City Maps Versus Map-Based Navigation Systems – An Empirical Approach to Building Mental Representations

Abstract

Navigation systems are increasingly taking on the role of classic print maps for orientation in traffic. These electronic aids help to find the right route, but they hardly seem to contribute to spatial learning and thus the formation of long-term orientation knowledge. A practice-oriented efficiency comparison of a print map in form of a conventional city map and a navigation device provides first insights. The empirical results show that taking propositional and analogue spatial information from navigation systems leads to much weaker effects on cognitive mapping.

Keywords:

• mental maps
• mental representation
• navigation system
• print map
• map efficiency
• map use