Combining Conceptual Frameworks on Maternal Health in Indigenous Communities—Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping Using Participant and Operator-independent Weighting
Abstract
A recurring issue in intercultural research is whose knowledge informs conceptualization and design of projects or interventions. Fuzzy cognitive mapping uses arrows and weights to represent stakeholder knowledge on causal relationships and can generate composite theories to inform research and action. Cognitive mapping is accessible across different cultures, but participant weighting is not always straightforward. We describe a procedure to combine and condense maps from different stakeholders and an alternative operator-independent weighting procedure adapted from Harris’s discourse analysis.
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FCM has been used with a wide variety of individuals, including illiterate persons and indigenous groups, to explore causes of complex phenomena.
“It has been used with a wide variety of individuals, including illiterate persons and indigenous groups, to explore the causes of a variety of complex phenomena, including short birth intervals, disaster preparedness and risk reduction, satisfaction of care amongst HIV patients, maternal health, and livelihood vulnerability (Murungweni et al., 2011;Sarmiento et al., 2022;Sarmiento et al., 2020;”
From Sexual and gender-based violence against South Sudanese refugees in Uganda: a mixed-methods study (2025) · cites this paper as Sarmiento et al., 2022
The fuzzy cognitive mapping analysis followed the approach of the author's co-supervisor and team.
“Analysis of Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping relied on the approach used and outlined by my co-supervisor and his team (Andersson & Silver, 2019;Sarmiento et al., 2024;Sarmiento et al., 2022).”
From Sexual and gender-based violence against South Sudanese refugees in Uganda: a mixed-methods study (2025) · cites this paper as Sarmiento et al., 2022
Transitive closure is an algorithm that identifies all possible direct and indirect influences within a map.
“Transitive closure is an algorithm that identifies all possible influences within a map (Giles et al., 2008;Sarmiento et al., 2022).”
From Sexual and gender-based violence against South Sudanese refugees in Uganda: a mixed-methods study (2025) · cites this paper as Sarmiento et al., 2022
Cites
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006) · Qualitative Research in Psychology · doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa · Cited by 194,414 · see citing works
Member Checking: A Tool to Enhance Trustworthiness or Merely a Nod to Validation?
Birt, L., Scott, S., Cavers, D., Campbell, C., & Walter, F. (2016) · Qualitative Health Research · doi:10.1177/1049732316654870 · Cited by 3,970 · see citing works
Curtis, E., Jones, R., Tipene-Leach, D., Walker, C., Loring, B., Paine, S.-J., & Reid, P. (2019) · International Journal for Equity in Health · doi:10.1186/s12939-019-1082-3 · Cited by 1,214 · see citing works
Demystifying theory and its use in improvement
Davidoff, F., Dixon-Woods, M., Leviton, L., & Michie, S. (2015) · BMJ Quality & Safety · doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2014-003627 · Cited by 714 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Combining stakeholder perspectives with formal literature is often an effective basis for local decision-making and action (Davidoff et al. 2015).”
BackgroundFuzzy cognitive mapping: An old tool with new uses in nursing research
Andersson, N., & Silver, H. (2019) · Journal of Advanced Nursing · doi:10.1111/jan.14192 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
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Sexual and gender-based violence against South Sudanese refugees in Uganda: a mixed-methods study
Michaelsen, S. (2025) · Université de Montréal · doi:10.71781/1596
- Authors
- Sarmiento, I., Cockcroft, A., Dion, A., Paredes-Solís, S., De Jesús-García, A., Melendez, D., Marie Chomat, A., Zuluaga, G., Meneses-Rentería, A., & Andersson, N.
- Affiliations
- McGill University (CA)
- Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Acapulco, Mexico
- Comité Promotor por una Maternidad Segura en México, San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico
- CIET-PRAM, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Universidad del Rosario (CO)
- Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero (MX)
- Corresponding author
- Sarmiento, Iván
- Venue
- Field Methods
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2022-02-23
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 223-239
- ISSN
- 1064-8631 (ISSN-L)
- 1525-822X
- 1552-3969
- OpenAlex
- W4213453208
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 1.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Field Methods (publishedVersion)
- eScholarship@McGill (McGill) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- McGill University
- Fundación CeiBA (201804HI9-406583-290461)
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Cognitive Science and Mapping
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Delphi Technique in Research
- Social Sciences › Health › Indigenous Health, Education, and Rights
- Keywords
- maternal health, indigenous peoples, fuzzy cognitive mapping, intercultural studies, stakeholder knowledge, composite theory, causal relationship, indigenous knowledge
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