Cognitive Mapping

This important work brings together international academics from a variety of disciplines to explore the topic of spatial cognition on a 'geographic' scale. It provides an overview of the historical origins of the subject, a description of current debates and suggests directions for future research.

There are currently two major theories about the role of the hippocampus, a distinctive structure in the back of the temporal lobe. One says that it stores a cognitive map, the other that it is a key locus for the temporary storage of episodic memories. A. David Redish takes the approach that understanding the role of the hippocampus in space will make it possible to address its role in less easily quantifiable areas such as memory. Basing his investigation on the study of rodent navigation--one of the primary domains for understanding information processing in the brain--he places the hippocampus in its anatomical context as part of a greater functional system. Redish draws on the extensive experimental and theoretical work of the last 100 years to paint a coherent picture of rodent navigation. His presentation encompasses multiple levels of analysis, from single-unit recording results to behavioral tasks to computational modeling. From this foundation, he proposes a novel understanding of the role of the hippocampus in rodents that can shed light on the role of the hippocampus in primates, explaining data from primate studies and human neurology. The book will be of interest not only to neuroscientists and psychologists, but also to researchers in computer science, robotics, artificial intelligence, and artificial life.

The metaphor of a "cognitive map" has attracted interest since the 1940s. Researchers from many fields have explored how humans process and use spatial information, why they make errors or not. This text brings together contributors from diverse fields to explore the

Cognitive mapping is a construct that encompasses those processes that enable people to acquire, code, store, recall, and manipulate information about the nature of their spatial environment. It refers to the attributes and relative locations of people and objects in the environment, and is an essential component in the adaptive process of spatial decision-making--such as finding a safe and quick route to from work, locating potential sites for a new house or business, and deciding where to travel on a vacation trip. Cognitive processes are not constant, but undergo change with age or development and use or learning. Image and Environment, now in paperback, is a pioneer study. It brings a new academic discipline to a wide audience. The volume is divided into six sections, which represent a comprehensive breakdown of cognitive mapping studies: "Theory"; "Cognitive Representations"; "Spatial Preferences"; "The Development of Spatial Cognition"; "Geographical and Spatial Orientation"; and "Cognitive Distance." Contributors include Edward Tolman, James Blaut, Stephen Kaplan, Terence Lee, Donald Appleyard, Peter Orleans, Thomas Saarinen, Kevin Cox, Georgia Zannaras, Peter Gould, Roger Hart, Gary Moore, Donald Griffin, Kevin Lynch, Ulf Lundberg, Ronald Lowrey, and Ronald Briggs. Roger M. Downs is head of the Department of Geography at Pennsylvania State University. He received his Ph.D. in geography from the University of Bristol in 1970 and has also taught geography and environmental engineering at Johns Hopkins University. David Stea is professor of geography and planning at Southwest Texas State University and Enrique A. Aragon Distinguished Professor at Universidad Nacional Aut¾noma de MÚxico. He received his Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University in 1964 and has also taught at the U.S. International University, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, UCLA, Clark University, Brown University, and Stanford University. Kenneth E. Boulding (1910-1993) was an internationally known economist. He was the author of several works, including Beasts, Ballads, and Bouldingisms, and the editor of Peace and the War Industry, both available from Transaction.

This book studies how to improve problem-based and inquiry-based learning by incorporating cognitive maps. Problem-based learning and cognitive mapping are reviewed from the perspective of both learning sciences and cognitive sciences, including the underpinning theories of experiential learning, situated learning, collaborative learning, meaningful learning, externalized representations, and visual representations. The result is a comprehensive review and analysis of cognitive mapping-supported problem-based learning, with the topic discussed from cognitive, metacognitive, social, and motivational and emotional perspectives. Furthermore, the author presents a theory-driven design, implementation, and analysis of design-based research to improve problem-based learning using cognitive mapping. The book will provide implications for researchers and practitioners of learning sciences, psychology, instructional systems, and cognitive tools.

How do human beings negotiate the spaces in which they live, work, and play? How are firms and institutions, and their spatial behaviors, being affected by processes of economic and societal change? What decisions do they make about their natural and built environment, and how are these decisions acted out? Updating and expanding concepts of decision making and choice behavior on different geographic scales, this major revision of the authors' acclaimed Analytical Behavioral Geography presents theoretical foundations, extensive case studies, and empirical evidence of human behavior in a comprehensive range of physical, social, and economic settings. Generously illustrated with maps, diagrams, and tables, the volume also covers issues of gender, discusses traditionally excluded groups such as the physically and mentally challenged, and addresses the pressing needs of our growing elderly population.

This important work brings together international academics from a variety of disciplines to explore the topic of spatial cognition on a 'geographic' scale. It provides an overview of the historical origins of the subject, a description of current debates and suggests directions for future research.

"This in-depth text ... not only sheds light on the problems inhibiting art education, but also demonstrates how art contributes to the overall development of the mind ... Describes how the arts can be used to develop cognitive ability in children; identifies implications for art curricula, teaching practices, and the reform of general education"--http://www.naea-reston.org/publications-list.html.