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Building The Mind

Topic: Mental models
by Wei Xin, 2020 Cohort

Mental models are how we explain our perception of reality and the surrounding world. They are made up of complicated variables ranging from one’s childhood, culture, education; to career, industry, and many others. As such, every individual has their own set of distinct mental models, which is why people often think differently from one another. For those who share similar experiences and elements of life, they may develop similar sets of mental models, thus enabling them to perceive situations in a similar fashion but may still lead to different thoughts. For instance, consider a pair of siblings who work as chefs in the same restaurant. As they visit the beach for a holiday, the older brother would see the tourist crowds and think about opening a new restaurant near the ocean. The younger brother, however, might have an idea for a new seafood dish for the restaurant’s secret menu. Thus, this shows that despite them having similar backgrounds and experiences, their minds could still reach different conclusions.

As shown in Image 1, each coloured square represents a mental model. An analogy here would be that a set of mental models are like a set of tools, and our mind is like a toolbox where the tools are stored. Each mental model has specific properties and function for certain situations or problems. And when faced with complex issues like climate change or market trends, one or more of these “tools” can be used to solve it. Intuitively, a person with a double major in economics and environmental science may have a more sophisticated approach towards those issues compared to a student who mainly studies art. The reason is that new knowledge is built on top of existing models or used to create infinitely many new ones. As we learn more skills and knowledge, our mind will have more tools at its disposal to come up with better decisions and solutions to complex problems. On the other hand, with a less sophisticated set of mental models, we become susceptible to deep cognitive biases (ie. non-objective views) and logical fallacies (ie. faulty reasoning). Therefore, to reduce these biases and fallacies, we should consistently expose ourselves to new knowledge and perspectives, as well as carrying out self-reflection on our current views.

Our mental models can be further refined in various ways following the assimilation of new information. An example would be a lady who aims to increase productivity and read a book about how she can improve her lifestyle. She learns new information from the book and decided that instead of drinking coffee and scrolling through social media in the morning, she would drink plain water and jog around the park. The new routine may feel discomforting initially as her mind tries to adapt to this sudden change, but the new experience will still be registered into her set of mental models. Then, her mind will determine whether or not the new routine is to be continued and tailor it to her own needs.

In conclusion, we must develop our mental models through active learning and trying new experiences, as they will improve our decision-making and problem-solving capabilities. Most importantly, we become better critical thinkers and can perceive the world in greater truth.

Disclaimer#

This content has been contributed by a student as part of a learning activity.
If there are inaccuracies, or opportunities for significant improvement on this topic, feedback is welcome on how to improve the resource.
You can improve articles on this topic as a student in "Unravelling Complexity", or by including the amendments in an email to: Chris.Browne@anu.edu.au

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