Causation and Constitution in System Dynamics: Modelling a Socially Constituted World

This paper discusses the claim that System Dynamics models are unable to represent constitutional change. They do represent state transitions, but not constitutional transitions. Because the latter kind of transitions is the rule rather than the exception in the study of social phenomena, this inability has serious consequences. First of all, it leads to a neglect of constitutional issues; causal models blind us for constitutional change. Secondly, and even more seriously, it implies a direct threat to the validity of the causal models, themselves. These consequences are discussed and illustrated by referring to two case studies. Finally, the question is discussed of whether Group Model Building handles constitutional issues any better than System Dynamics does. Although Group Model Building does contribute important epistemological insights, it fails, just as is the case in System Dynamics, to deal with constitutional change. Copyright # 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.