Definition Haddani

The term mental model is believed to have originated with Kenneth Craik in his 1943
book The Nature of Explanation

A mental model is a conceptual representation within a person's mind that is used to

help the person understand the world and to help the person interact with the world.
For example, my mental model of how a telephone works might be that I pick up
the phone to initiate a connection, dial the number I want to call, hear the phone on
the other end ringing, and then the other person answers. That model is not very
detailed and actually is inaccurate (the ringing I hear is not the other phone), but
this model is sufficient for me to be able to operate the device.
The mental models people create of computer systems are normally inaccurate
(Norman, 1983). Having an inaccurate model of how a system works may cause
problems while interacting with the system. By studying how people create mental
models of interactive systems and by designing interactive systems that help the
user create a more accurate mental model of the system, usability will improve.
Characteristics of Mental Models : AAMinou

They filter what we see and hear.

Our mental models are like sunglasses for the mind. They filter or cloud what it is
we see and hear. There have been many studies of "eyewitness reports" where
different people saw the same accident or crime, yet their accounts of what
happened can differ significantly.

We often treat our mental models as the "truth."

We often treat our mental models as if they are the truth - that there is no other
possible reality. We forget that they are just our perceptions of reality.

They are flawed and can get us into trouble.

Since our mental models are not the "truth," they are often flawed or incomplete.
When that is the case, we are in danger of making decisions and taking actions that
generate unwelcome consequences.

It's easier to see others' mental models and harder to see our own.

Especially when our mental models differ from others, we recognize their
assumptions as "flawed;" ours remain true until the data to the contrary persuade us
otherwise.
Explanation : Why a mental model theory : Idriss

The theory of mental models is based on creating mental representations of things

in the world. Those models may then be used to help train a user on a system or to
help explain a user's interaction with a system.
Mental models were first introduced as an internalized, mental representation of
something in the world. Johnson-Laird started this idea and applied it to things such
as the spatial arrangement of objects (Johnson-Laird, et. al., 1998).
Others, including Norman and Payne, adapted the idea for use in human-computer
interaction.
Mental models may be :
- An image,
- A script,
- A set of related mental models,
- A controlled vocabulary,
- A set of assumptions (McDaniel, 2003).\
In many cases a mental model may contain aspects of one or more of these types
of models. A user may have an image of the look of an interface, a script of the
process to be followed when completing a task, knowledge of the vocabulary the
system uses, and assumptions about the behavior of the system.
Types of mental models : Hamza
Two types of mental models have been identified, structural and functional .
A structural model : is used to describe the internal workings of a device, which is
then used to make predictions about the operation of the device. A common
example of this is a home furnace thermostat. If the user wants the temperature to
reach the desired temperature faster they will typically turn the thermostat higher
than the desired temperature assuming that will cause the temperature to rise faster.
That is an incorrect assumption and will create unrealistic expectations about the
furnace.
A functional model : describes how a device works and can be used directly to
interact with the device. An example of this would be my phone model described

earlier in this paper. The model was inaccurate, but it was accurate enough to cause
me to properly use the phone.
The accuracy of all of a person's mental model will affect how the user interacts
with the system. The more accurate the model, the more successful the interaction.

Principles of model theory : Hamza

1. Each model represents a possibility. Its structure corresponds to the structure
of the world, but it has symbols for negation, probability, believability, and so
on. Models that are kinematic or dynamic unfold in time to represent sequences
of events.
2. Models are iconic insofar as possible, that is, their parts and relations
correspond to those of the situations that they represent. They underlie visual
images, but they also represent abstractions, and so they can represent the
extensions of all sorts of relations. They can also be supplemented by symbolic
elements to represent, for example, negation.
3. Models explain deduction, induction, and explanation. In a valid deduction,
the conclusion holds for all models of the premises. In an induction, knowledge
eliminates models of possibilities, and so the conclusion goes beyond the
information given. In an abduction, knowledge introduces new concepts in
order to yield an explanation.