1. a mental representation of the world or some part of it based on subjective perceptions rather than objective geographical knowledge. Such a map will normally prioritize the individual’s neighborhood, city, and nation and give prominence to more distant places according to personal experience (e.g., vacations), cultural connections (e.g., family history or language links), and the level of coverage in the mass media. The map will also incorporate the individual’s negative or positive feelings about these places, which will often reflect conventional ideas or stereotypes. Research suggests that mental maps vary widely with nationality, region, ethnicity, gender, education, and socioeconomic class.

2. any internal representation of two-dimensional or three-dimensional space. See cognitive map.