Reconstructing Mental Models for Favorable Perceptions

Introduction

Perception plays a critical role in how we think and behave. Different parts of our bodies deliver stimuli to the brain for processing and the brain then tells us how to interpret and respond to those stimuli. However, because there is an abundance of stimuli available to our senses at any given moment that would be far too overwhelming for our brains to process simultaneously, we selectively attend to particular stimuli that has value in that moment. For example, we may not actively notice the background music as we walk through a noisy store until the song changes to a favorite and we begin to hum along with the tune. This selection process and the interpretation process are subjective to the individual based on a multitude of factors including, but not limited to genetics, past experiences, prior knowledge, emotional state, and human instincts. Therefore, although the stimuli are real, our brain’s interpretation of the stimuli is the perception of that reality and determines what we think we know and how we think we should behave. And, for the most part, this occurs without our conscious knowledge in a fraction of a moment in time. Information processing is inherently limited for efficiency (Posner, Snyder, & Davidson, 1980; Marois & Ivanoff, 2005) and, therefore, attention involves multiple neural processes to select the most important information (Kastner & Ungerleider, 2000; Driver & Vuilleumier, 2001).

Our thoughts and our behaviors feel true to reality until an event occurs that forces us to recognize that others perceived the same event differently. What images come to mind when you hear the two words “police shooting”? Do you envision a member of the police was shot by a member of the public or a member of the public was shot by the police? In your vision, are the people involved of a particular race, age, and gender? Where is this scene taking place? Is it a city or a suburb? Do the surrounding buildings represent a specific economic level?

The image held in mind when interpreting stimuli is referred to as a mental model. These representations serve as an efficient way to understand any type of complex concept, framework, or worldview and they guide our perception and behavior. Mental model theory (Johnson-Laird, 1983) states that people typically build mental models based on what they believe to be true but there is a strong tendency to focus on only one of many potential possibilities. This is called the focusing effect and may lead people to ignore or overlook a different and more correct response. Understanding the situations we encounter with one model, rather than multiple models, is easier and known as the disjunctive effect. When people pause long enough to become aware of the assumptions they are making about a situation, based on their mental model, they realize that each unique situation may be better suited to a different response. However, it is difficult for us to take that extra moment and reconsider our responses that feel natural. Yet, if we can build towards a state of mindfulness in our interactions with others, particularly those who have been marginalized, perhaps we can avoid contributing to the microaggressions that they regularly face from even the most well-intentioned people.

“Perception is the editor of reality” explains why marginalization is so “successful” in its intentions and so difficult to eradicate. When mental models shape actions that subjugate groups of people or individuals to the margins of society, most are unaware of how our perceptions are contributing. Further, most are unaware that our perceptions about a group or individual are shaped repeatedly by a wide range of factors. Once these perceptions are formed, we selectively attend (often unconsciously) to information that confirms our bias and disregard information that counters what we perceive. Therefore, conscious awareness of the implicit biases that exist within our perceptions represents one path for reducing marginalization of others. Awareness must then lead to changes in thought and behavior. This requires mindfulness, or the time to pause, reflect, and be fully present in our interactions with others. However, this chapter proposes an alternative approach; if we can change the mental models that implicitly shape our behavioral responses and influence our word choices, perhaps awareness becomes less necessary. We can assume that our reactions are shaped by a favorable bias in the same fraction of time as unfavorable biases.