One of Senge's five learning disciplines for the learning organization: "reflecting upon, and continually clarifying, and improving our internal pictures of the world, and seeing how they shape our actions and decisions." (Senge et al., Fieldbook, p.6)
A group or network of interrelated concepts that reflect conscious or subconscious perceptions of reality. These internal mental networks of meaning are constructed as people draw inferences and gather information about the world.
are deeply ingrained assumptions, generalisations, or even pictures or images that influence how individuals understand the world and take action.
A term used by cognitive scientists referring to both the beliefs about the world held long-term memory, and the short-term perceptions which people build up as part of their everyday reasoning. Changes in short-term everyday mental models gradually change long-term deep-seated beliefs (Senge, 1994).
The ways of thinking that influence how information and situations are interpreted. Mental models are built up from perceptions, experience and imagination.
'Mental Models' is the title of a book published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., in 1983 ISBN 0-89859-242-9. It was edited by Dedre Gentner and Albert L. Stevens, both employees of Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Inc. at the time.