mõttemudel

Mõttemudel, Estonian for mental model, is a simplified internal representation that people form to understand and interact with the world. These models help individuals reason about how things work, predict outcomes, and guide decision making. They are not perfect replicas of reality but working frameworks that support problem solving and planning.

Origins and scope: The concept originates in cognitive psychology, with mental models theory associated with researchers such as Philip Johnson-Laird. The idea is that reasoning relies on constructing and manipulating internal models of situations rather than solely on formal logic. The term is widely used across education, design, and human-computer interaction to describe how people interpret information and systems.

In Estonian contexts: Mõttemudel is used in pedagogy, psychology, user experience design, and science communication. Teachers assess students’ mõttemudel to identify misunderstandings; designers study users’ mental models to create intuitive interfaces and improve usability.

Formation and representation: People build mõttemudel from prior knowledge, experience, language, and culture. They can be represented externally by diagrams, flowcharts, narratives, or simulations to support learning and communication. Educational strategies often aim to align students’ models with domain concepts, using analogies or concrete examples to facilitate reformulation.

Limitations and implications: Mental models are often simplified and biased, which can lead to errors or misinterpretations when they diverge from actual systems. They are dynamic and continually revised as new information becomes available. Understanding and adjusting mõttemudel is a central goal in teaching, design, and user research.

Applications: education, science communication, policymaking, software engineering, and user experience research.