Mental models shape thought processes, behaviors, and responses to situations. Kenneth Craik proposed the mental model theory in the 1940s, and it has been built upon to explore mental model formation. Intellectual disability and mental illness can inhibit mental model development. Mental models help people understand and apply patterns in human behavior. Culture and environment impact mental model formation.
A mental model is a construct in the mind that shapes thought processes, behaviors, and responses to situations. People work with a series of mental models to create a framework for interacting with the world and understanding events taking place around them. These constructs can include memories of real-world situations as well as hypothetical situations and theoretical responses to them. Numerous things can influence mental model formation including someone’s cultural and religious background.
Kenneth Craik, a Scottish researcher, proposed the mental model theory in the 1940s. He has blended philosophy and psychology in his work to understand how people interact with their environments. Many people have built on this work to explore mental model formation and different types of models in various populations. Some psychology professionals regularly study and use this theory of the human mind in their work.
As people interact with the world around them, they begin to develop mental models. One thing that can inhibit the development of mental models is intellectual disability, which can make it more difficult for someone to understand and process complex concepts. Mental illness can also interfere, as it can distort reality for someone and make it more difficult to find predictable and understandable patterns of human behavior and activity. People use their mental models to understand why and how people do things and also to develop techniques for identifying and completing tasks.
Previous experiences can be helpful by providing a real-world frame of reference, and people can fill in the gaps with imaginary scenarios to create mental models. These models help people identify and follow patterns in human behavior so they can apply them to situations in their own lives. Using a mental model, a person can make a decision about a course of action and will rely on the feedback of the decision results to inform and improve the model.
People apply their mental models to everything from understanding political events to negotiating interpersonal disagreements. Researchers who agree with this theory to explain cognition generally believe that these models are flexible and can change over time in response to environmental factors.
Culture and environment can have a significant impact on mental model formation. People with limited real-world experience may struggle to create useful and meaningful models. Being raised in a sheltered or restrictive environment can make it difficult for people to interact with individuals from other backgrounds who may have different lived experiences and corresponding mental models.
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