Description:
This article argues the neuroplastic effects of contemporary internet use will have critical implications for the U.S. Intelligence Community. Studies have shown the internet and related technologies are fundamentally changing the way people engage information, which in turn has compromised cognitive functioning in a number of important ways. In the analytic segments of intelligence organizations, this phenomenon speaks directly to a—if not the—core occupational function: focused, disciplined thinking. This issue can be expected to be more pronounced among younger and newer analytic cohorts, though it certainly is not an issue reserved for these cohorts alone. While the internet has brought many advances and advantages to the U.S. Intelligence Community, it is incumbent upon intelligence managers to stay aware of emerging threats to analytic process and outputs. In this article, the basic concepts and science of neuroplasticity are introduced, as well as specific findings pertaining to the neuroplastic effects of internet usage. Potential implications for U.S. intelligence organizations are then explored. The article concludes with suggestions for mitigation and future research.