The Effect of Spatial Stimuli on the Estimation of Cognitive Maps

Hand‐drawn and multidimensionally scaled maps of cities in the United States are compared with respect to their congruence with physical maps of the corresponding cities and with respect to subject's evaluations of their similarity to physical maps. The cities chosen are systematically varied to determine the effect of different spatial patterns on the subjects' performance. Hand‐drawn maps are shown to be more like physical maps. Subjects also rate their drawn maps as being more like actual maps than multidimensionally scaled maps. Changes with respect to the spatial pattern of stimuli are apparent.