Educating the Next Generation of Senior Leaders in National

Security Affairs

Educating the Next Generation of Senior Leaders in National

Security Affairs

Alan G. Whittaker, Ph.D.Dean of Faculty and Academic ProgramsIndustrial College of the Armed Forces

National Defense UniversityWashington, D.C.

Alan G. Whittaker, Ph.D.Dean of Faculty and Academic ProgramsIndustrial College of the Armed Forces

National Defense UniversityWashington, D.C.

The views expressed in this presentation are the author’s and

do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the

National Defense University, the Department of Defense, or the

U.S. Government

The views expressed in this presentation are the author’s and

do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the

National Defense University, the Department of Defense, or the

U.S. Government

The LearnersThe Learners•Senior military officers and Executive Branch civilians•Lt. Col or Colonel (or equivalent), GS-14 / GS-15•~20 years experience (~38-40 yrs old)

–B.A. ~100%, M.A. 60-70%, Ph.D./J.D. ~5%

•Top 5%–Identified potential for General/ Flag officer, SES/SIS, Ambassador

•International Officers

Is Psychology Required?Is Psychology Required?• No requirement for psychology courses

– But, is implicit in mandate for developing effective leadership skills in national security affairs

• Educational Requirements:– USG stakeholder requirements

• CJCS/ OPMEP, Congress, Middle States Assoc– Develop critical strategic thinking skills for national

security strategy– Strategic leadership skill development

• No requirement for psychology courses– But, is implicit in mandate for developing effective

leadership skills in national security affairs

• Educational Requirements:– USG stakeholder requirements

• CJCS/ OPMEP, Congress, Middle States Assoc– Develop critical strategic thinking skills for national

security strategy– Strategic leadership skill development

Role/Rationale: useful content from psychologyRole/Rationale: useful content from psychology

• Industrial/Organizational– Organizational management– Leadership skills in complex change environments; Strategic

Planning• Social Psychology: Group decision processes• Political Psychology

– Behavior in high stress / crisis situations – Perception and misperception – Decision-making – Conflict analysis & resolution

• Personality & Developmental Psychology• Cognitive Psychology: Cognitive complexity, biases, operational

code; framing• Educational Psychology: Diverse, small group, multi-disciplinary,

seminar learning

• Industrial/Organizational– Organizational management– Leadership skills in complex change environments; Strategic

Planning• Social Psychology: Group decision processes• Political Psychology

– Behavior in high stress / crisis situations – Perception and misperception – Decision-making – Conflict analysis & resolution

• Personality & Developmental Psychology• Cognitive Psychology: Cognitive complexity, biases, operational

code; framing• Educational Psychology: Diverse, small group, multi-disciplinary,

seminar learning

Special Issues: Learning & Teaching ChallengesSpecial Issues: Learning & Teaching Challenges

• Source credibility• Questions re: relevance, reliability and validity, clear

guidelines for practical application• Lack of foundational knowledge, familiarity with

relevant dynamics• Overall context of broad, intense, multi-disciplinary

content• Useful pedagogies:

– 3.5 : 1 student/faculty ratio; 16 member seminars, 10 month program, core courses & electives, Distinguished Lecture program

• Source credibility• Questions re: relevance, reliability and validity, clear

guidelines for practical application• Lack of foundational knowledge, familiarity with

relevant dynamics• Overall context of broad, intense, multi-disciplinary

content• Useful pedagogies:

– 3.5 : 1 student/faculty ratio; 16 member seminars, 10 month program, core courses & electives, Distinguished Lecture program

Teaching Opportunities & Barriers-1Teaching Opportunities & Barriers-1OPPORTUNITIES:• Operational environment is political behavior• Psychological research & knowledge are relevant to

applied policy problems• Target population is highly Intelligent and motivated to

increase applicable knowledge and improve effectiveness• Experiences with perplexing political behavior raises

questions

MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO SCHOLARSHIP?• Multi-disciplinary = fundamental requirement for strategic

level understanding, integration, and application

OPPORTUNITIES:• Operational environment is political behavior• Psychological research & knowledge are relevant to

applied policy problems• Target population is highly Intelligent and motivated to

increase applicable knowledge and improve effectiveness• Experiences with perplexing political behavior raises

questions

MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO SCHOLARSHIP?• Multi-disciplinary = fundamental requirement for strategic

level understanding, integration, and application

BARRIERS / CHALLENGES• Translating psychology research into language usable by national

security policy-makers - Writing for academics vs. policymakers, “psycho-babble”- Psychological principles are unimportant- focus is on crafting effective

strategies and scripts • Credibility re: knowledge and experience in national security affairs

– Psychologists perceived as medical community component, not foreign policy; as technical consultants, not policymakers

