The Three-Stage Trust Regulation Model: A Framework for Social Resilience Against Cognitive Warfare

Mousavinia, Seyedmohammadjavad; Hassanpoor, Hossein

The Three-Stage Trust Regulation Model: A Framework for Social Resilience Against Cognitive Warfare

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Shahid Chamran Univercity of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

² Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Medical Technologies, Faculty of Engineering Modern Technologies, Amol University of special Modern Technologies

Abstract

In recent years, cognitive warfare has emerged as a serious threat to social cohesion and the stability of democratic institutions. This study aims to examine the critical role of developing social resilience, with a particular focus on public trust, in countering the challenges posed by cognitive warfare. Employing a qualitative approach and systematic content analysis, data were collected through a review of research literature and strategic documents published between 1990 and 2024. Findings indicate that cognitive warfare, through psychological operations and the dissemination of misinformation, undermines trust at social, political, and organizational levels, thereby weakening social capital. In contrast, regulated trust—resulting from targeted interventions in the cycle of building, managing, and revising trust—contributes to the restoration of damaged trust and the strengthening of social resilience. Ultimately, the proposed three-stage trust regulation model is introduced as an intervention-oriented tool for policymakers, enhancing societal resistance to cognitive threats and ensuring social sustainability.

Keywords