In this note, we will explore the fundamental concept of mental representation—an internal, structured stand-in for information such as objects, events, concepts, or states of the world—that the mind uses to think, reason, and guide behavior, by examining its underlying substrates, mechanisms, and functional roles.
A mental representation of reality is the first step by which we become explicitly aware of it, gain control over it, and transform it from an undifferentiated stream of sensory input into a structured, meaningful, and intelligible experience. The second step is to become explicitly aware of the representation itself by assigning it a cognitive handle—a name that allows us to manipulate, communicate, and reason about it.
🚧 Note: This is a theoretical construct. We do not yet know the exact way the brain represents -, only that representation is a key aspect of cognition. Therefore, we should avoid imposing any single assumed form of representation.
Note: Mental representation is a state of the brain that encodes or reflects some aspect of the world, and it should not be confused with neural activity - representation itself or formal representations of that neural activity (state).
Note: Some mental representations emerge during their operationalization. In working memory, they consist of multiple parts bound together by a scaffold. During the operationalization process, these parts are brought into working memory as needed.
NOTE: THIS IS THE MOST RELEVANT THEORETICAL CONSTRUCT IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE.
Mental representation of reality is the means by which we become explicitly aware of it, gain control over it, and transform it from an undifferentiated stream of sensory input into a structured, meaningful, intelligible experience.
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