Mental Models of Soil Pedology for Students, Policymakers, Soil Scientists, and Environmental Professionals.

Mental models are an account of deductive, probabilistic, and modal reasoning. Mental models are how people understand and process information. If their mental model indicates that a process that leads to natural phenomena is probable, then they are more likely to use the model and develop behaviors that put this thinking into action. As soils scientists, we have developed mental models of how soils work over time, based on our experiences and knowledge of science. The discipline of soil pedology or the study of the genesis of soils in space and time may be constructive at developing mental models of soils judgers, soils scientists, and students who take soil classes. These are important audiences. However, while the public generally understands the value of air quality, or the maintenance of a species, it may not have a mental model of the processes that govern soil quality or health nor the unique nature of soils across the landscape. This research is aimed at determining the average mental models of several groups, seeing how they differ, and determining the points at which the model thinking may be developed through informal education programs.