Distinguishing Between Imagine & Visualize

Both the words imagine and visualize have similar meanings, which involve forming a mental picture or concept. Many people use these words interchangeably, but there is a slight difference between imagine and visualize. Visualize always refers to creating a mental image or picturing, but imagine doesn’t always involve a visualization since it can also include other mental concepts. This is the key difference between imagine and visualize.

Key Takeaways

• Visualize only involves the sense of sight, while imagine involves all five senses and emotions.
• Imagining does not require prior knowledge or experience, but visualizing does.
• Visualize always refers to creating a mental image, while imagine can also include other mental concepts.

What Does Imagine Mean?

The verb ‘imagine’ can be defined as forming a mental picture or concept of something. Imagination is the noun form of imagine. Imagination can involve all of your senses: touch, smell, sight, sound, and taste. For example, if you are to imagine a day at the beach, your imagination will involve at least two of these senses (ex: the sea breeze, the sound of seagulls, ice cream van, etc.). Imagination will also include feelings. For example, you can imagine your response or feelings to a hypothetical situation.

Imagining does not require previous knowledge or experience. In other words, you can imagine things that you have never seen. For example, the aliens in movies are a result of imagination.

What Does Visualize Mean?

The verb visualize means to form a mental image or picture. The noun form of this verb is visualization. Visualization involves forming a picture in mind. This mental picture is usually an envisaging of something we have already seen. For example, if someone is asked to visualize a winter day, an image of a snow-filled day will come to mind. However, a person who has no experience in winter, for example, a person from the tropics, may be unable to visualize a winter day. This is because he or she has never seen a winter day.

In addition, visualize only involves visual images. If we look at the same example of a winter day, visualization only takes into account the landscape, colors, people, and objects. It doesn’t consider the whole experience, including tastes, smell, and touch.

What are the Similarities Between Imagine and Visualize?

Both these words mean “to form a mental picture or concept.”
Both involve the process of thinking.

What is the Difference Between Imagine and Visualize?

| Imagine | Visualize |
|———|———–|
| Imagine is to form a mental visual image. | Visualize is to form a mental image or concept. |
| Imagination involves all five senses as well as emotions. | Visualize only involves the sense of sight. |
| We can imagine something we have never seen or experienced. | We cannot visualize something we have never seen or experienced. |

Summary – Imagine vs Visualize

Although the two verbs imagine and visualize have similar meanings, there is a slight difference between the two. Imagine involves all senses as well as emotions, while visualize only involves the sense of sight. Moreover, imagine doesn’t require prior knowledge, whereas visualize does. This is the difference between imagine and visualize.