Article citationsMore>>

Towers, S., Afzal, S., Bernal, G., Bliss, N., Brown, S., Espinoza, B. et al. (2015). Mass Media and the Contagion of Fear: The Case of Ebola in America. PLOS ONE, 10, e0129179.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0129179

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Perceptions of Threat, Correlates of Dread, and Collective Instability: Implications for Cognitive Engagement and Deterrence Strategy

  AUTHORS: James Giordano, Diane DiEuliis

  KEYWORDS: Fear, Deterrence, Instability, Neuroscience, Narrative Theory

  JOURNAL NAME: Open Journal of Social Sciences, Vol.14 No.2, February 9, 2026

  ABSTRACT: This essay argues that individual and collective perceptions of threat—and their neurocognitive correlate, dread—are key drivers of instability, volatility, and violence, and thus must be understood and engaged as strategic elements of modern cognitive warfare and deterrence. Unlike prior analyses, it integrates neuroscience, narrative theory, and behavioral modeling to create actionable frameworks for identifying, forecasting, and mitigating cognitive and social tipping points. This synthesis offers military and policy practitioners a novel, interdisciplinary toolkit to anticipate and influence population behavior, prevent escalation, and enhance mission readiness in the increasingly complex cognitive-operational environment.