Abstract
This article is based on a full-length study of the cognitive behavior of highly-influential elites who deal professionally with the analysis of international politics with respect to Swedish national security. It attempts to relate findings in the field of cognitive psychology to the actual behavior of Swedish observers in the examination and inter pretation of international events. Especial emphasis is given to processes of concep tualization, threat perceptions and changes in beliefs that have occurred. The deriva tion of 'cognitive archetypes' is discussed and these are related to the relative openness vs. constraint exhibited by elites in accommodating new information about the interna tional environment.