Mental models are mind devices you can use to explain things.

Over the years, I have developed a few models that may be useful. I don't know whether they attach to existing ones but here goes:

  • Scale: consider the scale of things, if they affect they micro-level and/or the macro-level. 
  • Factuality: consider the fact of something vs. the content of something. 
  • Meaning: what is said vs. what is meant. Often, people will say something and mean something else. 
  • Depth: consider the depth and/or breadth of something (a decision, for instance). 
  • Convenience: consider the convenience of something vs. its scale (especially useful in understand how technology and consumerism evolved). 

Here's an example (Hanlon's Razor) from Gabriel Weinberg's list (he is the founder and CEO of DuckDuckGo, “the search engine that doesn't track you”). 

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by carelessness."