imaginedwithin

Imaginedwithin is a neologism used to describe a phenomenological experience in which imagined content is treated as if it resides inside an internal space or inside the self. The term is often discussed in relation to how mental imagery, daydreams, or fictional settings acquire a sense of immediacy or presence for the individual, even when not externally instantiated.

Origins and usage: The term emerged in contemporary literary criticism and cognitive studies in the 2010s–2020s; not a formal theory with standardized definition; used variably to denote internalization of imagined environments, characters, or objects.

Conceptual framework: Connects to presence, immersion, and interiority. Distinguishes between imagining something as external objects imagined to exist in the external world vs. imagining it as within the mind's own space. It can apply to narrative perspective, game design, or mental imagery, as when a reader feels a fictional city is mapped within their own cognitive space.

Applications and implications: Writers and designers use imaginedwithin to craft believable inner landscapes; psychologists may study its relation to memory, creative ideation, or dissociation; critics note that it can blur lines between imagination and perceived reality in some contexts.

Limitations and critique: Lacks formal definition and cross-disciplinary consensus; may overlap with interiority, mental imagery, and cognitive presence; careful distinction from hallucination or derealization remains warranted.