top of page

PERVASIVE AND POWERFUL MENTAL MODELS

  • Writer: Derek Cabrera
    Derek Cabrera
  • Mar 5, 2020
  • 1 min read

One of the things I find in our efforts to promote public understanding of science and systems thinking is that people have a hard time realizing the ubiquity, pervasiveness, and importance of mental models. These things we call mental models are ever-present and always influencing us. For more see reality bias.


A few ways we have been successful in helping people to see how ever-present mental models are is to make it somewhat light and fun but also giving serious examples to back them up.


Birdbox Studio did a video that is one of the best examples of the ubiquitous and pervasive nature of mental models I have ever found, and, it's funny:


We wanted to capture Birdbox's brilliance in a static version for folks who don't have the time or the medium to watch it. So, we created this comic strip:

ree

Make no mistake about it, our mental models are pervasive and powerful things. Check out these cows. Their [false] mental model actually alters their behavior.


 
 
 

Comments

Couldn’t Load Comments
It looks like there was a technical problem. Try reconnecting or refreshing the page.

Cabrera Lab partners with STSI™, NSF and USDA to raise the standard of systems thinking:

NSF_logo.png
USDA_logo.png
6_edited.png
SYSTEMS THINKING STANDARDS INSTITUTE ACC
THE PROFESSIONAL SYSTEMS THINKING CREDENTIAL
THE PROFESSIONAL SYSTEMS THINKING CREDENTIAL
Systems Thinking Educational Standards (STES)

© 2025 by Cabrera Lab

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up to receive CRL news and updates.

bottom of page