Maps in Minds: An Empirical Study

The notion of a mental map implies that the spatial actor possesses some kind of internal mental ordering of the external environment that he consults in the process of making movement decisions or responding to environmental stimuli. The aim of mental-map studies is to elicit information about the environment from the individual in terms of the characteristics and locational relationship of spatial forms, the qualities attributed to environmental elements, as well as the preferences for and the evaluation of spatial opportunities. This paper is concerned only with the locational aspects of mental maps. A direct mapping method was employed to extract information on the way in which the spatial actor mentally structured the environment into a coherent picture. Analysis was focussed on map styles and map sophistication and their relationships with various characteristics of the respondents. Findings indicate a strong inclination towards the sequential-type maps, which are organised around major paths. This implies that most residents conceive of the city as a set of movement experiences. Most maps produced are lacking in detail, pointing to a low legibility of environmental elements in the study area. Map styles and map sophistication show statistically significant relationships with the respondents' sex, education, occupation, and income, but not with their age, length of residence, and mode of transport. The results are generally in congruence with research findings in Western cities.