A causal loop diagram is a "snapshot of all relationships that matter." It is a visual representation of key variables (i.e., factors, issues, processes) and how they are interconnected. These diagrams show variables represented as texts and causal relationships between them represented as arrows.

What is the purpose of a causal loop diagram?

Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) are used to conceptually model dynamic systems in a holistic manner, mapping how variables (i.e., factors, issues, processes) influence one another.

How does a causal loop start?

A causal loop is a theoretical proposition in which, by means of either retrocausality or time travel, a sequence of events (actions, information, objects, people) is among the causes of another event, which is in turn among the causes of the first-mentioned event.