Thinking and Writing: Cognitive Science and Intelligence Analysis

Abstract

The monograph has two parts: first, a survey of cognitive science as we understood it in 1984; second, suggestions for changing the way we do intelligence analysis in light of what the discipline was telling us. As I have indicated, I think the survey section holds up pretty well. While I would like to think the reader will learn something useful from immersion in all the detail (notably the diagram on page 10, which makes graphic the many elements that interactively shape our conscious mental activity), the basic concept is quite simple. The conscious mind cannot track more than about seven cognitive elements at the same time (cognitivescience jargon often refers to these elements as chunks); and to cope with this constraint, our brains constantly manipulate those elements, always at top speed and usually outside our conscious awareness.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA520873

Entities

People

  • Robert S. Sinclair

Organizations

  • Central Intelligence Agency

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Engineered Resilient Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Brain
  • Cognition
  • Cognitive Science
  • Commerce
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Economics
  • Electronic Mail
  • Health Services
  • Intelligence Analysis
  • Language
  • Linguistics
  • Mental Processes
  • Mobile Phones
  • New York
  • Psychology
  • Thinking

Readers

  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Team-Based Human-Centered Cognitive Task Decision Making and Information Performance.