Psychographics to Active Measures: The Hidden War for Your Mind

From Propaganda to Psychographics

Pelton traces the arc from Sigmund Freud’s nephew Edward Bernays—who pioneered “engineering consent”—to Cambridge Analytica, where psychological profiling became the core of modern political warfare.
 They break down the difference between demographics (who we are) and psychographics (how we think and feel), revealing how platforms like Facebook opened the floodgates to emotional targeting and mass persuasion.

“When Bernays said civilization depends on narrative control — he wasn’t joking. We just turned that into an algorithm.”

The OCEAN Model and the Science of Manipulation

Using the OCEAN model—Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism—Pelton and Reza unpack how these traits became a digital map for influence.
 Pelton examines how fear, resentment, and uncertainty became the new currency of persuasion—and how global actors exploited that data to polarize societies.

“Psychological operations used to be about tricking the enemy. Now they’re about tricking your neighbor.”

The conversation connects the dots from Brexit and 2016 election interference to January 6th, showing how tactics once used abroad are now deployed at home.

Active Measures and Cognitive Warfare

Drawing on decades inside war zones—from Afghanistan to Chechnya to Ukraine—Pelton compares PsyOps in combat to what he calls mass cognitive warfare today.
 They explore how Russia’s “active measures” evolved into today’s fog of truth, half-truth, and fiction so dense that citizens lose trust in every institution.

“When everything feels unstable — that’s not an accident. That is the strategy.”

As the discussion moves to America, Pelton explains how fear, conspiracy thinking, and algorithmic outrage have replaced empathy and dialogue. His warning: the line of defense isn’t the government — it’s you.

Fighting Back: Reclaiming Agency in a Manipulated World

• Question everything that triggers strong emotions.
 • Cross-check stories before sharing.
 • Rebuild trust through real human connection.
 • Recognize fear as the oldest, easiest manipulation tool.

Pelton reminds us that democracy is fragile but resilient — and that understanding manipulation is the first step toward defending it.

“Most

Robert Young Pelton is a Canadian-American author, journalist, filmmaker, and adventurer known for his conflict reporting and for venturing alone into some of the world's most dangerous and remote areas to chronicle history-shaping events. His work often involves interviewing military and political figures in war zones and spending time embedded with various groups, including the Taliban, Northern Alliance, CIA operatives, al Qaeda, and Blackwater .

He has been present at numerous conflicts, from Ukraine to the the Battle of Grozny and from Qali Jangi in Afghanistan to the rebel siege of Monrovia in Liberia.

Pelton is the author of several books, most notably the New York Times bestselling guide, "The World's Most Dangerous Places," which provides information for navigating high-risk zones. He has also written "Come Back Alive," a survival guide, and his autobiography, "The Adventurist: My Life in Dangerous Places". His work includes feature stories for National Geographic, Men’s Journal, Foreign Policy and Vice. He has worked as a contributing editor for National Geographic Adventure and has worked for major media networks like Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, CBS's 60 Minutes, ABC Investigative Division, and CNN.

Pelton is also the founder of DPx Gear, a company that designs rugged survival tools and knives based on his field experiences.