Mental models are frameworks or concepts that help us understand and make sense of the world around us.

They are essentially a way of simplifying and organizing the complex information we encounter in our daily lives. They allow us to take in new information and make connections between different pieces of knowledge.

Mental models can be thought of as a set of assumptions, generalizations or rules of thumb that we use to make sense of the world and make decisions. These models come from our past experiences, education, and the knowledge we have acquired over time.

They also come from the information and explanations we’ve received from others, whether from books, lectures, or other sources.

Some common mental models include:

• Causality: the relationship between cause and effect, which is useful when reasoning about cause-and-effect scenarios.
• Probability: a mental model for understanding chances and uncertainty, which is useful when making decisions that involve risk.
• Systems thinking: a mental model for understanding the interactions between parts of a system and how they affect the whole.

Mental models can be specialized and specific to a field or domain.

Mental models can be helpful in making sense of complex information, problem-solving and decision-making.

They can also help us to see connections and patterns in the data we encounter, which can help to make predictions and draw conclusions.

However, it’s important to not be limited by mental models, as new information and changing circumstances can require us to adjust or discard them.