Cognitive Resources Library
A unified taxonomy of cognitive resources — the representations, rules, processes, and internalized content people draw upon when reasoning, deciding, and acting.
518 entries — A: 56 mental models · B: 18 external artifacts · C: 342 cognitive operations · D: 102 domain concepts. Use the depth selector to scope by tier.
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◈ Mental Models◇ External Artifacts⬡ Automatic Processes↻ Deliberate Operations△ Domain Concepts
Tier:123(driven by depth selector)
◈ Mental Models:⚙ T1 Physical-Mechanical⟳ T2 Causal-Dynamic◎ T3 Spatial▣ T4 Situation & Event♟ T5 Social-Agentive▶ T6 Task-Proceduralλ T7 Formal-Symbolic
⬡ Automatic Processes:ConstructiveDistortiveBiases & HeuristicsDefense MechanismsEstimationDecisionHypothesis AssessmentCausal AttributionRecallOpinion Reporting
↻ Deliberate Operations:StrategyDecision Rule
△ Domain Concepts:G1 LawG2 PrincipleG3 ConceptG4 Operation
211 of 518 entries
◈ AT1.1
Device model
A user's internal representation of how a device or technological artifact works, used to predict its behavior and guide…
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◈ AT1.2
Naive physics model
A coherent but scientifically incorrect model of physical phenomena based on everyday experience.
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◈ AT1.3
Qualitative physical model
A mental model of a physical system that reasons about continuous variables qualitatively (increasing/decreasing/steady)…
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◈ AT1.4
Analogical model of a physical system
A mental model that represents a physical system by structural mapping from a more familiar domain (e.g., water flow to …
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◈ AT1.5
Equipment model
A shared mental model of equipment, tools, or technology held across team members, enabling coordinated interaction with…
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◈ AT2.1
Causal mental model
A mental model representing causal relationships between variables -- what causes what, and through what mechanisms.
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◈ AT2.2
System dynamics mental model
A mental model of how feedback loops, stocks, flows, and delays generate the dynamic behavior of a complex system over t…
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◈ AT2.3
Lay risk mental model
A non-expert's mental model of a hazard's causal pathways, exposure mechanisms, and risk magnitude.
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◈ AT2.4
Expert risk mental model
An expert's mental model of a hazard's causal pathways, exposure mechanisms, and countermeasures, typically articulable …
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◈ AT2.5
Forward internal model
An internal model of the motor apparatus that predicts the sensory consequences of a motor command before sensory feedba…
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◈ AT2.6
Inverse internal model
An internal model that computes the motor commands needed to achieve a desired trajectory or state.
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◈ AT2.7
Epidemiological process mental model
A mental model of how diseases spread, populations change, or ecological systems behave over time -- including transmiss…
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◈ AT3.1
Cognitive map
A mental representation of spatial layout that encodes locations, distances, and directions in a map-like configurationa…
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◈ AT3.2
Route knowledge
A mental model of spatial layout organized as a sequential chain of landmarks and turn decisions along a path.
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◈ AT3.3
Survey knowledge
A mental model of spatial layout that encodes the overall configurational structure -- relative positions and distances …
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◈ AT3.4
Cognitive collage
A spatial mental model composed of multiple partial, overlapping, and perspectivally inconsistent spatial representation…
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◈ AT3.5
Spatial situation model
A spatial mental model constructed from language (text or discourse) rather than direct experience -- representing the d…
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◈ AT4.1
Situation model
An integrated mental representation of the state of affairs described in a text or discourse, incorporating spatial, tem…
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◈ AT4.2
Event model
A mental model of a bounded event or event segment, representing the perceptual and conceptual structure of what is happ…
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◈ AT4.3
Script
A stereotyped mental representation of a familiar event sequence (e.g., going to a restaurant), specifying the typical a…
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◈ AT4.4
Narrative model
A mental model of an extended narrative -- integrating characters, goals, events, causal chains, and thematic structure …
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◈ AT5.1
Folk psychology model
A mental model of another agent's beliefs, desires, intentions, and emotional states, used to explain and predict their …
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◈ AT5.2
Team member model
A shared mental model representing the knowledge, skills, preferences, tendencies, and strengths/weaknesses of each team…
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◈ AT5.3
Team interaction model
A shared mental model of the roles, responsibilities, communication patterns, and coordination norms within a team.
