Decision-Making Amid Information-Based Threats in Sociotechnical Systems: A Review

TL;DR

This review synthesizes research on how information-based threats impact decision-making in sociotechnical systems, highlighting shared cognitive vulnerabilities and proposing future integration of human and machine perspectives.

Contribution

It uniquely combines insights from human information processing and threat research to identify cognitive mechanisms affecting decision-making under information threats.

Findings

Shared cognitive vulnerabilities to information threats

Importance of integrating human and machine perspectives

Directions for future research in threat mitigation

Abstract

Technological systems increasingly mediate human information exchange, spanning interactions among humans as well as between humans and artificial agents. The unprecedented scale and reliance on information disseminated through these systems substantially expand the scope of information-based influence that can both enable and undermine sound decision-making. Consequently, understanding and protecting decision-making today faces growing challenges, as individuals and organizations must navigate evolving opportunities and information-based threats across varied domains and information environments. While these risks are widely recognized, research remains fragmented: work evaluating information-based threat phenomena has progressed largely in isolation from foundational studies of human information processing. In this review, we synthesize insights from both domains to identify shared cognitive mechanisms that mediate vulnerability to information-based threats and shape behavioral outcomes. Finally, we outline directions for future research aimed at integrating these perspectives, emphasizing the importance of such integration for mitigating human vulnerabilities and aligning human-machine representations.