Final answer:
Visual images are created in the brain by following patterns or 'recipes' that draw on semantic networks and long-term memory, with the occipital lobe processing visual information through parallel pathways for recognition and spatial interaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The creation of visual images in the mind involves complex cognitive processes that rely on the brain's ability to encode, store, and retrieve information. When considering how the brain forms these visual images, researchers have suggested that images may be created by following "recipes" for their construction, with these recipes being drawn from long-term memory stores. This concept aligns with the idea of semantic networks and spreading activation, where activating one concept in a network makes it easier to access and construct related concepts due to their interconnected nature.
The visual pathways and long-term memory also play significant roles in the perception and formation of visual images. Visual information is processed in the occipital lobe through parallel pathways known as the "what pathway" for object recognition and the "where/how pathway" for spatial location and interaction. Moreover, the ventral visual stream is associated with long-term memory formation, while the dorsal visual stream aids in coordinating motor responses to visual stimuli. Photos and concrete, high-imagery words tend to be encoded both visually and semantically, thus creating stronger memories of the visual images they represent.