, Adam advised political figures, governments, and international non-profits on communication, technology and data strategy, and led ethnographic research missions on the impact of new technologies on societies across four continents. He holds an MS from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and a BA from the University of Michigan. Follow him on Twitter: @afivenson. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Mike Vera discusses health-related propaganda and personal standard operating procedures (SOP) which minimize bad health habits and malign influence effectiveness. Research Question: Mike Vera suggests research into crowd psychology and the ability for AI to change minds on deeply held beliefs. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #91 Denver Dill on the Arts Mike Vera's Website Deindividuation Edward Bernays The Crowd: A study of the Popular Mind by Gustave Le Bon The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande Propaganda by Edward Bernays Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: Mike Vera is a Board-Certified Health Coach holding a Master's of Science degree specialized in Sport Psychology, Performance Enhancement, and Injury Prevention. As the founder of Red Pill Health & Wellness, he is fervently dedicated to debunking health myths and empowering individuals with scientifically accurate information. Beyond this, Mike is the creator of the 'Red Pill Your Health' program and the host of the 'Healthy & Awake' podcast. His unparalleled approach centers on understanding the influence of propaganda, guiding clients in controlling their environment and thoughts to achieve their health objectives. A staunch advocate for critical thinking, Mike's philosophy stands as a beacon for those eager to assert control over their well-being. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Mr. Kevin Gates discusses IPA's accomplishments over the past few years during his tenure as IPA's President. He also discusses IPA's search for his replacement. Find a link for more information about IPA's President search on IPA's homepage; applications are due no later than 15 Oct 2023. IPA will announce the new President in Dec 2023. Research Question: Kevin Gates suggests an interested student examine how strategic culture affects our approach to operating in the information environment (MISO, persuasion, deception, marketing, everything)? Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #76 Yuval Levin on the Constitution & Institutions #62 Jonathan Rauch on the Constitution of Knowledge Global Psychological Conflict by Ralph Sanders and Fred R. Brown A Psychological Warfare Casebook by Professor William E. Daugherty Cooperation and Competition Among Primitive Peoples by Margaret Mead Cocaine and Rhinestones podcast with Tyler Mahan Coe Propaganda Universe Youtube Channel Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: Kevin Gates is a Professional Staff Member with the Senate Armed Services Committee since March 2022, with a portfolio that includes DoD S&T programs and acquisition policy. Prior to that since December 2017, Kevin Gates was serving as the Vice President for Advanced Concepts at Strategic Analysis, Inc, a professional technology services and consulting company. In that role, he is responsible for managing a corporate division with contracts across the Navy, Defense Health Agency and Office of the Secretary of Defense. He had day-to-day responsibility for managing contracts and workforce across the division, as well as articulating and pursuing a strategy for maintaining high standards of customer service, and growth into new technology sectors and customer sets. He also provided direct client support to the Director of the Defense Laboratories & Personnel Office in USD(R&E), the Defense Science Board, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane in the areas of microelectronics, spectrum warfare, hypersonics and strengthening the innovation ecosystem. Prior to that role, he worked as a Professional Staff Member for the House Armed Services Committee since March 2007, responsible for the Information Technology (IT) and cyber operations portfolio, as well as the Science and Technology (S&T) portfolio. He previously worked for 8 years at Strategic Analysis, Inc of Arlington, Virginia for a variety of clients within the DoD science & technology community (including DARPA, ONR and the Defense Science Board), as well as the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency within DHS(S&T) and the intelligence community. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with BAs in History and International Studies, and has a MA from Georgetown University's Security Studies Program. He is the co-author of a chapter on critical infrastructure protection in Volume III of Homeland Security: Protecting America's Targets, James Forest (ed.), 2006. He also served as an industry advisor to the Acquisition Innovation Research Center (since January 2021), a member of the Laboratories Assessment Board for the National Academy of Science (since March 2021), Engineering and Medicine, and President of the Board of Trustees for the Information Professionals Association (since December 2018), a 501(c)(6) supporting education and workforce development for the information warfare and cognitive security community. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

US Army COL John Agnello discusses the Army's pursuits related to Information Advantage. They explore the meaning and functions of Information Advantage, the Theater Information Advantage Detachment concept, creating exercises for operations in the information environment, the importance of relationships, and the significance of space, OSINT, and cybernetics in achieving Information Advantage.

