Constructing Cognitive Maps With Orientation Biases

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate cognitive maps constructed using different encoding processes. Different learning processes have been shown to produce cognitive maps with different characteristics. Two critical research issues are the fixed-orientation bias and the equiavailability principle. Previous research has indicated that studying a north-at-the-top cartographic map encodes a cognitive map biased in the orientation of the cartographic map. Such cognitive maps are images that have information in all parts of the map equally available. Other research has shown cognitive maps encoded by environmental navigation produced cognitive maps with no orientation bias. Subjects, however, had faster access to information in front of them than information behind them. These results suggested that exposure to a single versus multiple orientations of the spatial information explained the biases. Others have argued the two situations coincide with encoding the spatial information from secondary and primary sources. The current study considered five different learning experiences that were used to encode information about the same seven landmarks in a space. Encoding the information from three-dimensional spaces resulted in longer reaction times for an identification task. Although all learning experiences were secondary, some produced cognitive maps with orientation biases and some without. Learning experiences that provided multiple orientations eliminated an orientation bias. A single perspective oblique view learning experience appeared to produce a bias for front-back over left-right. Orientation-free higher-order cognitive maps, as described by Taylor and Tversky, could account for all these results.