Elevating Streets in Urban Topographic Maps Improves the Speed of Map-Reading (original) (raw)
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Spreading Map Information over Different Depth Layers – An Improvement for Map-Reading Efficiency?
Cartographica: The International Journal for Geographic Information and Geovisualization, 2014
In recent years, True-3D representations such as lenticular visualization have entered the stage of analogue and, especially, digital cartography. The increase of 3D displays as products of mass media raises some fundamental questions about a new generation of 3D maps. Auto-stereoscopic displays allow cartographers to design 3D maps covering several information layers located at different positions along the depth axis. However, it remains unclear whether the opportunity to spread map information over different information depth layers can improve cartographic communication by helping to increase the duration and accuracy of map reading. This article presents the results of an empirical study, based on the test results achieved by 83 geography students who counted different map symbols in a series of 2D or 3D thematic maps of differing complexity.
Does map-dimensionality affect map processing? An eye-movement study
Maps help people to navigate in new or unfamiliar environments. This is especially true of 'You-Are-Here' maps. However, not all maps are the same. For example, some maps represent environmental information in a three-dimensional (3-D) manner whereas others do so in two dimensions (2-D). As yet, however,it is unclear whether the dimensionality of maps affects their intelligibility. Therefore, the present study attempted to answer this question by analysing the eye-movements of perceivers (n=20) as they looked at 2-D and 3-D versions of simulated 'You-Are-Here' directional maps. In contrast to expectations, results showed that the eye-fixation durations elicited by 3-D maps did not differ significantly from those elicited by their 2-D equivalents. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
PloS one, 2015
Cognitive representations of learned map information are subject to systematic distortion errors. Map elements that divide a map surface into regions, such as content-related linear symbols (e.g. streets, rivers, railway systems) or additional artificial layers (coordinate grids), provide an orientation pattern that can help users to reduce distortions in their mental representations. In recent years, the television industry has started to establish True-3D (autostereoscopic) displays as mass media. These modern displays make it possible to watch dynamic and static images including depth illusions without additional devices, such as 3D glasses. In these images, visual details can be distributed over different positions along the depth axis. Some empirical studies of vision research provided first evidence that 3D stereoscopic content attracts higher attention and is processed faster. So far, the impact of True-3D accentuating has not yet been explored concerning spatial memory tasks...
Effects of visual map complexity on the attentional processing of landmarks
PLOS ONE, 2020
In the era of smartphones, route-planning and navigation is supported by freely and globally available web mapping services, such as OpenStreetMap or Google Maps. These services provide digital maps, as well as route planning functions that visually highlight the suggested route in the map. Additionally, such digital maps contain landmark pictograms, i.e. representations of salient objects in the environment. These landmark representations are, amongst other reference points, relevant for orientation, route memory, and the formation of a cognitive map of the environment. The amount of visible landmarks in maps used for navigation and route planning depends on the width of the displayed margin areas around the route. The amount of further reference points is based on the visual complexity of the map. This raises the question how factors like the distance of landmark representations to the route and visual map complexity determine the relevance of specific landmarks for memorizing a route. In order to answer this question, two experiments that investigated the relation between eye fixation patterns on landmark representations, landmark positions, route memory and visual map complexity were carried out. The results indicate that the attentional processing of landmark representations gradually decreases with an increasing distance to the route, decision points and potential decision points. Furthermore, this relation was found to be affected by the visual complexity of the map. In maps with low visual complexity, landmark representations further away from the route are fixated. However, route memory was not found to be affected by visual complexity of the map. We argue that map users might require a certain amount of reference points to form spatial relations as a foundation for a mental representation of space. As maps with low visual complexity offer less reference points, people need to scan a wider area. Therefore, visual complexity of the area displayed in a map should be considered in navigation-oriented map design by increasing displayed margins around the route in maps with a low visual complexity. In order to verify our assumption that the amount of reference points not only affects visual attention processes, but also the formation of a mental representation of space, additional research is required.
