Spatial mental models derived from the integration of information from different perspectives

People experience environments in many different ways: by moving through it, by inspecting it from above (flying, being in a skyscraper), by listening to a description, by studying a map. One salient point of difference between these experiences is the perspec- tive on the environment, route or survey. Yet re- search to date has not conclusively outlined how people integrate information from different perspec- tives in a unique mental model and how perspective differences during learning impact the resultant cog- nitive maps. Some research suggests that the cognitive maps reflect the perspective differences (e.g., Thorn- dkye and Hayes-Roth 1982); other studies suggest a single, well-integrated representation which affords cognitive flexibility (Taylor and Tversky 1992). One suggestion offered to reconcile these findings focuses on learning goals and subsequent attentional focus differences while experiencing the environment (Taylor et al. 1999) Another potential explanation focuses on individual differences. The present study examines how people integrate spatial information F. Pazzaglia (&) Æ D. Varotto University of Padua, Padua, Italy e-mail: [email protected] H. A. Taylor Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA from route and survey perspectives, when they are provided with information from both perspectives and with specific directions that focus attention either on landmarks or on intersections along a path. Partici- pants’ individual differences in spatial representation are also recorded.