On looking into the Black Box: Prospects and Limits in the Search for Mental Models

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Abstract
The notion that humans have 'mental models' of the systems with which they interact is a ubiquitous construct in many domains of study. This paper review the ways in which different domains define mental models, characterize the purposes of such models, and attempt to identify the forms, structures, and parameters of models. The resulting distinctions among domains are described in terms of two dimensions: (1) nature of model manipulation, and (2) level of behavioral discretiaon. A variety of salient issues emerge, including accessibility of mental models, forms and content of representation, nature of expertise, cue utilization, and, of most importance, instructional issues. Prospects for dealing with these issues are considered, as well as fundamental limits to identifying or capturing humans 'true' mental models.

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