A cognitive network perspective for public administration and policy

Abstract

This article introduces the concept of cognitive social structures to public administration and policy scholars. Cognitive social structures are the perceptions, or mental maps, actors hold of the relationships that exist among the members of their network. These perceptions and their accuracy have implications for actor behavior, decisions, and outcomes. The literature on network cognitions has developed in the fields of psychology and organization studies but has yet to be applied in public administration and policy. We provide an overview of cognitive social structure research. We then demonstrate the theoretical and practical implications cognitive social structures hold for our field by examining applications in two research areas—implementation and leadership. We argue that using a network cognition perspective can help researchers and practitioners to better explain and pursue important organizational and interorganizational phenomena. We hope this article fosters new dialogue on the role of network cognitions in public administration and policy.