@article{1444962,
      recid = {1444962},
      author = {Cole, Benjamin,},
      title = {The Syrian information and propaganda war : the role of  cognitive bias /},
      pages = {1 online resource (xvi, 414 pages)},
      abstract = {"This book focuses on the propaganda war between the  Syrian government and the opposition movement, which  excludes the Islamic State and the Kurdish-led SDF. Drawing  on international relations, psychology, and media studies,  the book encourages readers to question the dominant  discourse on the war. The core of the book outlines the  propaganda battles over the main paradigms and narratives  that framed the war, exploring the shortcomings of those  paradigms and narratives, identifying who won the  propaganda war and why, and assessing what impact it had on  the military side of the war. In particular, it focuses on  the role of cognitive bias amongst primary and secondary  sources in determining the outcome of the propaganda war,  and whether the influence of this propaganda is best  explained by effects or limited effects theory. Through  explaining the dynamics of the propaganda war, the book  encourages readers to critically question the dominant  discourse on the war, assists them in understanding primary  and secondary reporting on the war, and shows that the  impact of the propaganda war is best understood in terms of  limited effects theory. The book's main findings are that:  1) the opposition won the international propaganda war but  failed to win the propaganda war inside Syria; 2)  propaganda had relatively little effect on shaping  attitudes either inside Syria or internationally (instead,  its main effect was to reinforce attitudes that had already  been shaped by other factors); and 3) the reality of the  war lies between the conflicting paradigms and narratives  being promoted by each side. Ben Cole is Honorary Lecturer  at the School of Psychology, University of Liverpool, UK.  He currently specializes in the process by which  individuals become radicalized into violent extremism;  terrorist decision making with regard to CBRN weapons;  real-time monitoring and analysis of conflicts and  terrorist movements using online media; and the war in  Syria."--},
      url = {http://library.usi.edu/record/1444962},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93282-4},
}