SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Media Psychology
Dimensions of cognitive warfare: Applications and contexts – a systematic literature review
- JC
Juan Camilo Urazan
- EI
Ervin Iader Triana Garcia
- GA
Guillermo Arvey Orozco Becerra
- NS
Nelson Sánchez Molano
Escuela Superior de Guerra (ESDEG), BOGOTÁ D.C., Colombia
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
Abstract
Introduction: Cognitive warfare (CW) has evolved as an extension of psychological warfare and information operations, taking advantage of modern technologies and the manipulation of human behavior. This article assesses its impact on modern conflicts, highlighting specific cases in different countries to understand the strategies and their effects. Methods: A search was conducted on the Web of Science, EBSCO, Taylor & Francis, and Scopus for articles published up to October 2024December 2025, using keywords such as Cognitive Warfare, Psychological Warfare, Psychological Operations, Information Operations, PSYOPS. Two researchers selected the articles, and a third researcher resolved disagreements. Inclusion criteria were original articles in English, Spanish, or Portuguese; reported original data, case series or case reports; focused on civil-military, political-military, military-historical, military-historical, military-state issues. Results: The findings reveal that CW relies on dmisinformation and strategic narratives to shape perception, while information overload and persuasive framing influence decision-making. These strategies have been applied in conflict and public opinion management, demonstrating their impact on the way people interpret and react to information. Conclusion: Cognitive warfare (CW) is an evolving strategy that adapts to technological change, with mechanisms that vary in their identification and measurement. Its sophistication has grown with the rise of the digital ecosystem, while gaps in geographically uneven research persist. It is crucial to develop more precise methodologies and strengthen resistance to these war tactics.
Summary
Keywords
Cognitive warfare, disinformation, Information manipulation, propaganda, psychological strategy, social perception
Received
30 March 2026
Accepted
27 April 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Urazan, Triana Garcia, Orozco Becerra and Sánchez Molano. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Juan Camilo Urazan
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.