Mental Models

Mental models are deeply held internal images of how the world works. Related to the idea of schemas, mental models both help people make sense of the world, and may limit us to familiar ways of thinking and acting. Very often, we are not consciously aware of our mental models or the effects they have on our behavior (Senge,1990).

Discussion:

Senge's work is largely in the business context rather than the psychological and academic landscape of other systems of models.

Senge's mental models are one of five disciplines, based around a holistic systems theory, that make up a core set of skills that are important for guiding organizations (Senge et al., 1990). These are:

• Systems thinking
• Personal mastery
• Mental models
• Building shared vision
• Team learning

Models are not perfect. They are lenses through which we see reality.

One of the pernicious effects of models is that they block and distort information, resulting in opportunities being missed and threats ignored. This is a key reason why successful businesses inexorably fail as they attribute their success to models that exaggerate innate skills and downplay environmental factors.