The Role of Psychological Operations in Political Negotiations

Psychological operations is one of the instruments man has utilized to fulfill his goals since the beginning of creation. After nation states were established in 1648 and international relations became more complicated over time and governments required political negotiations, especially after the first and second world wars, it became more common to utilize psychological operations as a handy instrument. Psychological operations are used as a backup mechanism in political negotiations. During negotiations, psychological operations experts try to make friends and allies follow them and put the negotiating rival team under pressure. Having an accurate planning, knowing the addressees, having them under control and being cognizant of the extent of the influence of psychological activities are considered significant issues in putting the negotiating team under pressure and advancing psychological operations. This article attempts to examine the role of psychological operations in political negotiations and explore the importance of this issue in political negotiations and the ways of averting extreme impact of psychological operations on political negotiations.