This paper suggests System Dynamics as one feasible approach to conceptualizing and operationalizing models of complex social systems, in response to Altman's (1976) call for a broadened concern in Social Psychology with a holistic, systems-oriented, time-linked, multi-causal perspective on social units. System Dynamics is described, both as a philosophy of system structure and as a method of system modeling. An illustrative application to the problem of urban decline and revival is presented, along with brief consideration of some major strengths and limitations of the approach.
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