Psychology of spatial cognition

Abstract

In this overview, focusing on memory and higher cognitive processes, we cover some of the most relevant results that emerged from research on spatial cognition in animals and in humans in the last 3 decades. In particular, we discuss how representations of distance and direction are used to localize oneself with respect to the external world, to determine the position of objects with respect to each other, and to compute the position of invisible goals. The role of landmarks and environmental geometry as cues for extracting spatial information in such abilities is compared, and the reliance upon self-centered and external frames of reference is discussed. Moreover, the contribution of working memory and processing strategies in forming representations of spatial relations in humans is presented. Finally, implications for some neighboring fields of the cognitive sciences will be outlined.

Complementarity of Space and Time in Distance Representations

“…perspective system in Levelt, 1996), which is "a system of spatial coordinates that allows an individual to establish her/his orientation with respect to the surrounding environment" (Tommasi & Laeng, 2012). Brewer and Pears (1993) explain the notion of frame of reference by using an example of glasses worn on someone's nose: do the glasses change their location or not, when a person goes from one room to another?…”

La conceptualización del espacio: Desarrollo y sistemas de referencia

“…A propósito del reto cognitivo, definir una localización en el eje vertical u horizontal en gran medida dependerá de la variación de esta cuando la persona se mueve (Franklin, Tversky, 1990). En ese sentido, definir las coordenadas en el plano vertical resulta más sencillo pues, aunque la persona se desplace en el ambiente, la ubicación vertical relativa al observador (arribaabajo) se mantiene bastante constante (Shepard, Hurwitz, 1984;Tommasi, Laeng, 2012). Por el contrario, las dimensiones horizontales cambian con el movimiento y, por tanto, son más difíciles de abstraer, comprender y representar.…”

Computational cognitive models of spatial memory in navigation space: A review

“…There are multiple relevant reviews concerning the psychology of spatial cognition (Allen, 2003;Tommasi & Laeng, 2012) as well as its underlying neuroscience (Avraamides & Kelly, 2008;Burgess, 2008;Tommasi, Chiandetti, Pecchia, Sovrano, & Vallortigara, 2012). Although some of these reviews also mention the occasional computational model, no systematic review of computational models of spatial memory has been published in the last decade (note that Trullier, Wiener, Berthoz, & Meyer, 1997 have reviewed biologically based artificial navigation systems, and Mark, Freksa, Hirtle, Lloyd, & Tversky, 1999 published a review of models of geographical space).…”