EPISODE 42: Mind Science - Cyber Psychology 101
Welcome to Compromising Positions!
The award-winning tech podcast that asks non-cybersecurity professionals what we in the industry can do to make their lives easier and help make our organisations more prepared to face ever-changing human-centric cyber threats!
This Episode we’re heading back into the vaults to bring you the unabridged version of our fantastic and extremely popular interview with Bec McKeown, a chartered psychologist with extensive experience in carrying out applied research for organisations including the UK Ministry of Defence and the founder and director of Mind Science, an independent organisation that works with cybersecurity professionals.
Ever wanted to know the psychology behind cybersecurity? Bec takes us an a fascinating journey into the mind as we get acquainted with a smorgasbord of psychological concepts to help you understand your cybersecurity posture - especially during a dreaded cybersecurity incident!
Key Takeaways:
The curse of knowledge: Understanding what it's like to not understand cybersecurity from a technical perspective can be an advantage in helping you communicate better. By putting yourself in the shoes of the listener, you can convey complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand and relatable
Microlearning: Nobody wants to sit in training for three hours! Microlearning helps by breaking up information into bite-sized chunks that are easy to digest. It's also important to account for different learning styles and provide information in various formats.
Amygdala hijacking: Cybercriminals leverage amygdala hijacking, which occurs when the amygdala activates the fight-or-flight response when there is no serious threat to a person's safety. It's essential to recognize the contextual cue that led you to act that way and develop strategies to deal with it before it happens.
Awareness does not equal change in behaviour: One size doesn't fit all, and quantitative is usually valued over qualitative, which needs to change.
Focus on Impact Skills, Not Just Technical Knowledge: Decision-making, communication, and collaboration are the foundational skills needed to navigate complex cyber threats.
Links to everything we discussed in this episode can be found in the show notes and if you liked the show, please do leave us a review.
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We hope you enjoyed this episode - See you next time, keep secure, and don’t forget to ask yourself, ‘Am I the compromising position here?’
Keywords: cybersecurity, incident response, psychology, crisis management, behavioural change
Show Notes
Bec’s Article in Immersive Labs on Workforce Resiliency
Christian Hunt’s episode - Compromising Positions
Article on Theory X and Theory Y - Mind Tools
Influence by Robert Cialdini
Actionable Gamification - Yu-Kai Chou
Kirkpatrick Model - Mind Tools
Copywrite movies. Privacy is a Crime Video
The software Lianne used on her tabletop exercise to get anonymous responses: Mentimeter and Slido
About Bec McKeown
Bec McKeown CPsychol is the Founder and Director of Mind Science, an independent organisation that works with cyber security professionals. She helps businesses to advance the human aspect of system resilience, so a collaborative culture of innovative thinking and an agile threat response becomes the norm.
As a Chartered Psychologist with extensive experience of carrying out applied research for organisations including the UK Ministry of Defence, Bec has gained a unique perspective on the ways humans react in times of crisis. She works at both operational and strategic levels, with a focus on situational awareness, decision-making and problem-solving in complex environments.
LINKS FOR Bec McKeown
Bec’s LinkedIn
