Act on Climate Change

Systems Theory Hub

For people who want to understand better the vicious and virtuous cause-and-effect cycles raised in my discussions of climate change and counselling.

“Structures [feedback cycles] of which we are unaware hold us prisoner. Conversely, learning to see the structures within which we operate begins a process of freeing ourselves from previously unseen forces and ultimately mastering the ability to work with and change them.” (Senge, 1992, p. 94)

Systems theory recognises amplifying feedback as a dynamic through which any system can transform itself: ecosystems, minds, and societies (Maruyama, 1968).

Introduction to Systems Theory

The systems theory introduction

Examine feedback cycles organising

A sound system
Physical fitness and decline.
Predator and prey populations
Control of a sailing boat’s direction

Features of vicious cycles:

Unconstrained vicious cycles eventually stop when they exhaust a necessary resource
Physical changes in vicious cycles take time
Some cycles can run in reverse

Diagram: The feedback cycle amplifying the screech of audio feedback — The feedback cycle amplifying the screech of audio feedback. (ZS05N3S1)

Evolution

Feedback cycles still organise the evolution of life on Earth.

This feedback cycle amplifies adaptation via natural variation and selection. (ZS72S2)

A Systems Theory Approach to Counselling

The counselling hub.

A practical resource for a counsellor guiding a client through addiction recovery.

This feedback cycle amplifies (1) a dread, (2) a defence against the dread, & (3) the damage caused by the defence (ZCM01N3)

Vicious cycles driving climate change

Physical cycles

Vicious physical cycles driving climate change

This feedback cycle increases global heating, reduces ice cover, and reduces sunlight reflection (ZG92N4S1)

A political cycle

A vicious political cycle driving climate change.

This feedback cycle amplifies temperatures, migration, and right-wing populism (ZG90N5)

Denial driving addiction

Cycles driving fossil fuel addiction.

This vicious cycle amplifies fossil fuel use, climate change, the resulting shocks, and denial of the shocks. (ZG01N4S3)

Symmetrical & Complementary Relationships

Symmetrical & complementary relationships

Diagram: A symmetrical amplifying cycle driving an arms race between two countries. (ZS52N2S1)

A vicious cycle takes control at a tipping point

The tipping point of a brick

The feedback diagram amplifying the tipping of the block. — Diagram: The feedback cycle driving the tipping of the block. (ZS77N4S1)

A cycle supporting change

A well-targeted vision can form a self-reinforcing virtuous cycle

The vision-progress-benefits cycle.

This feedback cycle amplifies popularity of a well-targeted vision, progress towards the vision and the benefits of the progress. — This feedback cycle amplifies the popularity of a well-targeted vision, progress toward the vision, and the benefits of that progress. (ZG71N3Sa)

Reward & Punishment

Reward & punishment cycles

Diagram: This feedback cycle amplifies (1) performance of an activity, (2) the rewards, and (3) motivation. (ZC25N3Sa)

The Arctic ice-albedo heating cycle is dominant despite often being inactive and sometimes reversing.

Complexity Theory

Chaos Theory: Understanding human behaviour through feedback loops connects psychology to chaos theory and the study of complexity: a realistic lens for human behaviour.

Self-organisation of human behaviour: How feedback cycles can organise (1) thoughts, feelings, ideas, (2) habits, and (3) character.

Hub Pages: See the Footer below for links to the three hub pages, or the menu at the top of the page.

This is the Systems Theory hub page

Loaded 15 Sep 2026

Featured image: ZG71