• Target population is highly experienced with established schemas• Qualified instructors (psychological training & experience in national

security affairs)• Competing stakeholder content requirements within limited time

frames

BARRIERS / CHALLENGES• Translating psychology research into language usable by national

security policy-makers - Writing for academics vs. policymakers, “psycho-babble”- Psychological principles are unimportant- focus is on crafting effective

strategies and scripts • Credibility re: knowledge and experience in national security affairs

– Psychologists perceived as medical community component, not foreign policy; as technical consultants, not policymakers

• Target population is highly experienced with established schemas• Qualified instructors (psychological training & experience in national

security affairs)• Competing stakeholder content requirements within limited time

frames

Implications for Psychology Implications for Psychology INVOLVEMENT• More knowledgeable, skilled and effective national security advisors &

policymakers. • Fewer decisions based upon stereotyping, mechanistic rational actor

theories, “folk knowledge” & “hunches” LACK OF INVOLVEMENT• Continued lack of in-depth knowledge of psychological principles and

dynamics in policy processes• “Cherry picking” of psychological research findings• Policymakers less able to understand both capabilities and limitations in

understanding and influencing political behaviorMULTIDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS• National Security operational environment is multidimensional and

multidisciplinary• Psychologists must be multidisciplinary to establish credibility in

national security affairs, policy processes, & knowledge of policymaker needs (political & personal)

INVOLVEMENT• More knowledgeable, skilled and effective national security advisors &

policymakers. • Fewer decisions based upon stereotyping, mechanistic rational actor

theories, “folk knowledge” & “hunches” LACK OF INVOLVEMENT• Continued lack of in-depth knowledge of psychological principles and

dynamics in policy processes• “Cherry picking” of psychological research findings• Policymakers less able to understand both capabilities and limitations in

understanding and influencing political behaviorMULTIDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS• National Security operational environment is multidimensional and

multidisciplinary• Psychologists must be multidisciplinary to establish credibility in

national security affairs, policy processes, & knowledge of policymaker needs (political & personal)

Preparing Psychology Education for the Future-1Preparing Psychology Education for the Future-1

• Criticality of supporting multi-disciplinary education– Support Political Psychology programs– PROMOTE traditional graduate psychology

programs with non-traditional sub-specialties– PROMOTE psychology Ph.D. programs accepting

students with non-psychology B.A. or M.A.• Support the ability of psychology undergraduate &

graduate students to construct dual majors or minors in other disciplines – credible expertise in traditional national security

disciplines is an absolute requirement for introducing psychological considerations at the strategic policy level

• Criticality of supporting multi-disciplinary education– Support Political Psychology programs– PROMOTE traditional graduate psychology

programs with non-traditional sub-specialties– PROMOTE psychology Ph.D. programs accepting

students with non-psychology B.A. or M.A.• Support the ability of psychology undergraduate &

graduate students to construct dual majors or minors in other disciplines – credible expertise in traditional national security

disciplines is an absolute requirement for introducing psychological considerations at the strategic policy level

Preparing Psychology Education for the Future-2Preparing Psychology Education for the Future-2• Promote psychology courses designed to highlight

psychological principles and dynamics that can be applied to the work of other disciplines

• Facilitate ability of practitioners in other disciplines to understand and utilize psychological findings – Writing for non-psychologists

• Establish applied short programs & summer institutes for national security practitioners

• Promote summer programs & institutes to prepare applied political psychologist practitioners, not just future academics

• Promotion of internships and fellowships in Executive Branch national security departments and agencies– DoD, State Department, DNI, CIA, NSA, DIA, etc.

• Promote psychology courses designed to highlight psychological principles and dynamics that can be applied to the work of other disciplines

• Facilitate ability of practitioners in other disciplines to understand and utilize psychological findings – Writing for non-psychologists

• Establish applied short programs & summer institutes for national security practitioners

• Promote summer programs & institutes to prepare applied political psychologist practitioners, not just future academics

• Promotion of internships and fellowships in Executive Branch national security departments and agencies– DoD, State Department, DNI, CIA, NSA, DIA, etc.

APA Role: Fostering Public UnderstandingAPA Role: Fostering Public Understanding• Promote and support establishment of Political Psychology as a

certified career path– “Careers in Psychology” brochure– Establish APA-accredited programs?– APA Political Psychology division?

• Support and promote the Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security

• Address issues and establish guidelines for psychological assessment / discussion of contemporary events and national security issues.

• Targeted articles in popular media on psychological dynamics in national security events and issues

• Highlight cross-cultural psychology and underlying psychological needs and motivations to raise public consciousness

• Promote and support establishment of Political Psychology as a certified career path– “Careers in Psychology” brochure– Establish APA-accredited programs?– APA Political Psychology division?

• Support and promote the Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security

• Address issues and establish guidelines for psychological assessment / discussion of contemporary events and national security issues.

• Targeted articles in popular media on psychological dynamics in national security events and issues

• Highlight cross-cultural psychology and underlying psychological needs and motivations to raise public consciousness