AUTHOR=Cheng Xinyu , Kang Peipei 

TITLE=Imagined intergroup contact and power-dependent attentional bias: a dual-process model of transnational policy cognition in the belt and road initiative context

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1611261

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1611261

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=IntroductionWith the increasing complexity of transnational policy communication in digital media environments, understanding the cognitive mechanisms behind public perception has become crucial. Although the international community widely recognizes cognition as the foundation for shared knowledge and the construction of global identities, research on the psychological mechanisms and the impact of cognition based on transnational perspectives remains scarce. This paper takes the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as an example to examine the role of imagined intergroup contact in cognitive processing, and the representation of attention bias in cognitive content by cognitive maps across different nations.MethodThis study is based on 8,348 valid cross-national questionnaires obtained. Test 1 employed structural equation modeling to analyze the role of imagined intergroup contact in the cognitive process. Test 2 utilized semantic network analysis to characterize similarities and differences in attentional allocation toward BRI-related cognitive content across nations.ResultsFor cognitive Process, imagined contact significantly improves stereotypes, with perceptual sensitivity and cues to action being key motivators. Perception of threat was less influential than expected. Regarding the key roles influencing cognition BRI cooperating countries and the BRICS, which combine high global and local efficiency, assume the role of cognitive ‘attraction’. Regarding the prioritization of cognitive content, attention allocation followed a power-dependent pattern—stronger nations focused on status maintenance, while weaker nations prioritized survival-related issues.DiscussionOur findings propose a dual-process framework for transnational policy cognition, combining top-down imagined contact effects and bottom-up selection of cognitive content. This study advances cognitive science by linking intergroup psychology with policy communication, offering policymakers strategies to navigate cognitive barriers in global governance.