Guest Aaron Schmidt, an expert on incorporating the information environment into military exercises, discusses the challenges and contradictions of incorporating the 'information environment' into exercises. He also highlights the lack of expertise in national power instruments and the complexities within the information environment. The podcast emphasizes the importance of humility, honesty, clear expectations, and incorporating information exercises in creating a suitable information environment for training and evaluation.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Wing Commander Shane Rutherford discusses his Joint Forces Staff College, Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS) thesis entitled: Back to the Future: Political Paralysis Cost Britain America, What Will it Cost the United States? His thesis received the Paul Cerjan distinguished writing award from the National Defense University. The year is 1763 and despite presiding over a vast commercial and political empire, Britain's. parliament has failed to embrace the buds of what will eventually become understood as collective responsibility. Instead, the British government is characterized by paralysis and polarization. Worse, the government has been exposed by separate internal factions that are infatuated with economic speculation, personal power, wealth, status, and estate. Consequently, the common ground could only be found in a common enemy, leading to strategic mistakes, such as the mistreatment of allies and partners that would prove catastrophic at Yorktown some two decades later. The Colonies are mistaken as a periphery issue, debated infrequently in the Houses of Parliament, and in 1765, it elects to pass a taxation law without deliberation, known as the Stamp Duty Act, that lights the tinderbox of rebellion in America. Concurrently struggling with the application of a constitutional monarchy, a deteriorating political situation set the stage for the abuse of executive power. The conditions were set for catastrophic strategic failure. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #83 Joseph Lee on Jung and Archetypes Thesis: Back to the Future: Political Paralysis Cost Britain America, What Will it Cost the United States? By Shane Rutherford DeLorean time machine Robert Walpole South Sea Company Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: Wing Commander Rutherford is prior-enlisted, joining the Royal Air Force in November 1999, and later commissioned in January 2007. His command assignments include Director of Operations and Executive Officer, No 39 Squadron, and Deputy Head of Strategy Division at the Combined Air Operations Center, Shaw AFB. In March 2021 he led the execution of Red Flag 21-3 as Chief of Combat Operations. He is a former Tornado GR4 WSO and MQ-9 Reaper operator. He flew combat missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. His staff assignments include Programme Management positions in rapid capability and traditional procurement, specializing in RPAS. Wing Commander Rutherford is a Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy. He recently graduated from the U.S. Joint Forces Staff College, Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS). About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Contributor to Tablet Magazine, Jake Siegel, discusses the hoax of the century and the attempts by elites to control free speech. He reflects on the flawed approach to nation-building in Afghanistan and explores the exaggerated claims of collusion and social media infiltration. The podcast also delves into influence operations, technological homogenization, and the impact of AI on creative problem-solving.

This podcast episode features Meredith Wilson discussing the complexities companies face today, including Chinese export controls, the Russia/Ukraine War, ESG dynamics, and government policies. They also touch upon US international traffic and arms regulations, Disney's resiliency agenda, and research topics on corporate threat intelligence and risk in China and Russia. The episode offers book recommendations on political risk, reputation risk, and understanding AI's impact on society.

Marine Corps Maj Max Nauta discusses his Master's thesis on Multinational Operations in Strategic Competition. Topics include: US influence in Latin America and the Caribbean, gray zone activities of China and Russia, transparency and cooperation activities of US Forces, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force, interdisciplinary perspectives, deployments to Central America, China's global engagement, AI and ML for narratives, and the influence of AI and machine learning on the social sciences.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Christopher Paul and Mike Williams discuss the new Journal of Cognitive Security–a double-blind peer reviewed publication concerned with influence and protection from influence of large groups of media users and consumers both online and offline. Cognitive Security focuses on (1) the exploitation of cognitive biases in large public groups, (2) social influence as an end unto itself and (3) formality and quantitative measurement. The Journal of Cognitive Security will address the impact of the increasing volume and variability of information available to anyone with a handheld device, the speed with which information is replicated, spread, and processed to anyone with the means to access the internet-protocol driven world and the ubiquity of handheld telecommunications and the resulting interactions of those pressures on societal change. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #20 Christopher Paul on the Firehose of Falsehood #128 Matt Armstrong and Christopher Paul on the U.S. Information Agency and Foreign Policy Website: Journal of Cognitive Security Questions or comments please email Mike Williams: mwilliams@cogsecjournal.com Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-160 Guest Bio: Michael Williams is a retired Army Information Operations officer. Following his retirement in 2006, Mike became an advisor to the Information Operations policy office in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence then the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy and worked on Secretary Gates' program review of IO among many other projects over a seven year period. Since leaving his advisory position, he has become a Senior Analyst for Cognitive Performance Group which focuses on analyzing decision-making and developing models of expertise in support of training and leader development in DoD. Mike was the Executive Director of IPA during its formative period and currently supports IPA's efforts to build a new journal and the planning and execution of events for IPA members and the Cognitive Security community. Mike also owns a real estate brokerage in a small town in the Finger Lakes region of central New York where he makes his home. Dr. Christopher Paul is a Senior Social Scientist at the RAND Corporation. He also teaches in the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Christopher provides research support related to operations in the information environment, information warfare, counterpropaganda, cyber operations, and related policy to a range of Department of Defense and U.S. Government offices, organizations, and commands. His work has influenced defense doctrine and policy in the United States and internationally. Prior to joining RAND full-time in July of 2002, he worked at RAND as adjunct staff for six years. Chris received his Ph.D. in sociology from UCLA in 2001; he spent academic year 2001-02 on the UCLA statistics faculty. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.