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The main question that addresses this research is about the role of mental models in the institutional arrangements for common pool resource management. The central idea is that there is a cognitive conflict when different actors define use and management problems of common pool resources. Mental models are used for institutional design. Several actors, to structure commons problems, use different mental models. Mental models influence institutions and policies intended to solve such problems. The conceptual framework of the study included commons dilemmas, neo institutionalism approaches, institutional analysis and development (IAD) socio ecological systems and mental models concepts. Three case studies in Colombia (South America) were chosed to study the above question: an artisanal fishermen place in Caribbean (Barú), a communitarian aqueduct in the Andes (Lenguazque), and a forestry community in the Pacific coast (Salahonda). In order to explore the research question a multimethod framework was designed that included a first phase of economic experiments, surveys and interviews with resource users. The experiments were designed to capture the commons dilemma in each case: fishing, water and forestry. These experiments simulated also the dynamic complexity of each of the resources. The experiments also simulated three types of voted rules as solution to the cooperation dilemma. Resource users from the three case studies participated in the experiments. A second field phase was carried out using the companion modeling approach (ComMod) approach. The experimental setting was used to start a co …