Interoceptive sensitivity as a proxy for emotional intensity and its relationship with perseverative cognition

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cybersecurity
• Military Science

Background:

• Military cyber defense advancements increase cognitive load on personnel.
• The impact of emotion on decision-making in cyber operations is under-researched.
• Perseverative cognition is linked to altered interoceptive sensitivity in clinical populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the psychophysiological correlation with perseverative cognitions in cyber military personnel.
• To investigate interoceptive sensitivity in cyber officers experiencing stressful situations.
• To test the hypothesis of decreased interoceptive sensitivity in officers with high perseverative cognition.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 27 cyber officer cadets was studied.
• The study assessed psychophysiological responses and perseverative cognitions.
• Correlational analysis was used to examine the relationship between factors.

Main Results:

• The study found no statistically significant relationship between perseverative cognition and interoceptive sensitivity.
• Contrary to the initial hypothesis, decreased interoceptive sensitivity was not observed in officers with high perseverative cognition.

Conclusions:

• Cyber officers may exhibit distinct cognitive and emotional processing characteristics.
• The unique demands of the cyber domain might attract individuals with specific psychological profiles.
• Further research is needed to understand the unique cognitive and emotional profiles of cyber military personnel.