Cognitive Mapping Research

This paper considers current aspects of cognitive mapping research in relation to response to social and environmental change. It is emphasised that cognitive mapping is a process and that it concerns the everyday spatial environment. The main features of cognition, imagery and the interdependence of physical and social environments are discussed. Research into cognitive mapping is outlined in terms of how the process has been studied to date and the apparent gap between the aims of this type of research and its achievements. Its position as a fundamental line of enquiry in man-environment research is illustrated with particular reference to its role in response to social and environmental change. Introduction The study of cognitive mapping is currently in some confusion, both terminologically and methodologically. This is well illustrated by Downs and Stea's (1) recent collection of papers and by their comments on them (2), for example: "The model for cognitive mapping research has thus far viewed the individual as a 'black box' and examined the output to the exclusion of the input 'variables. We know something about the response, but nothing about the stimulus. We have no idea how spatial information is processed, (although we know something about the products of the transformation) how environments are learned, (although we know something about the development of spatial cognition) and of interand intra-cultural differences in representation. Applications to environmental design have been scarce; exceptions include Appleyard (3) and Steinitz (4). These questions will remain unanswered if the terminological confusion surrounding the classification stage of research into cognitive mapping is not resolved." It is thus important to discuss and define the main terms as they are to be used in this paper, to avoid adding further to the confusion and to outline the context of the study of cognitive mapping. Cognitive Mapping Downs and Stea's (5) definition of cogn~t~ve mapping will be used because it emphasises that cognitive mapping research is investigating a process, a transformational process and also that it is concerned with the cognition of the everyday spatial environment: "Cognitive mapping is a process composed of a series of psychological transform-