The research group “Development of Symmetrical Mental Models,” led by Dr. Christian Schulz, investigates how people imagine artificial intelligence—and how these ideas can be incorporated into the design of explainable AI systems. The starting point is that mental models have mostly been designed from the developer's perspective, leaving little room for the views of real users and, above all, the people behind them.

The project therefore focuses on a new understanding: it builds on insights from media studies – such as the concept of the “algorithmic imaginary” – to develop inclusive and co-constructive mental models. In doing so, it traces and critically examines the historical lines of previous concepts of mental models, as well as analyzing concrete ideas of users in its own studies and ongoing TRR projects.

The aim is to rethink mental models not only on an individual level, but systematically under the premise of co-construction—as part of a multi-perspective and dynamically interrelated interplay between humans and AI.