The dark side of dialog.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Science
• Social Psychology
• Philosophy of Mind

Background:

• The self is understood as a social construct, emerging from interpersonal interactions and dialogue.
• Cognitive processes are susceptible to manipulation by external agents.
• The formation of beliefs, values, and self-perception can be influenced by social dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential for cognitive hijacking in self-construction through dialogue.
• To investigate how external influences can lead to a self misaligned with reality.
• To propose metacognitive awareness as a mechanism to counteract such distortions.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of self-construction theories.
• Examination of cognitive techniques used in social influence and manipulation.
• Philosophical inquiry into the nature of selfhood and reality.

Main Results:

• Hostile interlocutors can employ specific cognitive strategies to manipulate dialogue.
• This manipulation can result in the adoption of beliefs, values, and a self-concept incongruent with objective reality.
• The integrity of the self can be compromised by external cognitive interference.

Conclusions:

• The collaborative construction of the self is vulnerable to adversarial cognitive tactics.
• Enhanced metacognitive awareness is crucial for navigating social dialogues truthfully.
• Developing metacognitive skills can serve as a defense against the distortion of self-perception.