Psychology of Intelligence Analysis

First commissioned by the CIA, this book offers a fascinating look at the never-ending quest for better intelligence analysis.

At the fundamental core of this work are the cognitive challenges that any analyst faces, and how critical thinking can significantly improve our understanding and outcomes for complex issues.

This book explains how the mind is poorly wired to deal with information that is vague, convoluted, or that has been deliberately distorted. Our mental processes can lead us to jump to conclusions or employ other simplifying strategies that create faulty judgments, known as cognitive biases. However, critical thinking can substantially improve analysis when dealing with these types of complex issues. Techniques for better understanding include structuring information, challenging assumptions and exploring different interpretations.

*The Psychology of Intelligence Analysis* features articles consolidated by CIA veteran Richards J. Heuer. These timelessly relevant articles focus on how people process information and make judgments on incomplete and ambiguous material. Translating the technical reports into accessible language, Heuer equates the relevance of these findings to the problems all analysts must overcome.