Perry Thorndyke has performed a number of studies of human spatial abilities as determined by map-reading abilities. In his experiment on cognitive mapping, Thorndyke (1981) was concerned with human beings’ ability to estimate distance. Scholars dating back to Ptolemy in the second century have speculated that “clutter,” or intervening locations between two points, leads to increased distance estimates. This has been put forth as an explanation for phenomena other than map reading. Ptolemy used it to attempt to explain the three-dimensional “moon illusion.” Thorndyke (1981) deals with this topic as it relates to the perception of distance in two dimensions. The topic of cognitive mapping is as old as the field of psychology. The individual considered by many to be the father of modern cognitive psychology, Edward Tolman, had an interest in the topic and showed that nonhuman research subjects’ ability to navigate in three dimensions supported his theory of purposive behaviorism.
References:
Thorndyke, P. W. (1981). Distance estimation from cognitive maps. Cognitive Psychology, 13, 526-550.
Gibson, E. J., & Bergman, R. (1954) The effect of training on absolute estimation of distance over the ground. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 48, 473-482.
Kosslyn, S., Pick, H. L., & Fariello, G. (1974) Cognitive maps in children and men. Child Development, 45, 707-716.
1.2Experiment Setup
Figure 1.1
1.3Instructions
Instructions
You will need to press the space bar to begin the experiment. A two-dimensional map diagram will then be displayed. Please study the map for the 2 minutes that it is presented to you. Take note of the details on the map, as you will be asked to draw the map from memory (or to identify the neighboring towns for each of the towns on the map, depending on the group you are in).
1.4Experiment
Begin Experiment
Start Experiment
Figure 1.2
1.5Results
Results
Figure 1.3
1.6Quiz
Quiz
Question
1.1
Thorndyke (1981) examined a cognitive phenomenon known as:
A.
B.
C.
D.
1
Correct.
Incorrect.
Thorndyke (1981) examined a cognitive phenomenon known as cognitive mapping.
Question
1.2
Thorndyke used map-reading abilities to study:
A.
B.
C.
D.
1
Correct.
Incorrect.
Thorndyke used map-reading abilities to study human spatial abilities.
Question
1.3
What is the primary independent variable of the current experiment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
1
Correct.
Incorrect.
The independent variable is the number of towns between the town pairs.
Question
1.4
What is the primary dependent variable of the current experiment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Correct.
Incorrect.
The dependent variable is participants’ distance estimation.
Question
1.5
Thorndyke (1981) found that:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Correct.
Incorrect.
Thorndyke (1981) found that distance estimates for towns on an experimental map increased as the number of intervening towns increased. This result provided evidence that filled distances appear longer than distances marked by empty spaces.
