Mental Models and Reality

Abstract

Mental models are our internal pictures of how the world works.¹ They are our personal, deeply ingrained ideas about the world around us and often form a major hurdle to accepting new ways of thinking and acting. Our mental models, especially if we are unaware of them, can severely limit us to mental and behavioral comfort zones. Peter Senge, one of the prominent thinkers of mental models and the way they can influence workplaces, explains,

Mental models can be simple generalizations, such as “people are untrustworthy,” or they can be complex theories. But what is most important to grasp is that mental models shape how we act. If we believe people are untrustworthy, we act differently from the way we would if we believed they were trustworthy.²

Introducing the concept of “mental models,” this chapter encourages us to accept that there are multiple versions of looking at the world, influenced by the many factors in our lives. The intention is to enhance awareness of the fact that the way we look at the world is not the same way others do. Stirring (or reviving) this awareness is also intended to encourage us to take a hard look at our current mental models, contemplating their origins and considering whether some may have to be revised. At the same time, this awareness of mental models will help us understand our perspective limitations and help us understand and appreciate others’ viewpoints.