Ladder of inference

Let's take a look at Chris Argyris' ladder of inference. This model describes how we move from something like a comment or observation through a series of unconscious processes to reach a conclusion and the action you take as a result of such a conclusion.

This model shows that your beliefs and assumptions, which are strongly linked to your culture, underlie the inferences you draw.

Every day we meet people and process our interactions – we make inferences and develop beliefs about the world around us. Trevor Maber introduces us to the idea of a 'ladder of inference' and a process for rethinking the way we interact.

You can use The Ladder of Inference (Chris Argyris) as a tool for reflection, to help you retrace your steps from what you saw/heard (the data) to the conclusions you drew and the action you took as a result of the data and conclusions.