People create ‘mental maps’ that inform them how to act in certain situations, including “plan, implement and review their actions” (Argyris and Schön, 1974). These maps control action rather than the theories they talk of.
There are 2 theories we use, theories-in-use which guide our actions as grammar does to speech. And espoused theory which we talk about trying to convince others who we are or what we’d like them to think.
This opens an interesting gap between theories-in-use and espoused theory, in which we can reflect.
Single-loop learning is correcting something that has gone wrong - finding a new strategy.
Double-loop learning is to “question the governing variables themselves, to subject them to critical scrutiny”. This method will change the values, norms and objectives of the person/organisation.
