Mental models

Definition

Mental models are cognitive frameworks that help individuals understand and interpret the world around them. These models shape how we process information and make sense of experiences, influencing our expectations and reactions to various stimuli, including films. In the context of cognitive film theory, mental models play a crucial role in how viewers comprehend narratives, identify with characters, and engage with visual storytelling.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Mental models are formed based on personal experiences, cultural background, and social context, making them unique to each individual.
2. In film viewing, mental models help audiences predict plot developments and understand character motivations based on established patterns.
3. Mental models can be both explicit (consciously recognized) and implicit (unconsciously held), affecting how people engage with narrative content.
4. They can evolve over time as individuals gain new experiences and knowledge, allowing for more complex interpretations of films.
5. Filmmakers often exploit common mental models to guide audience expectations, using familiar tropes or narrative structures to enhance viewer engagement.

Review Questions

• How do mental models influence the way viewers comprehend film narratives?
  • Mental models significantly impact how viewers comprehend film narratives by providing cognitive frameworks that shape their understanding of plot and character development. These frameworks are informed by prior experiences, cultural norms, and genre conventions. As viewers encounter new films, they draw upon these existing mental models to anticipate story outcomes and interpret character actions, which enhances their overall engagement with the film.
• Discuss the relationship between mental models and audience reception in the context of film viewing.
  • The relationship between mental models and audience reception is vital because mental models inform how viewers approach and respond to films. When audiences have established mental frameworks related to certain genres or themes, their interpretation of new films is influenced by these models. This can lead to varying receptions of the same film based on the audience's background knowledge and personal experiences. Thus, filmmakers must consider the mental models likely held by their target audiences when crafting narratives.
• Evaluate how filmmakers can utilize an understanding of mental models to enhance storytelling in their films.
  • Filmmakers can enhance storytelling by leveraging an understanding of mental models to create narratives that resonate with audiences. By tapping into familiar tropes or conventional narrative structures that align with common mental models, filmmakers can guide viewer expectations and deepen emotional engagement. Additionally, they can challenge existing mental models by introducing innovative concepts or unexpected plot twists, prompting audiences to reassess their interpretations and engage more deeply with the film's themes. This strategic manipulation of mental models ultimately enriches the viewing experience.

Related terms

Cognitive Schema: A cognitive structure that organizes knowledge and guides information processing, influencing how we perceive new information based on prior experiences.

Narrative Comprehension: The process by which viewers interpret and make sense of the plot and characters in a story, often relying on their mental models to fill in gaps.

Audience Reception: The ways in which viewers understand, interpret, and respond to a film, shaped by their mental models and individual experiences.