The Mental space is a theoretic construct proposed by Gilles Fauconnier

Gilles Fauconnier

Gilles Fauconnier is a French linguist, researcher in cognitive science, and author, currently working in the U.S.. He is a professor at the University of California, San Diego in the Department of Cognitive Science....

 and Armen Khederlarian corresponding to possible world

Possible world

In philosophy and logic, the concept of a possible world is used to express modal claims. The concept of possible worlds is common in contemporary philosophical discourse and has also been disputed.- Possibility, necessity, and contingency :...

s in Philosophy

Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...

. The main difference between a mental space and a possible world is that a mental space does not contain a faithful representation of reality, but an idealized cognitive model

Idealized cognitive model

An Idealized Cognitive Model, ICM or Frame is the name given in cognitive linguistics to the mental representation known as "meaning". It is a mental construct which is recruited in a Mental Space as we think and speak...

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It is one of the basic components in Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner

Mark Turner (cognitive scientist)

Mark Turner is a cognitive scientist, linguist, and author. He is Institute Professor and Professor of Cognitive Science at Case Western Reserve University, where he was for two years Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences...

's blending theory

Conceptual blending

Conceptual Blending is a general theory of cognition. According to this theory, elements and vital relations from diverse scenarios are "blended" in a subconscious process known as Conceptual Blending, which is assumed to be ubiquitous to everyday thought and language...

, a theory within Cognitive semantics

Cognitive semantics

Cognitive semantics is part of the cognitive linguistics movement. The main tenets of cognitive semantics are, first, that grammar is conceptualisation; second, that conceptual structure is embodied and motivated by usage; and third, that the ability to use language draws upon general cognitive...

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The concept of mental space has been applied to the treatment of disabled workers. Workers who are emotionally impaired have been treated by a reconstruction of their mental space. Cognitive overload can be diminished by increasing receptive and integrative capacity. . This can be accomplished by splitting the space into abstract and concrete modalities. The concrete is then treated as raw material to be molded to fit the aspirations towards attainment of the abstract modality.