Mental Models
A term originating from the field of cognitive psychology, a mental
model
is how a person represents or views the world in his/her mind.(Senge, 1994, p. 237) This
includes the short-term models, which are built from daily reasoning, and
the long-term, which are more accumulative in nature. The idea of mental
models can be equated to a person's paradigm, in that they are both
influential in how the person views the world. These models or paradigms
eventually affect a person's actions, thoughts and beliefs. In a sense,
a person's mental model is a model of a system that they are observing or
within. Their mental model represents how they believe the system works
and how they fit into the systemic structure.
Compiled by
Chris Hagner cch1@cec.wustl.edu
Last updated 10/27/94.