Crew Resource Management and Shared Mental Models

An interest in cognitive skill is beginning to appear in relation to crew resource management. One aspect of cognitive skill that has been examined in a variety of team domains is the notion of overlapping or “shared” mental models among teammates. While a growing amount of evidence on the relationship between shared mental models and team performance exists, only limited research has occurred in respect to the role shared mental models have in crew resource management. The purpose of this paper is to provide researchers and practitioners an understanding of shared mental models and their role in team performance, and to encourage additional research on this topic within the aviation domain.