The cognitive psychology of systems thinking

Abstract

This article describes how established research methods in cognitive psychology can be applied to answer questions about the ability of systems thinking interventions to improve the nature and quality of thought about complex systems. The need for and advantages of controlled experimental research on the effects of interventions on mental models and cognitive processes, as well as the limitations of current assessment practices, are discussed. An agenda for collaborative research between cognitive psychologists and researchers interested in dynamic systems, covering the areas of memory, analogical transfer, mental models, decision processes, human–computer interaction, and expertise, is outlined in detail. The article concludes with a discussion of the difficulties and long-term advantages of conducting the described research. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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