Problem: Cognitive security refers to protecting humans from information-based threats that aim to disrupt cognitive processes such as reasoning and decision making. While the concept has received growing attention, research on topics relating to cognitive security suffers from several challenges: First, cognitive security is poorly conceptualized, lacking a consistent definition and clear, coherent specification of indicators. Research relevant to cognitive security is highly fragmented within and between different scientific fields. Further, cognitive security is particularly difficult to disentangle when we consider the complex (and understudied) ways that the information density spectrum affects decision-making. For example, the unique cognitive security challenges posed by low-information density environments such as space and the arctic are likely to be very different from high-information density environments such as heterogenous Human-Agent Teams operating with maximum communication and information density channels.
Technical approach and roadmap:听To address these challenges, our goal is to support humans to maintain cognitive security across a range of information density environments in a variety of operational environments. Our proposed research has five interconnected objectives, which are depicted in the Figure below.
Objective 1) involves human-centered interviews and focus groups with subject matter experts who have unique experiences in the cognitive security domain, in both information sparse, and information rich environments.听 Objective 2) is focused on developing a framework that can identify, define, and map discipline-specific concepts, theories, and methods related to cognitive security and information density to their counterparts in other fields. 听Objective 3) involves empirical studies with high fidelity sensors in lab settings that are designed to populate (and test) our theoretical framework through a myriad of experiments using our team鈥檚 extensive suites of multimodal neurophysiological sensing modalities (e.g., fMRI, fNIRS, eyetracking). These studies will also be designed to investigate cognitive resilience and risk mitigation techniques that relate to cognitive security. In Objective 4) we develop an interactive machine learning model with a deep learning architecture. The model will be trained on the large and robust datasets collected in objective 3, and used to model mental states and behavioral outcomes related to cognitive security. Objective 5) is focused on exploring the design of 鈥楽martX鈥� (鈥渟mart everything鈥�) prototypes that monitor individuals鈥� cognitive security relevant states and adapt in real-time to support individuals at high risk of a cognitive security breach. These exploratory devices leverage low-cost off-the-shelf sensors and are deployed and tested in the field. Last, our team will test and evaluate the research products from all of these objectives through qualitative and quantitative field testing a number of relevant field environments.
DoD Impact: This work addresses the DoD鈥檚 critical priority of achieving an information advantage in strategic, peer-level competition and grey-zone conflict (Operations in the Information Environment Strategic Plan 2022-2026). Our research will impact national policies and inform the DoD鈥檚 strategic vision for human development (e.g., education and training), technology development, and the integration of humans and technology in more advanced sociotechnical systems. Our results will examine and help form future military decision-making. State and non-state actors are already engaged to influence global citizens to achieve particular goals in the information environment. Our research will be critically relevant to advance knowledge about cognitive security in a wide variety of environments, including cyber, space, and all-domain operations, to influence others based on social, cultural, neurophysiological, psychological, and physical elements.