The mental representations of visual stimuli are referred to as what?

The mental representations of visual stimuli are best identified as imagery. Imagery refers to the mental pictures or representations that we create in our minds based on visual stimuli. This can include not only the direct visual input we receive through our eyes but also any mental recreation of those images when we think about them or recall them from memory.

While icons may refer to simplified visual representations that symbolize objects or concepts, they do not encompass the broad range of mental imagery that can occur in our minds, which can include complex and nuanced images. Symbols and concepts refer to more abstract ideas rather than the specific mental recreation of visual stimuli. Concepts typically involve broader categories and ideas underlying knowledge rather than individual visual representations. Therefore, imagery is the term that best captures the essence of how we mentally visualize and represent visual stimuli.