Studies of imaginal scanning suggest that visual images are very much like physical pictures or maps.

Imaginal Scanning

Involves the mental visualization and traversing of imagery or scenes, often used in cognitive psychology experiments to study memory and spatial cognition.

Physical Pictures

Images or representations of objects or scenes that are present or tangible.

Visual Images

Mental representations of objects, people, or scenes that can be summoned to the mind's eye without the presence of the object being depicted.