Cognitive Maps of a Naturalistic Setting

Abstract

COHEN, ROBERT; BALDWIN, LAWRENCE M.; and SHERMAN, RICHARD C. Cognitive Maps of a Naturalistic Setting. CmLD DEVELOPMENT, 1978, 49, 1216-1218. Distance estimates of locations in a camp setting were obtained from 9and 10-year-olds and adults. Each subject estimated distance on 2 tasks: magnitude estimation and reconstruction (tile placement onto a featureless board). Data were analyzed for the effects of certain environmental features-buildings, trees, and hills. Subjects at all ages seemed to judge distances on the basis of ease of travel (functional distance). The presence of environmental features which added to the effort necessary to move between locations led to overestimations of distance, while the absence of these features led to underestimations of these relatively less effortful distances. While the effect of hills was consistent, distortions of distance with intervening buildings and/or trees differed between tasks.