mielikuva

Mielikuva is a Finnish noun meaning a mental image, impression, or representation formed in the mind of a person about a person, place, object, or concept. It can refer to a concrete visual image as well as an abstract cognitive representation, and it is frequently used to describe the overall impression someone has gained through experience, media, or information.

Etymology and usage: The word combines mieli (mind) and kuva (image, picture). In everyday Finnish it covers both sensory imagery and broader ideas, such as a person’s image of a city or a brand’s reputation.

In psychology and cognitive science, mielikuva can denote mental imagery or a mental representation that supports perception and memory; the term is used to discuss how people visualize or imagine things, including non-visual modalities.

In business and media studies, mielikuva often refers to brand image or public perception. Organizations seek to influence mielikuva through communication, customer experience, and corporate behavior; changes in narrative or events can alter the mielikuva fairly quickly, while it may be persistent due to stereotypes.

Cultural and social aspects: Mielikuva is shaped by personal experience, media exposure, and social discourse; it can be accurate or biased, and critical reflection is relevant when forming or challenging it.

See also: mielikuvitus, brändimielikuva, mielipide, muistikuva.