CSDE Affiliate Ann Bostrom and an international, interdisciplinary team of co-authors recently published  “Scientists’ mental models of microplastics: insights into expert perceptions from an exploratory comparison of research methods” in the journal, Microplastics and Nanoplastics. The article presents results from two complementary studies of the causal beliefs—that is, the “mental models”—microplastic scientists hold related to the risks of microplastics in freshwater systems, an emerging global environmental problem.  Study 1 examined core concepts in their mental models from a decision analysis perspective. In Study 2, microplastics scientists used a visual mental mapping tool (the M-Tool) to draw causal connections between core ideas about microplastics. Across both studies, scientists emphasized household consumption of plastics as a direct and indirect source of microplastics, but there were gaps in how they talked about dose–response functions. To read more, click here.