What Is Cognitive Diversity?

Cognitive diversity refers to a group of individuals having different mental models about how the world works, which leads to diverse perspectives and insights. Having diverse people in a room is essential as they bring unique basic assumptions about the world, constructing different mental models and seeing various aspects of a problem. Cognitive diversity enables individuals to have different sets of information or models, enhancing problem-solving capabilities. The wisdom hierarchy explains the progression from data to information, knowledge, and wisdom, with wisdom being the understanding of which knowledge is relevant to solve specific problems. Individuals accumulate knowledge to gain wisdom, but even with extensive knowledge, no single person can solve complex global issues alone. By bringing together diverse groups with varied mental models, there is hope for addressing large-scale problems effectively.