Illuminating divergence in perceptions in natural resource management: A case for the investigation of the heterogeneity in mental models.

Abstract

Much research has been dedicated to map mental mod-els of natural resources to aid effective management ofthe natural resource. The variety of approaches result ina variety of outputs, but most research in this domainreports mental models that have been aggregated acrossparticipants. This results in a misrepresentation of mentalmodels as it overlooks valuable variance in understandingbetween individuals that could be key in effective decision-making. This paper illustrates such variance in mentalmodels through a case study that explored mental mod-els of the Nile perch fisheries at Lake Victoria. This casestudy suggests that divergence in mental model present abarrier to effective management of the fisheries. Hence,this paper proposes avenues to further investigate andreport the heterogeneity of mental models between andwithin individuals. Such research uncovers divergence inunderstanding, which can be addressed to aid decision-making in natural resource management