More about Chris Argyris and Donald Schön’s ideas – following on from the “Espoused Theory and Theory-in-Use” posting. Our actions can be viewed as keeping some set of variables within acceptable limits. These variables are determined by our theory in use. When something goes wrong, we tend to look for another strategy that will keep
How do we explain the discrepancies we observe in other people between what they say they believe, and how they act?
The theorists Chris Argyris and Donald Schön suggest that people have ‘mental maps’ of how to plan, implement and review their actions in given situations. It is these tacit, unexamined maps – a set of unconsciously held beliefs, assumptions and rules – which guide their actions, rather than the explanations that they give to themselves and others to make sense of what they do.
