Using a Cognitive Mapping Approach to Frame the Perceptions of Water Users About Managing Water Resources: A Case Study in the Australian Capital Territory

In complex socio-ecological systems, such as managing natural resources, human frames and mental models play a central role in deriving the system’s behaviour. Differences in stakeholder views and perceptions may impede the design and implementation of collective policies. Understanding stakeholder views and mental models is a pre-requisite for understanding decision making, improving communication, and eventually developing management policies that cater to the diversity of values and interests. Motivated by this premise, this research uses a cognitive mapping approach to examine the frames used by a group of water users with regard to managing available water resources. We focus on the Australian Capital Territory as a case study. Two different frames have emerged from the results: hard and soft. Differences in frames embody various perceptions about the problem definition, its causes, effective management strategies, and hence, responsibility attribution. The paper describes both frames and highlights those perceptions that may stand as barriers against sustainable management. These findings can be transferred to other arid and semi-arid areas.