Abstract
In this study, mental representations of Australia were examined through mental maps in case of Turkish immigrants living in Sydney. The survey is based on 53 mental maps of Australia drawn by Turkish immigrants who reside in Sydney. The participants were asked to list the connotations about Australia, draw a sketch map of the continent and finally fill in an outline Australian map. A prominent difference between these two types of mental maps was in the number and in the categories (place names, natural-geographic elements and symbols) of the components that were displayed by the participants. On the other hand, a comparison of our study with similar academic works conducted from a European example shows that connotations on Australia are predominantly referred to the natural characteristics of the continent. This could be related to the physical isolation Australia as a continent and also to the political indifference tendencies of the urbanized part of the society because of a high living standard.
Highlights
Mental maps reflect the environmental image of individuals which form over time and can reflect perceptions of individuals at different scales
Mental representations of Australia were examined through mental maps in case of Turkish immigrants living in Sydney
Australia on the other hand, as our findings indicate, is represented mostly by its natural and geographical characteristics rather than its political-institutional structure
Summary
Mental (or cognitive) maps reflect the environmental image of individuals which form over time and can reflect perceptions of individuals at different scales. It is known that mental mapping researches have been conducted in different environmental units at various scales (i.e., Lynch, 1960; Johnston, 1972; Saarinen, 1988; Andersen & Maude, 1994) for different purposes such as measuring the geographical competencies (Anderssen, 1997; Südaş & Gökten, 2012), understanding image of cities (Lynch, 1960; Milgram, 1972; Francescato & Mebane, 1973; Göregenli, 1985), countries, continents and the world (i.e., Saarinen, 1987). These studies were conducted among different sample groups mental mapping studies especially on immigrant groups are not so common in the literature (i.e., Fuller & Chapman, 1974). The median age of the Turkey-born citizens in 2011 was 45 and the census showed a 51.5 per cent (16.923) male to a 48.5 per cent (15.922) female ratio among the population
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