File:Attractor basins.png

English: 3D illustration of different types of attractor basins. Attractor basins represent states of a system (such as moods of an individual). The depth of a basin represents the strength of a state: deep basins are strong states that are hard to get out of, such as B and D. The width of a valley represents the pervasiveness of a state: wide basins are pervasive states that become active easily as they encompass more aspects of an individual’s life, such as C and D. Narrow and shallow basins, such as A, are states that are of little consequence to the individuals’ life, as these states are visited infrequently and are easy to get out of. This concept of attractor basins is rooted in complex dynamic systems theory as it is used in developmental psychology (see for example Van Geert, 1994).