From January to May 2026, WBN Program Coordinator Lejla Salihagić Batrićević completed a research stay at the Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain.
The visit focused on exploring cognitive processes relevant to cognitive warfare and on developing an experimental paradigm for future collaborative research. It also provided an opportunity to examine how cognitive psychology and neuroscience can contribute to understanding contemporary security challenges.
As today’s information environment becomes increasingly contested, cognitive warfare has emerged as an important area of research within security studies. Unlike conventional forms of conflict, cognitive warfare seeks to influence how people perceive, interpret and respond to information, ultimately shaping beliefs, decision-making and behaviour through strategic communication, disinformation and other influence activities.
Addressing these challenges requires an interdisciplinary approach. Cognitive psychology and neuroscience offer valuable insights into how memory, attention and belief systems shape information processing, providing new perspectives on resilience against information manipulation, foreign influence operations and hybrid threats.
The research stay laid the groundwork for future interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of experimental research at the intersection of cognitive science and contemporary security.
