Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M1765

System Archetypes

System Archetypes
SystemsHigh supportSystems Theory
Included
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Recurring structural patterns in systems that lead to problems. Examples include "shifting the burden" (treating symptoms rather than root causes, leading to addiction to painkillers), "limits to growth" (growth hits an invisible bottleneck), and "eroding goals" (lowering standards when unable to achieve).

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

- Advanced diagnosis: identify which archetype your problem belongs to (e.g., why are you busier but poorer? It might be the reverse of the "success to the successful" archetype), then apply leverage points rather than linear reactions.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Typical system structure templates summarized by Senge (e.g., limits to growth, shifting the burden, fixes that fail), helping to quickly identify recurring problem patterns.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_archetypeZH · Explicit
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