imagery

imagery 1 A mental process that involves thoughts representing sensory qualities. 2 A wide variety of procedures used in therapy to encourage changes in attitudes, behavior, or physiological reactions. Imagery includes all the senses, including visual, aural, tactile, olfactory, proprioceptive, and kinesthetic. Imagery has been used as a strategy for facilitating weight gain and alleviating the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy in cancer patients, for relieving stress, for pain control, as adjunctive therapy for several diseases, and to enhance immunity in geriatric patients.