The way we think of the future (our expectations, fears and desires) affects our actions (arrow 2). Our behaviour and our mental models determine what we include in our computer models (arrows 3 and 5). The results of our computer models (in terms of prediction and understanding) affect what we think and how we act (arrows 4 and 6).

Naturally, our actions affect the future (arrow 1). Because both our mental and computer models affect our actions, it follows that both our mental models and computer models can indirectly affect the future, via our actions.

This is what we study in this area of research. We use:

• Computer models (Toy models, Decision making under uncertainty, multiple frames and incompatible goals)
• Surveys
• Cognitive tests
• Interactive workshops and
• Focus groups.

Papers

• Boschetti F, Richert, Walker, Price & Dutra, 2012, Assessing attitudes and cognitive styles of stakeholders in environmental projects involving computer modelling, Ecological Modelling, 247, 98–111, 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2012.07.027
• Andreotta, Nugroho, Hurlstone, Boschetti F, Farrell, Walker, & Paris, 2019, Analyzing social media data: A mixed-methods framework combining computational and qualitative text analysis, Behavioral Research Methods, doi.org/10.3758/s13428-019-01202-8.
• Boschetti F., 2012, A computational model of a mental model used to reason about climate change, Environmental Science & Policy, 15, pp. 125-135, doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2011.09.006.
• Kitto & Boschetti F, 2013 Attitudes, ideologies and self-organisation: information load minimisation in multi-agents decision making, Advances in Complex Systems, 16, 2(3), 1350029, DOI: 10.1142/S021952591350029X.
• Kitto & Boschetti F, 2013, The Effects of Personality in a Social Context, CogSci 2013, 35th annual meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, Berlin, Germany.
• Price, Walker & Boschetti F, 2014, Measuring cultural values and beliefs about environment to identify their role in climate change responses, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 37, 8–20.
• van Putten, Boschetti F, Fulton, Smith, Thebaud, A perspective on the relationship between individual tradeable quota management and environmental stewardship, Fish and Fisheries, Submitted.
• Fulton, Jones, Boschetti F, Chapman, Little, Syme, Dzidic, Gorton, Sporcic, & de la Mare, 2013, Assessing the impact of stakeholder engagement in Management Strategy Evaluation, IJEME, 3(2), 82-98, ISSN:2225-742X(Print), ISSN:2226-7344(Online).
• Alford, Manderson, Boschetti F, Davies, Hatfield Dodds, Lowe, & Perez, 2012, Australia 2050: Social perspectives, Negotiating Our Future: Living scenarios for Australia to 2050 Vol 1, Raupach MR, McMichael AJ, Finnigan JJ, Manderson L, Walker BH Editors, Australian Academy of Science, pag 93-114.
• Boschetti F., 2011, A Graphical Representation Of Uncertainty In Complex Decision Making, Emergence: Complexity and Organization, 13, 1 & 2, 146-168.
• Boschetti, Hardy, Grigg & Horwitz, 2011, Can we learn how complex systems work?, Emergence: Complexity and Organization, 13, 4, 47-62.