![]() Prospective candidates for employment in the intelligence world will, we hope, find this a useful antidote to the more extreme fictional works. The world of spying is so full of myths and misconceptions, we felt it was time to put things straight.Īuthors may wish to draw on the book if they wish to introduce more realism or a different perspective in their works. What surprised us was how difficult the question seemed to be to answer, yet how intrigued they all were by what we said it did contain. When we were writing the book, we asked friends what they thought a book on this topic would contain. We can therefore identify from the enormous quantity of freely available academic and other sources, material that is closer to the truth. We do so from a privileged position as we have had extensive contact over many decades with agencies from all over the world. Our aim is to pull together information from open sources and present a picture of spying which is closer to the truth. We love the spy novel and film as much as anyone else. Our aim in writing ‘The Psychology of Spies and Spying’ is not to expose all, or to criticise those who do write about espionage. It is quite simply very difficult to be well informed about the world of espionage – for good reason. This means it is hard to know what spies really do, how they are selected and how they go about their shady, cloak-and-dagger work. Authors of ‘fake news’, who have a different, more malevolent agenda also have free rein to say what they like. However, the profession is so secret authors, screenplay writers and journalists can say what they like, knowing full well that they are not going to be contradicted. Our research also showed how poorly the agent is represented in fiction. We receive regular reports of spies getting caught, diplomats expelled in revenge, and clever new tricks and toys available to those in the spying game. James Bond, Jack Ryan and George Smiley present different images of the spy, and each generates a debate about how realistic they are. The spy novel and movie are as popular now as ever. The world of espionage intrigues almost everybody. Matador is an imprint of Troubador Publishing Ltd For Ronnie, Isabella, Jack, Bobby and Lara (jt) For Alison and Benedict (AF) Contents ![]() This material has been reviewed by the appropriate authorities in the UK government to prevent disclosure of classified information.īritish Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.Ī catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying UK government authentication of information. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.Īll statements of fact, opinion, or analysis expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official positions or views of the UK government. The moral right of the author has been asserted.Īpart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Read moreĬopyright © 2022 Adrian Furnham and John Taylor The Psychology of Spies and Spying promotes the view that in the world of intelligence, it is trust not betrayal which dominates the mindset. Included are twelve agent case studies in which most were motivated by ideology, had significant misfortune in their youth and offered their services rather than being coerced into betrayal. Finally spy gadgets and techniques are also described in detail. It explains why motivation is rarely simple since it is invariably a combination of many issues.It explains how fiction writers are good at developing plots and the characterisation of spies, but few capture the motivation of agents well. ![]() It shows how agent handlers, operating in environments of complete secrecy, need to manage dark side behaviours because agents are selected for their access to secrets, not for their qualities. This book shows the importance of developing trust between agents and handlers, between agencies and their government and ultimately the public. It provides a rigorous psychological analysis of the personality and motivation of individuals involved in spying. The Psychology of Spies and Spying tells the story of the people involved in spying: the human sources (agents) who betray their country or organisation and the professional intelligence officers who manage the collection and reporting process.
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