Kitchin, R.M., 1994, Cognitive maps: what are they and why study them?, in: Journal of Environmental Psychology, 14,
- Author : Kitchin, R.M.
- Year : 1994
- Title English : Cognitive maps: what are they and why study them?
- Journal/Series : Journal of Environmental Psychology
- Volume Number (CONSECUTIVE: Counting all Volumes of this Journal ever published) : 14
- Pages : 1-19
- Abstract in English : Researchers often implicitly assume that their readers understand what cognitive map and cognitive mapping are, and their justification for study. This paper aims to discuss explicitly what cognitive maps are and their justification for study. It intended as a broad overview of the subjects multidisciplinary nature and its current and potential applications, and to highlight the inherent definitional problems associated with such a wide range of users. Such a review is necessary to stimulate and encourage more collaboration between researcher from different backgrounds. The position advocated here is that the term should be used in this utilitarian way to represent the knowledge of, and interactions with, the every day environment, and geographical information gained through other secondary sources such as maps, and that new set of terms such as Liben’s (1981). ‘Spatial thought, spatial storage, and spatial product’ should be used to represent specific concepts
- Comments/Notes : KEYWORDS: environmental psychology, Cognitive maps, way finding, definition cognitive maps. UTILITY: lecturers/teachers, academic research, students of universities of professional education.