Investigating mental models of mechanical engineering students

Abstract

Today's innovation processes are interdisciplinary and require communication between stakeholders from different domains. The compatibility of mental models, which determine how individuals think about technical problems, decides the success of this communication. Previous research indicates that mechanical engineering students prefer procedural over structural approaches. However, structured research into the source of this preference is rare. This paper presents a study (n = 67) that investigates the mental models of mechanical engineering students of technical systems. Results indicate that mental models may depend on the presentation of a problem. A questionnaire yielded a preference for a procedural approach, while questions prompting verbal information instead yield a structural preference.