Mental Models in Human-Environment Interactions: Theory, Policy Implications, and Methodological Explorations

Abstract

"This collection of papers focuses on the application of methods to elicit and analyze mental models or social representations, that is, representations of the world that are shared by social groups. Mental models represent the way in which people understand the world around them; they are the internal representation of the external system. Mental models are the cognitive structure upon which reasoning, decision making, and behavior are based. However, importantly, mental models are models, and this means that they are incomplete, and they are often inconsistent representations of reality. They are also dynamic, i.e., they change over time, they are able to adapt to changing circumstances, and may also evolve over time through learning. Currently there is much interest in mental models in human-environment interactions and natural resource management. Elucidating mental models helps us to understand and delineate different conceptualizations of how a system works: the interactions between factors or components, the critical issues, and the causal links. Only when we can effectively elucidate and analyze mental models can we begin to explore how they affect behavior. This in turn might help to develop more appropriate management strategies within a given context. Studying mental models can help us to understand both individual conceptualizations and also collective beliefs or representations. To date in natural resource management the exploration of mental models has sought to assess the degree to which these conceptualizations are internally coherent, i.e., the extent of their coherence with an external reality, and to explore alternative representations. A range of different methods and techniques have been used. The interest in mental models can be viewed as an intrinsic part of more participatory approaches to environmental governance and natural resource management currently underway around the world."