Towards a Context-Dependent Framework for Visualizing Mental Models

Author(s):  
Samantha Harper ◽  
Stephen Dorton

Mental models describe an internal representation of knowledge, which can be used to describe, explain, and predict a person’s interactions with their environment. While there is no shortage on mental model research, a recent literature review revealed the majority of research on mental models does not include an actual model of any kind. Mental models are able to capture complex information, which is difficult to effectively convey through written word alone. A set of visual metaphors are needed to effectively convey the disparate information that can be identified in mental models. We have conducted initial research to develop a notional framework for visualizing mental models based on the context of the elicitation methods used (and the data collected).

Author(s):  
Samantha Harper ◽  
Stephen Dorton

Mental models describe an internal representation of knowledge of an individual or group, which can be used to interpret interactions with their environment and provide insight into decision-making strategies and prediction of performance. There are several ways to elicit mental models and analyze them; however, there is little guidance for selecting an appropriate elicitation method. Depending on different constraints of research and desired outcomes, different elicitation methods are more appropriate than others. Three criteria were identified as useful for selecting an appropriate elicitation method. These were the interaction level with participants, the number of participants being evaluated, and the resulting level of analytical detail that is required. A process for selecting the most appropriate mental model elicitation method is herein presented. Additionally, an overview of the factors that affect the selection of the mental models, and the different types of mental models are also presented.


EDUSAINS ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-162
Author(s):  
Rian Priyadi ◽  
Markus Diantoro ◽  
Parno Parno

PENGEMBANGAN INSTRUMEN MODEL MENTAL PADA TOPIK SUHU DAN KALORAbstrakKami telah mengembangkan tes sebagai analisis model mental pada materi suhu dan kalor. Penelitian pengembangan ini didasarkan pada pentingnya mengetahui tingkatan model mental siswa. Model mental merupakan representasi internal siswa dalam memahami sebuah konsep.  Penelitian ini menggunakan model pengembangan 4-D. Produk yang dihasilkan merupakan instrumen analisis model mental berupa soal terbuka.  Selanjutnya, instrumen tes model mental diujicobakan kepada responden (N=90) untuk mengukur validitas dan reliabilitas. Tes yang telah dikembangkan terdiri dari 8 soal dengan reliabilitas sebesar 0,667. Berdasarkan analisis data, instrumen tes model mental pada materi suhu dan kalor layak digunakan sebagai instrumen penilaian. AbstractWe have developed test inventory as an analysis of mental models on heat and temperature topics. This development research based on the importance of knowing the level of students' mental models. The mental models are a student’s internal representation of understanding a concept. This study uses a 4-D model. The product being produced is a mental model analysis consists of open-ended questions. Furthermore, mental models test were tested on respondents (N = 90) to measure the validity and reliability. The test that has been developed consists of 8 questions with a value of reliability is 0.667. Based on data analysis, the test of mental models on heat and temperature topics is feasible to use as an assessment instrument. 


1997 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur C. Graesser

Researchers in the field of discourse processing have investigated how mental models are constructed when adults comprehend stories. They have explored the process of encoding various classes of inferences “on-line” when these mental microworlds are constructed during comprehension. This commentary addresses the extent to which these inferences and mental microworlds are “embodied.”


Author(s):  
Yosef S. Razin ◽  
Jack Gale ◽  
Jiaojiao Fan ◽  
Jaznae’ Smith ◽  
Karen M. Feigh

This paper evaluates Banks et al.’s Human-AI Shared Mental Model theory by examining how a self-driving vehicle’s hazard assessment facilitates shared mental models. Participants were asked to affirm the vehicle’s assessment of road objects as either hazards or mistakes in real-time as behavioral and subjective measures were collected. The baseline performance of the AI was purposefully low (<50%) to examine how the human’s shared mental model might lead to inappropriate compliance. Results indicated that while the participant true positive rate was high, overall performance was reduced by the large false positive rate, indicating that participants were indeed being influenced by the Al’s faulty assessments, despite full transparency as to the ground-truth. Both performance and compliance were directly affected by frustration, mental, and even physical demands. Dispositional factors such as faith in other people’s cooperativeness and in technology companies were also significant. Thus, our findings strongly supported the theory that shared mental models play a measurable role in performance and compliance, in a complex interplay with trust.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Rian Priyadi ◽  
Markus Diantoro ◽  
Parno Parno ◽  
Helmi Helmi

