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mental process

mental process

3 4.2
A brain activity like thinking, remembering, or deciding
  • noun
  • /ˈmɛn.təl ˈprəʊ.sɛs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : proceso mental
  • When you engage actively in a task, you set off intricate mental processes that allow you to retain more knowledge.
  • internal mental process
  • higher mental processes
  • complex mental processes

I mean, there's no question that mental processes affect the body.

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Examples

  • I feel it is my duty to point out to the tribunal that the witness is not in control of his mental processes.

  • I know you think this is easy for me, but I do go through a mental process when making decisions.

  • But it's more than the mental process. It's much more than simply thinking about the focus.

  • And all of them have the common goal of trying to bring mental processes under greater personal control through attention and awareness.

  • I'm interested in his mental processes.

  • And it's specifically because the inner game of tennis is all about the mental process of getting good at precision with your body.

  • A cognitive approach to social psychology focuses on how internal mental processes affect an individual's social interactions.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Students who are unable to describe these mental processes may be suffering from a metacognitive deficit.

    Academic text (1992)
  • On a practical level, this study raises the issue of differing mental processes for different learning tasks among different learners.

    Academic text (2000)
  • I'm interested in his mental processes and how they influence his behavior.

Synonyms

thought
vsmental process
1.4

The process of thinking or an idea that comes from thinking

is the broader term for any mental activity or operation
thinking
vsmental process
872 1.8

Careful use of your mind to consider something

is the broader class that includes careful and casual mind activity
thought process
vsmental process
43 3.7

Mental steps used to consider and solve a problem

is the general label for any kind of mind activity
operation
vsmental process
  • Specialized
8 6.1

A mental process used for thinking or solving problems

is the general idea covering simple and complex mind activities
cognitive function
vsmental process
  • Specialized
6 4.1

The ability to think, remember, and understand

is broader, covering mental actions beyond understanding and memory
cognitive process
vsmental process
  • Specialized
2 4.4

A mental activity such as thinking, remembering, or learning

is the general term for any mind activity or operation
brainwork
vsmental process
1 3.9

Thinking hard to solve problems and come up with new ideas

is the neutral term including effortful and effortless mind activities
cognitive operation
vsmental process
  • Specialized
6.4

A mental process that changes information, like thinking or remembering

is the wider category for all kinds of mind activities
basic cognitive process
vsmental process
  • Specialized
4.6

A simple mental action like seeing, remembering, or paying attention

is the wider category including these basic operations and more

Antonyms

12 3.5

A period of time with no movement or action

1 7.3

A situation with no movement, change or progress

How Complex

higher cognitive process
  • Specialized
7.7
mental process
  • Specialized
3 4.2
basic cognitive process
  • Specialized
4.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

mental + process

The meaning 'a cognitive operation' is directly derivable from combining 'mental' (pertaining to the mind) with 'process' (a sequence of steps or changes); the adjective+noun composition yields a straightforward, literal interpretation. This is a common and cross-linguistically regular pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Mental process joins mental (about the mind) and process (a set of steps). Imagine thoughts moving in small steps inside your head, like things on a little factory line. That's why the phrase means activities of the mind such as 'thinking', 'remembering', or 'deciding'.