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Mental Models

Meaning

Mental Models are simplified, internal, and often subconscious representations of how the world, or a specific complex system like the human body, fundamentally operates, which subsequently guide an individual’s perception, critical decision-making, and consistent behavior. In the clinical context of health and wellness, these are the core, foundational beliefs a patient holds about their own biology, the underlying causes of disease, and the expected efficacy of various treatments. A clinical translator’s essential role often involves identifying and systematically upgrading suboptimal or inaccurate mental models to align them with current, robust scientific reality.