On April 9, the Directorate General for Defence Policy of the Federal Ministry of Defence hosted the first “Cognitive – Warfare, Security and Resilience” symposium at the Rossauer Barracks in Vienna. The event provided an overview of the challenges in the cognitive space that arise in view of technological developments and the shift of conflicts to non-physical and hybrid areas.
The focus was on the question of human influenceability: how human behavior and decision-making processes can be specifically controlled by individuals, groups or institutions. The aim was to initiate a national and societal discourse on cognitive space, taking into account both civilian and military aspects.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner said: “In an increasingly networked world, the forms of conflict are changing – they are shifting more and more into the digital space and affecting people’s perceptions and decisions. It is crucial that we address the possibilities of influence in order to protect our society. Only through open dialog on these issues can we prepare for the challenges of the future.”
As an introduction, Max Gottschlich, university lecturer at the Catholic Private University of Linz, presented reflections on the pursuit of control over language and consciousness. Following on from this, Ferdinand Gehringer, a speaker at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, explained the security and defense policy aspects of the cognitive dimension. Physician Kristina Gugg presented neurotechnological possibilities of influence, which biotechnologist Markus Schmidt supplemented with biotechnological approaches. Kurosch Yazdi-Zorn from the Kepler University Hospital in Linz explained the human reward system and the inner conflict between short-term satisfaction of needs and long-term goals. In the concluding panel discussion, key findings were brought together and discussed with regard to social resilience.
In the Austrian Armed Forces, Section I – Directorate General for Defense Policy, the Directorate of Communications and the Military Strategy Division deal with the topic of the cognitive dimension. The aim is to systematically record its significance and anchor its role in a comprehensive overall security and defense policy strategy. In view of the cross-divisional relevance, it can be assumed that other organizational units – such as the Army Psychological Service or Directorate 6 – ICT & Cyber – will also be more closely involved in the future.
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