Chapter 8 - Building Mental Models: Why We Present with Visualizations

Abstract

The emerging theory of predictive cognition is used as a foundation for a general theory of effective visual presentations. Predictive cognition can be used to explain both neural organization and cognitive purpose; it holds that that prediction is the fundamental purpose of the neural structures underlying all thought and action. One claim is that the function of memory is to predict the future, not recollect the past. The only reason why memory in the traditional sense of recall, exists, is to convey our mental models to other people. Accordingly, the fundamental purpose of presentations is to convey predictive mental models so that others can take more effective actions. The second half of the chapter contains a series of examples showing how different kinds of visualization can be used to convey predictive mental models. These include simple cartoons capable of conveying mechanical models, assembly diagrams, photographic images which convey general purpose models of particular environments or things, and conventional charts and diagrams.