摘要：This article argues the neuroplastic effects of contemporary internet use will have critical implicationsfor the U.S. Intelligence Community. Studies have shown the internet and related technologies arefundamentally changing the way people engage information, which in turn has compromisedcognitive functioning in a number of important ways. In the analytic segments of intelligenceorganizations, this phenomenon speaks directly to a¡ªif not the¡ªcore occupational function: focused,disciplined thinking. This issue can be expected to be more pronounced among younger and neweranalytic cohorts, though it certainly is not an issue reserved for these cohorts alone. While the internethas brought many advances and advantages to the U.S. Intelligence Community, it is incumbent uponintelligence 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 findingspertaining to the neuroplastic effects of internet usage. Potential implications for U.S. intelligenceorganizations are then explored. The article concludes with suggestions for mitigation and futureresearch.
