A theoretical construct in LCCM theory. Refers to the set of cognitive models to which a given lexical concept affords access. The cognitive model profile serves to provide the semantic potential from which, in conjunction with processes of lexical concept integration, conceptual structure is selected, contributing to the emergence of a conception.

By way of illustrating the relationship between a lexical concept and its cognitive model profile, consider the lexical concept (France); note that a lexical concept is glossed using small capitals in square brackets.

This lexical concept provides access to a large number of cognitive models – its cognitive model profile – at a particular access site, which is to say a particular point in the cognitive model profile. The lexical concept (France) provides access to a potentially large number of knowledge structures. As each cognitive model consists of structured knowledge providing access to other sorts of knowledge, we can distinguish between cognitive models which are directly accessed via the lexical concept and those cognitive models which form substructures of the directly accessed cognitive models.

That is, such ‘secondary’ models are indirectly accessed via the lexical concept. Accordingly, a cognitive model profile is a structured inventory of knowledge which lexical concepts afford access to.

For instance, the directly accessed cognitive models include (at the very least) the following: geographical landmass, nation state and holiday destination.

Each of these cognitive models provides access to a sophisticated and large body of knowledge.

A flavor of this is given by virtue of the various ‘secondary’ cognitive models which are accessed via the nation state cognitive model. These include national sports, political system and cuisine. For instance, we may know that in France, the French engage in national sports of particular types, for instance football, rugby, athletics and so on, and take part in competitions of various kinds including the FIFA football World Cup, the Six Nations rugby competition and the Rugby World Cup, the Olympics and so on. That is, we may have access to a large body of knowledge concerning the sorts of sports French people engage in. We may also have some knowledge of the funding structures and social and economic conditions and constraints that apply to these sports in France, France’s international standing in these particular sports and further knowledge about the sports themselves including the rules that govern their practice, and so on. This knowledge is derived from a large number of sources.

With respect to the indirectly accessed cognitive model of political system, each ‘secondary’ cognitive model has further secondary cognitive models which it provides access to. For instance, (French) electorate is a cognitive model accessed via the cognitive model (French) political system.

In turn the cognitive model (French) political system is accessed via the cognitive model nation state.