Some Applications of Computer Cartography to the Study of Cognitive Configurations

Cartographic theory and techniques are applied to the study of environmental cognition in an urban setting. Cognitive configurations of Columbus, Ohio derived from nonmetric multidimensional scaling are analyzed by location. A distinction is made between the distortion, or average accuracy, and the fuzziness, or dispersion, of estimates associated with forty-nine location cues. Computer mapping techniques are used to portray the distortion and fuzziness of each of these cues individually, and then in the form of a composite map. Notes ∗The inspiration and help of Waldo R. Tobler and Reginald G. Golledge are gratefully acknowledged. Partial support for this research was provided by NSF Grant SES81–10253. NATHAN GALE is a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106.His main interests include cognitive mapping, epistemology, reasoning methods, computer cartography, and quantitative methods.