The mental models are internal representation possessed by students when learning a concept. This study is intended to explore students’ mental models on Heat and Temperature concept. This research was conducted on 11th grade students of Science program (N = 60) at one senior public school in Malang. Data were collected through open-ended questions and analyzed using the SSI method, which consisted of three levels of mental models. Based on the results, most of the students are still at the synthetic level. In addition, some differences of the students in visualizing the state of solid atoms during expansion, direction of heat conduction, and direction of heat convection. The future study is expected to explore the mental models of students in other topics of Physics education and make use of appropriate learning models to increase students’ mental models.


Author(s):  
John Rafafy Batlolona ◽  
Haryo Franky Souisa

This paper tells about the mental model of prospective scholars on the topic of temperature and heat. The purpose of this research is to improve students’ mental model by using problem based learning (PBL) model. The number of samples in the study amounted to 72 students with two different classes. The results of the study showed that, (1) the improvement of mental model that studied with PBL was higher than that studied with conventional learning. (2) high-skilled student mental models that are learning with PBL are higher than those studied by conventional learning. (3) low-skilled student mental models that study with PBL are higher than students learning with conventional learning. The conclusion of this study is the improvement of students' mental models using PBL models on the topic of conductivity in water. Thus the PBL model can be recommended in improving students' mental models on temperature and heat topics. The implication in this research is to improve the students' mental model as the agent of science education change.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bingjun Xie ◽  
Jia Zhou ◽  
Huilin Wang

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the gap between two different mental models on interaction performance through a quantitative way. To achieve that, an index called mental model similarity and a new method called path diagram to elicit mental models were introduced. There are two kinds of similarity: directionless similarity calculated from card sorting and directional similarity calculated from path diagram. An experiment was designed to test their influence. A total of 32 college students participated and their performance was recorded. Through mathematical analysis of the results, three findings were derived. Frist, the more complex the information structures, the lower the directional similarity. Second, directional similarity (rather than directionless similarity) had significant influence on user performance, indicating that it is more effective in eliciting mental models using path diagram than card sorting. Third, the relationship between information structures and user performance was partially mediated by directional similarity. Our findings provide practitioners with a new perspective of bridging the gap between users’ and designers’ mental models.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henri de Jongste

Abstract This paper investigates how a mental-model theory of communication can explain differences in humorous texts and how aesthetic criteria to evaluate humour are dependent on the way mental models are exploited. Humour is defined as the deliberate manipulation by speakers of their private mental models of situations in order to create public mental models which contain one or more incongruities. Recipients can re-construct this manipulation process and thereby evaluate its nature and its quality. Humorous texts can be distinguished in terms of ownership of the manipulated mental model, the relationship between the speakers’ private and their public (humorous) mental model, as well as the speed required in the humorous mental model construction. Possible aesthetic criteria are the quality of the mental model manipulation, the pressure under which the humorously manipulated mental models have been constructed and the quality of the presentation of humorous mental models.


Author(s):  
Daniel Churchill

It is widely assumed that mental models are internal representations. Humans are capable of constructing these models when required by demands of an external task or by a self-generated stimulus. “Mind’s eye” can see, run, and interact with these mental models. Rather than stored in strictly fixed form in the mind, mental models are constructed on the spot when needed. Repeated application leads to refinement of a mental model and possible automation of its construction and use processes in one’s cognitive practice.


Author(s):  
Ji-Ye Mao ◽  
Bradley R. Brown

This study investigates the effectiveness of online task support (the wizard type in particular) relative to instructor-led training, and explores the underlying cognitive process in terms of the development of mental models. Ninety-two novice users of Microsoft Access were either trained by an experienced instructor or performed exercises with online task support, and then completed a variety of performance-based tests. Analysis shows that users of online task support tended to outperform instructor-trained individuals on high-level tasks, whereas the performance difference on low-level tasks was not significant. The cognitive processes underlying the difference are also noteworthy. Task support users were more likely to develop conceptual mental models as opposed to procedural ones, which accounted for their better high-level performance. Mental model completeness was also found to be closely associated with performance on both low and high-level tasks. These findings offer support for increased use of online task support.


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