A stepwise guide to behavioural system mapping

Abstract

While the early 21st century saw the emergence of nudging as an approach to influence individual behaviour, complex environmental, technological, and social challenges require the development of a systems perspective in behavioural science. One methodological approach to achieving this is the creation of behavioural system maps, which bridge behavioural science and systems analysis. These maps allow the analysis of cause-effect relations between the behaviours of multiple actors.

Drawing on behavioural research and scholarly work on system mapping, this guide on the development of behavioural system maps includes five key steps: (1) System exploration and boundary setting, (2) Data collection and behavioural analysis, (3) Construction of the map, (4) Validation and refinement of the map, (5) Analysis and interpretation of the map. The article highlights how existing research using behavioural system maps has approached these steps and connects them to other system mapping methods, such as causal loop diagrams. It concludes by discussing pathways for advancing the approach and its integration in behavioural research.