A Methodology from Software Engineering Inspection which Supports Replicable Mental Models Research

A modified inspection-style approach is used in two studies, the second a replication variant of the first, to determine the mental models of subjects with regard to their beliefs about methodological constraints in tools. In addition to determining the degree of variability of perception and the reasons for the variability, three belief biases were discovered. The inspection-style approach supports replication work and we recommend this approach to laboratory work for mental model research.