Distance Estimation from Cognitive Maps.

Abstract

Four experiments investigated map clutter as a source of distortion in distance estimates. In Experiments 1 and 2, subjects estimated distances between pairs of points on a memorized map. In Experiment 1, subjects learned relative distances among cities incidentally; in Experiment 2, they learned them intentionally. In both experiments, estimates increased as a linear function of the number of intervening points along the path. In Experiment 3, subjects estimated distances while viewing the map. The clutter effect was reduced but not eliminated. In Experiment 4, the clutter effect was demonstrated using subjects' pre-experimental knowledge of U.S. geography.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1979
Accession Number
ADA080098

Entities

People

  • Perry W. Thorndyke

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Applied Psychology
  • Cognition
  • Computer Science
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Education
  • Geography
  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Human Resources
  • Information Science
  • Judgment
  • Military Research
  • New York
  • Psychology
  • Social Sciences
  • Students
  • United States
  • War Colleges

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Radar Systems Engineering.
  • Vision Science/Vision Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience.