Graph Models and Networks in Psychology

Network analysis is not a new methodology in psychology. However, network analysis-based methodologies are more and more common nowadays. Here we provide a historical review of two areas in which network analysis has been critical for psychology: causal cognition and psychopathology. We briefly review key points in the history of philosophy contributing to progresses in the scientific research about causal cognition. We show how those progresses evolved to considering Bayes networks as normative models to understand causal cognition. We also provide some notes about how network analysis allows to understand mental disorders. Finally, some future paths development regarding the usage of graphs models are suggested as well as some problems to avoid in the close future into this line of research.