ladder of inference

By — on / Glossary

A model that describes how individuals reach conclusions and make decisions based on facts. The model states that individuals move from observable data and experiences to selected “data,” added meanings, assumptions from those selected data and meanings, conclusions that are drawn, beliefs from those conclusions, and actions based on those beliefs. (Peter M. Senge, Art Kleiner, Charlotte Roberts and Bryan J. Smith, The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook [Currency, Doubleday, 1994])

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