System Dynamics Modelling and Simulation for Social, Psychological and Health Development

Dear Colleagues,

People are complex systems with unique biological predispositions interacting in social and environmental contexts—in the practice of system dynamics, these influences are not unidirectional but also generate outcomes that feedback on an individual and the way they interact with the world. For instance, human development is theorized to be the outcome of interconnected feeback loops, influencing one another in reinforcing cycles over time (Ford & Lerner, 1992, Chung, Hovmand, McBridge, Joiner, 2022). However, existing research in areas of psychology and sociology mostly apply linear analysis, which transforms external influences onto the system, such as life events or changes in the environment, into a proportionally related output (Schiepek et al., 2011).

A growing number of qualitative-systems thinking maps and models have emerged in the literature; however, few studies use system dynamics to address human development, psychology, and sociology. The application of system dynamics in this Special Issue includes the use of informal maps (causal loop diagrams) with formal models (stock and flow computational models with differential equations) to simulate the effect of nonlinearities, delays, accumulations, and the interaction of multiple feedback loops over time (Forrester, 1961; Sterman, 2000; Richardson, 2011). These models allow for intervention testing and the examination of dominant feedback loops (e.g., Schoenberg, Davidson & Eberlein, 2020) in human development, an innovation for the field.

This Special Issue invites contributions that apply system dynamics to deepen our understanding of psychology and sociology. We invite topics including, but not limited to, understanding and intervening in challenges of psychological and social development across the lifespan. These may extend existing systems work on depression and suicide (e.g., Chung et al., 2022; Hosseinichimeh, 2018; Wittenborn et al., 2015), emotional intelligence (e.g., Armenia et al., 2024), mental well-being, behavioural development, and other related topics. Our goal is to demonstrate insights from System Dynamics to foster more rigorous research on the psychological and social well-being of individuals and communities.

References

Armenia, S., Loporchio, L., De Angelis, T. (2024) A systems thinking approach to emotional intelligence, INTED2024 Proceedings, pp. 6830-6834. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2024.1798.

Chung, S.; Hovmand, P., McBride, A., Joiner, T.  (2022). Suicide attempts during adolescence: Testing the system dynamics of the interpersonal theory of suicide. Journal of Adolescence, 94(4), 628-641.

Ford, D. H., & Lerner, R. M. (1992). Developmental systems theory: An integrative approach. Sage Publications, Inc.

Forrester J. W. (1961). Industrial dynamics. MIT Press.

Hosseinichimeh, N., Wittenborn, A. K., Rick, J., Jalali, M. S., & Rahmandad, H. (2018). Modeling and estimating the feedback mechanisms among depression, rumination, and stressors in adolescents. PLoS ONE, 13(9), Article e0204389. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0204389.

Richardson G. P. (2011). Reflections on the foundations of system dynamics. System Dynamics Review, 27(3), 219–243. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.462.

Schiepek, G., Fartacek, C., Sturm, J., Kralovec, K., Fartacek, R., & Plöderl, M. (2011). Nonlinear dynamics: Theoretical perspectives and application to suicidology. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 41(12), 661–675. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1943-278X.2011.00062.x.

Schoenberg, W., Davidsen, P., & Eberlein, R. (2022). Understanding model behavior using Loops that Matter method. System Dynamics Review, 36(2), 158-190.

Sterman J. D. (2000). Business dynamics: systems thinking and modeling for a complex world. Irwin/McGraw-Hill.

Wittenborn, A. K., Rahmandad, H., Rick, J., & Hosseinichimeh, N. (2016). Depression as a systemic syndrome: mapping the feedback loops of major depressive disorder. Psychological medicine, 46(3), 551–562. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291715002044.

Dr. Saras Chung
Guest Editor

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• psychology
• sociology
• community based system dynamics
• system dynamics
• human development
• systems thinking
• social work
• education