mental representation
1
6.7
- noun
- /ˈmɛntəl ˌrɛprɪzɛnˈteɪʃən/
- Specialized
- But cognitivist conceptions of film, based as they are on the notions of "mental representations" and "perceptual experience," cannot do without the scheme-content distinction.
- generate a mental representation
- mental representation of a character
- construct a coherent mental representation
Examples
-
In cognitive psychology research, concepts are thought of as mental representations that are used to create categories (Medin, 1989).
Academic text (2005) -
Sowa (1997) identifies a concept as a person's mental representation of an object or objects in physical reality.
Academic text (1999) -
But what of images, those mental representations which are only available to the individual who experiences them?
Academic text (1990) -
When thinking about a criminal, concepts, images, and experiences come to mind that enable one to form a mental representation of a criminal.
Academic text (2006) -
But what is the mechanism by which a mental representation of a character is formed in the mind of an actual reader?
Academic text (2004) -
The construction of the mental representation of this line should not be very different from that of the previous utterance.
Academic text (2002) -
Although there are some commonalities with these mental representations, not everyone represents them in the same way.
Academic text (2012) -
Consider how the reader has to build a mental representation of the first utterance in line 1.
Academic text (2002) -
The content of descriptive and prescriptive stereotypes is essentially the same, but the way individuals use these mental representations to form judgments differs.
Academic text (2013) -
When we think about a tree, the mental representation we form can include its shape, color, and size.
Synonyms
757
3.8
A clear image in the mind of something not present
429
3.3
A picture you form in your mind from words or ideas
108
3.5
A picture or model that shows what something looks like
11
3.5
A thought or picture you make in your mind
10
3.5
A clear image you form in your mind
9
3.8
A picture you make in your mind of something not there
5
7.5
Forming a clear idea of something in your mind
4
3.8
A picture in your mind of something you have seen
1
5.3
A picture you remember from a past event
1
7.7
An image you make in your mind when you imagine something
1
9.8
A mental image or impression you get from your senses
1
5.1
A clear image in your mind of a past event
1
7.2
A picture in the mind people make to imagine the outside world
1
6.8
A mental picture of a plan or future result
1
7.5
A picture in your mind you form when you see something
How Vivid
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase's meaning is directly composed from 'mental' (pertaining to the mind) and 'representation' (an image or depiction), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes an image, idea, or concept held in the mind. This adjective+noun composition is cross-linguistically common and follows standard semantic composition patterns, making it readily accessible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Mental representation comes from the image of keeping a small 'picture' or 'map' inside your head: mental means 'in the mind' and representation means a 'picture' or 'model' of something. So it means a 'picture', 'idea', or 'model' you hold in your mind to stand for something you see, remember, or imagine.