A mental model is simply a representation of how something works. We cannot keep all of the details of the world in our brains, so we use models to simplify the complex into understandable and organizable chunks.
A mental model is an explanation of how something works.
Mental models are frameworks that give people a representation of how the world works.
To put it simply, mental models are a set of beliefs and ideas that we consciously or unconsciously form based on our experiences. They guide our thoughts and behaviours and help us understand life. They’re basically thinking tools—shortcuts for reasoning.
For example, the accelerator pedal in a car is perceived by the designers as a means to inject more fuel to the car engine (mental model). However, the driver perceives it as a means to go faster (ignoring the mechanical implications, conceptual model). Both visions are different but consistent.
A conceptual model is the mental model that people carry of how something should be done.