Insights into Kim Jong-un’s Cognition Based on His Public Speeches

May 2018 No Comments

Insights into Kim Jong-un’s Cognition Based on His Public Speeches

Speakers: Kuznar, L. (NSI / Indiana University– Purdue University– Fort Wayne); Suedfeld, P. (University of British Columbia); Wright, N. (Intelligent Biology / Georgetown University)

Date: 31 May 2018

Speaker Session Preview

SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Dr. Larry Kuznar (NSI / Indiana University – Purdue University – Fort Wayne [IPFW]), Dr. Peter Suedfeld (University of British Columbia [UBC]), and Dr. Nick Wright (Intelligent Biology / Georgetown University) as a part of its SMA PACOM Speaker Series. Dr. Kuznar began the session by providing a brief background of North Korean culture and political history. Our speakers then discussed their findings after analyzing 41 public speeches dated from January 2012 to January 2018. There were six separate analyses that contributed to this effort, each focusing on a different facet of textual analysis: 1) Empathy Checklist (University of Birmingham), 2) Basic Emotions (NSI), 3) Cognitive Complexity (NSI), 4) Quantitative Discourse Analysis (NSI / IPFW), 5) Thematic Content Analysis – Integrative Complexity and Motive Imagery (UBC), and 6) Discourse of Deception. Lastly, our speakers reviewed the implications of their work.