The superbug: mental models and errors in computer programming

This paper explores the relationship between people’s understanding of computers and their programming errors. “Poor” mental models of a computer system can cause programmers to make errors that can lead to system failure. In particular, Pea (1986) argued that some specific programming errors depend on incorrect mentalization of computers, which he called “superbugs”. We discuss how Pea's insight can shed light on the cause of programming errors and try to refine Pea’s thesis arguing that the superbug is not the attribution of mental states and capacities to the computer per se, but rather the attribution of the wrong mental states and capacities to it.