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The Operational Code and the Cognitive Map approaches focus on the thought pro cesses of the individual. Differences emerge m the operationalization of concepts from cognitive theory such as 'centrality' and 'consistency', and in the conceptualization of the dependent variable. In the research procedures the Cognitive Map approach builds into its model assumptions which are more subject for investigation in the Operational Code approach. The article discusses the predictive and explanatory validity of the two approaches, one concern being whether coded beliefs or concepts from documents or interviews give valid representations of the decision-makers' beliefs. It is con cluded that both approaches may increase our understanding of how psychological constraints affect decision-makers.

This article attempts to increase our understanding of cognitive processes of policy- making by reporting the application of a model of individual decision-making. The application of the model is based on cognitive maps obtained from interviews which were conducted with Norwegian oil policy officials before and after the Bravo blow out in Norway's Ekofisk oil field. A comparison of simulation results for two groups of policy officials, environmentalists and non-environmentalists, using the before and after cognitive maps suggests that the model is able to replicate adjustments that policy officials make in their thinking and choice behavior to accommodate perceptions of new events.