Conceptual models serve to bridge the world of the mind with the world of computers and programs.

From a grounded cognition perspective, knowing a concept means being able to mentally simulate it, which entails the ability to:

• construct an adequate mental model of the concept and run the corresponding mental simulations;
• revise a mental model when confronted with empirical evidence of its inadequacy.

The Epistemic Cycle (Image from: Landriscina, F. (2013). Simulation and Learning. A Model-Centered Approach, p. 197, NY: Springer)