0.1 Models

Models

The concept of a model is very close to that of an analogy. It is so fundamental to our thought, decisionmaking, and problem solving processes that it is difficult to isolate and study; however, to accomplish the goal of simulatingand understanding complicated social systems, it is essential that we do understand the concept of a model and develop methods forconstructing them. Like many basic concepts, it is best described by examples:

Physical model

To the average person the word "model" might bring to mind someone modeling a dress, or perhaps a photographer'smodel, or even a model airplane or car. Let's consider these cases. The usual reason for looking at a dress on a model is to imaginewhat the dress would look like on one's self without having to buy it to find out. The photographer uses his camera to make a likenessof the model in the form of a picture. The model plane or car allows one to enjoy the details and perspectives of the modelwithout the problems and expense of actual ownership of the airplane or car. Indeed, one can try experiments on the models thatwould be very difficult or expensive to actually perform on the real thing.

Consider the methods and purposes behind the architect's model of a building, the car designer's prototype of anew design, or the aerodynamicist's wind tunnel model of a new airplane. As one considers what is common to these ideas of a modeland what purposes are served, perhaps the concept begins to take shape.

Mental model

Rather than further pursue the various types of physical models, let us consider another less obvious form ofmodel, the mental model. For example, the merchant who mentally speculates: "if I increase the price of this article from x to y,the buyers will still buy enough that I will come out ahead," and the mother who says, "if I spank my child for leaving his toys out,he will stop", are both using intuitive mental models of incredibly complicated economic, sociological, and psychological systems thateven experts don't agree on. Freud, Skinner, Erikson and others have all produced models of human psychology that much of moderntherapy and advertising are based on. Indeed, reflection indicates that much of human thought is involved with mental model making andthe use of these models for decision making, problem solving, or merely pleasure.

The politician who tells the voters what will happen if certain policies are followed, the advertiser who tellsthe potential buyer the results of using his product, and the preacher who predicts the consequences of evil to his followers areall involved with the building and use of mental and verbal models.

Even the simple speculation of "if I wear these clothes I will look nice" is based on a model of how one'sfriends will respond to one's dress. Indeed, most processes of experience can be viewed as model building, experimentation, modelmodification, etc. Further reflection shows how much of one's mental activities can be viewed as involved with modeling and howmany academic disciplines are based on models, even though the concept and process is poorly understood and seldom explicitlydiscussed.