The phrase "a mental representation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts related to psychology, cognitive science, or discussions about how individuals perceive and understand information.
Example: "In cognitive psychology, a mental representation is crucial for understanding how we process and recall information."
Alternatives: "a cognitive image" or "a psychological depiction".
What if a mental representation is re-created from memory, without much external stimulation?
He believed that the rats had a "cognitive map", a mental representation of their environment, that could be divided into two basic models: strip maps and comprehensive maps.
Making sense of a three-dimensional puzzle requires "the ability to create a mental representation of where someone has been," he said.
Regardless of the type of model used, the fundamental unit of analysis is the same that of a mental process acting upon a mental representation.
We propose that in many contexts of text use, people need to consult a mental representation of the mapping between the content of documents and their structure.
We hypothesized that aging may have an adverse effect on the ability to form and use a 'cognitive map', a mental representation of the environment.
This study reports on the design of a computer system which helps English as a Foreign Language (EFL) college students construct a mental representation of reference in reading.
It may be, the study said, that when people talk to someone who is not present, the visual-processing parts of their brain create a mental representation of where the other person might be.
We argue that the racial label Black evokes a mental representation of a person with lower socioeconomic status than the racial label African-American, and that Whites will react more negatively toward Blacks (vs. African-Americans).
Thus, instead of visible light stimulating their retinas and creating a mental representation of the world, vibrating stimulators triggered the skin of their backs to create a representation in their visual cortices.
Consider a mental representation of a cat.
