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Development of a broadened cognitive mapping approach for analysing systems of practices in social–ecological systems

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  • Vanwindekens, Frédéric M.
  • Stilmant, Didier
  • Baret, Philippe V.

Abstract

This paper presents a new cognitive mapping approach for analysing systems of practices in social–ecological systems. These systems are mapped from people's views collected during open-ended interviews. Cognitive maps are made up of diverse variables (e.g., operations, drivers, constraints) linked to each other by a range of relationships: cause–effect, fluxes of matter, information flows and sequence of two operations. Individual cognitive maps heuristically model the practices and decision-making processes expressed by interviewees. The mathematical formulation of cognitive maps allows individual cognitive maps to be aggregated into a social cognitive map. The latter can be used to model the system of practices used by a particular group of people. Using this approach, we analysed the practices and decision-making processes linked to grassland management in a Belgian grassland-based livestock farming system. Our work confirmed that a social cognitive map could be drawn up for multiple locations. The results showed how this inductive cognitive mapping approach overcame two limitations frequently highlighted in previous studies: the diverse interpretations of variables and relationships; and the difficulty in revealing the rationale in cognitive maps.

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  • Vanwindekens, Frédéric M. & Stilmant, Didier & Baret, Philippe V., 2013. "Development of a broadened cognitive mapping approach for analysing systems of practices in social–ecological systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 250(C), pages 352-362.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:250:y:2013:i:c:p:352-362
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2012.11.023
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    4. Vanwindekens, Frédéric M. & Baret, Philippe V. & Stilmant, Didier, 2014. "A new approach for comparing and categorizing farmers’ systems of practice based on cognitive mapping and graph theory indicators," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 274(C), pages 1-11.
    5. Pramod K Singh & Harpalsinh Chudasama, 2017. "Pathways for drought resilient livelihoods based on people’s perception," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 140(2), pages 179-193, January.
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    7. Sondoss ElSawah & Alan Mclucas & Jason Mazanov, 2013. "Using a Cognitive Mapping Approach to Frame the Perceptions of Water Users About Managing Water Resources: A Case Study in the Australian Capital Territory," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(9), pages 3441-3456, July.
    8. Lalani, Baqir & Aminpour, Payam & Gray, Steven & Williams, Meredith & Büchi, Lucie & Haggar, Jeremy & Grabowski, Philip & Dambiro, José, 2021. "Mapping farmer perceptions, Conservation Agriculture practices and on-farm measurements: The role of systems thinking in the process of adoption," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    9. Thorsten Schilling & Romano Wyss & Claudia R. Binder, 2018. "The Resilience of Sustainability Transitions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-23, December.
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    11. Louis Tessier & Jo Bijttebier & Fleur Marchand & Philippe V. Baret, 2021. "Cognitive mapping, flemish beef farmers’ perspectives and farm functioning: a critical methodological reflection," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(4), pages 1003-1019, December.
    12. Vanermen, Iris & Muys, Bart & Verheyen, Kris & Vanwindekens, Frederic & Bouriaud, Laura & Kardol, Paul & Vranken, Liesbet, 2020. "What do scientists and managers know about soil biodiversity? Comparative knowledge mapping for sustainable forest management," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    13. Tindale, Sophie & Vicario-Modroño, Victoria & Gallardo-Cobos, Rosa & Hunter, Erik & Miškolci, Simona & Price, Paul Newell & Sánchez-Zamora, Pedro & Sonnevelt, Martijn & Ojo, Mercy & McInnes, Kirsty & , 2023. "Citizen perceptions and values associated with ecosystem services from European grassland landscapes," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    14. Andrés Acero & María Catalina Ramírez Cajiao, 2023. "Analyzing Sustainable Practices in Engineering Projects: A Systemic Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-14, March.
    15. Castilla-Rho, Juan & Kenny, Daniel, 2022. "What prevents the adoption of regenerative agriculture and what can we do about it? Lessons from a behaviorally-attuned Participatory Modelling exercise in Australia," OSF Preprints asxr2, Center for Open Science.
    16. Pramod K Singh & Harpalsinh Chudasama, 2020. "Evaluating poverty alleviation strategies in a developing country," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-23, January.
    17. Fabian Weckesser & Michael Beck & Kurt-Jürgen Hülsbergen & Sebastian Peisl, 2022. "A Digital Advisor Twin for Crop Nitrogen Management," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-22, February.

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