Drawing of Policy Makers Mental Models: Exploring Entity, Functions, a Way of Implementation and Criticism of Cognitive Map Method

Policy makers’ mental models provide a sound basis for Public policies’ forms and contents in every state. Interaction and discourse of the models (dynamics of models) can improve the context quality for policies’ formation. In process of public policy analysis, having an explanation for assumptions, values and mental models of policy makers is the most important function of policy analysts. One of the most common methods in this area is drawing of public policy makers’ cognitive maps. In this article, the method is explored and analyzed in terms of entity, historical evolution, a way of implementation (data elicitation, coding rules, merging and standardization, intercoder reliability, validity and reliability), an applied case in policy making field (presenting and interpreting Excerpt from a pre-crisis cognitive map of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel)  as well as criticism of it. Finally, Implications of the method for policy researchers are presented. This method elicits underlying values and assumptions easier, and less costly than many other eliciting methods.