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Mental representations Our memory has stored mental representations of experiences. There are two basic forms of mental representations. In this paragraph we will explain the analogous representations, also called mental imagery. The second form of representation, the symbolic representations, will be explained in the next paragraph.
Our memory never matches the real world perfectly, because stored mental representations (from now on called mental imagery) are not perfect. Mental representations have some sensory qualities, for example: in your imagination, you can make a walk through your house. Recent studies using brain imaging have shown that during mental imagery most brain structures are active as if subjects are really experiencing or acting. An example of the fact that mental images do not always match the real world, is the following: When you are asked which city is farther west, San Diego, California or Reno, Nevada, the answer may not correspond with the correct answer, which you would have obtained after consulting an atlas. This example shows that our mental map is not very detailed. However, it is not necessary to have a very detailed mental image. For example: when you are searching for the keys of your car, you do not have to know that they are in the bottom of the basket on the wooden table in the kitchen. You only have to know that they are somewhere in the kitchen. Then you will have them found within a couple of moments. When do you use it? You use your mental imagery when you are thinking of what has happened at a specific place, and when you look in advance. For example, when someone asks you to show him the way, you use your mental imagery to mention the name of the streets and the distances. |
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Mental imagery 1
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