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◈ AT5.4
Social situation model
A mental model of a social situation -- who the actors are, what their relationships and goals are, and what social norm…
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◈ AT5.5
Organizational mental model
A mental model attributed to an organization (or its leadership) representing the organization's operating environment, …
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◈ AT6.1
Shared task model
A shared mental model of the team's task -- including procedures, task strategies, likely problems, and environmental co…
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◈ AT6.2
Procedural script
A mental model of a well-practiced action sequence -- the action-guiding counterpart of a comprehension-oriented script …
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◈ AT6.3
Operational procedure model
A mental model of a specific operational procedure -- steps, decision points, contingencies, and criteria for completion…
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◈ AT6.4
Debugging procedure model
A mental model of how to approach a coding task, debug an error, or navigate a development workflow.
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◈ AT7.1
Notional machine
A mental model of an idealized computer that executes programs -- representing how variables are stored, how control flo…
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◈ AT7.2
Program model
A mental representation of a program's code-level structure -- control flow, data flow, and statement-by-statement execu…
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◈ AT7.3
Logical reasoning model
A transient mental model representing possibilities in a logical reasoning task -- constructed in working memory to eval…
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◈ AT7.4
Mathematical structure model
A mental model of an abstract mathematical structure -- number systems, geometric relations, algebraic structures, proba…
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◈ AT7.5
Game-rule model
A mental model of a game's formal rules, legal moves, strategic patterns, and state transitions.
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◈ AT-AI.1
World model
A computational system's internal model of its environment, used to predict future states, plan actions, and interpret s…
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◈ AT1.6
Naive Biology Model
A coherent but incorrect model of how biological systems work (e.g., "the body as a container," vitalist models of illne…
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◈ AT4.5
Counterfactual Situation Model
A mental model of "what would have happened if" — an alternative version of events constructed by changing one or more a…
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◈ AT4.6
Prospective / Future Situation Model
A mental model of a future episode — a simulated scenario of what might happen, constructed via episodic future thinking…
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◈ AT5.6
Self-Model / Metacognitive Model
A mental model of one's own cognitive abilities, knowledge boundaries, biases, and decision-making patterns.
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◈ AT5.7
Cultural Mental Model
A shared mental model of cultural norms, values, social expectations, and worldview assumptions held by members of a cul…
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◈ AT6.5
Clinical Decision-Making Model
A clinician's mental model of the diagnostic and treatment procedure — including symptom patterns, differential diagnosi…
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◇ BB1
Conceptual Model
An external representation devised by a designer, teacher, or scientist to help users or learners form an accurate menta…
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◇ BB2
System Image
The totality of information that the system presents to the user — its physical appearance, documentation, interface beh…
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◇ BB3
Concept Map
An external network-like representation showing concepts as nodes and relationships as labeled links, used to externaliz…
1▾
◇ BB4
Influence Diagram (Risk Communication)
A graphical external representation of the causal and decision structure of a risk domain, typically created by experts …
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◇ BB5
User Model (System-Held)
A computational model maintained by a system representing a user's knowledge, preferences, goals, or behavior patterns —…
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◇ BB6
Domain Model (Software Engineering)
A formal external representation of the concepts, entities, and relationships in a problem domain, built by software eng…
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◇ BB7
UML / Architectural Diagram
A standardized external diagram representing the structure or behavior of a software system.
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◇ BB8
Causal Loop Diagram
An external diagram showing feedback loops, reinforcing and balancing relationships among variables in a system.
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