Common region and spatial performance using map-like displays
PsycEXTRA Dataset
Three techniques of perceptual grouping were compared in terms of their effect on people's ability to read maps that always remained visible. The techniques differ in the way they create clusters of objects on map-like displays: by using boundary lines to form adjacent "countries" (Common Region), by coloring "city" symbols that belong to the same, contiguous, country in a unique way (Adjacent Color), or by using color to create spatially non-contiguous, overlapping, clusters (Color Only). Subjects were asked to compare the horizontal orientations of two cities at a time, and, in another task, to compare two distances corresponding to three map cities. Results show that orientation statements were verified faster for same-cluster cities than for differentcluster cities, but only in the Common Region condition. Neither distance estimations nor orientation judgments were distorted by any grouping technique, as indicated by an effect on judgment accuracy. The implications of these results for our understanding of map reading ability in relation to techniques for perceptual grouping are discussed.
Individual differences in cognitive map accuracy: Investigating the role of landmark familiarity
Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology / Revue canadienne de psychologie expérimentale, 2019
Broad individual differences exist in the ability to create a cognitive map of a new environment. The current studies investigated whether familiarizing participants with to-be-learned target landmarks (Experiment 1) or target landmarks plus the order they would be encountered along routes (Experiment 2) before exploring the Silcton virtual environment would increase performance on tasks assaying spatial memory of Silcton. Participants in both experiments were randomly assigned to be pre-exposed either to information about target landmarks in Silcton or control landmarks on the university campus. In both experiments, participants explored Silcton via four prescribed routes and then performed a direction estimation task and a map building task based on memory for the locations of the target landmarks. In addition, participants completed the Spatial Orientation Test of perspective-taking. Pre-exposure to Silcton landmarks versus control landmarks did not affect scores on Silcton-based tasks in either experiment. Some sex differences in direction estimation were observed in Experiment 1 but not Experiment 2. While facilitating familiarity with landmarks did not improve cognitive map accuracy, both sex and perspective taking ability were found to contribute to individual differences in the ability to create a cognitive map. Public Significance Statement Individual differences in the ability to create a mental map of a novel environment have been demonstrated in the laboratory, but their origins are not well understood. It is possible that familiarizing individuals with the buildings and the routes in a new environment before they experience it may help them form a mental map. Such pretraining did not facilitate the accuracy of mental representations, and it seems likely that variation in spatial visualization abilities is a larger contributor to individual differences in mental map accuracy.
2023
Landmarks play a crucial role in map reading and in the formation of mental spatial models. Especially when following a route to get to a fixed destination, landmarks are crucial orientation aids. Which objects from the multitude of spatial objects in an environment are suitable as landmarks and, for example, can be automatically displayed in navigation systems has hardly been clarified. The analysis of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) offers the possibility of no longer having to separate methodologically between active and passive salience of landmarks in order to gain insights into the effect of landmarks on orientation ability or memory performance. Since the users (groups) involved are map producers and map users at the same time, an analysis of the user behavior of user-generated maps provides in-depth insights into cognitive processes and enables the direct derivation of basic methodological principles for map design. The landmarks determined on the basis of the VGI and entered as signs in maps can provide indications of the required choice, number, and position of landmarks that users need in order to orientate themselves in space with the help of maps. The results of several empirical studies show which landmark pictograms from OpenStreetMap (OSM) maps are cognitively processed quickly by users and which spatial position they must have in order to be able to increase memory performance, for example, during route learning.
Illusions in reading maps by touch: Reducing distance errors
2001
The study reports systematic distance errors in reading raised-line maps by touch, and how they can be reduced. We show that T-shaped road junctions produce the typical error due to overestimating the length of the bisecting road compared to the bisected road. The error was not reduced when the target location was marked initially by a symbol. However, it was eliminated by instructions to use both hands concurrently to scan the route relative to an external square frame surrounding the map layout and to the body midline. Road junctions, which resemble 'Mü ller-Lyer' con gurations, produced a signi cant overestimation of the length of a road that ended in diverging side roads relative to underestimatinga road section with converging side roads. Spatial anchor cues from landmarks along the route, either alone or in conjunction with the spatial frame instructions, eliminated the illusion equally. We discuss theoretical implications, and the use of map frames and landmarks as spatial guides to improve map use by touch.
2019
With the development of modern geovisual analytics tools, several researchers have emphasized the importance of understanding users’ cognitive, perceptual, and affective tendencies for supporting spatial decisions with geographic information displays (GIDs). However, most recent technological developments have focused on support for navigation in terms of efficiency and effectiveness while neglecting the importance of spatial learning. In the present paper, we will envision the future of GIDs that also support spatial learning in the context of large-scale navigation. Specifically, we will illustrate the manner in which GIDs have been (in the past) and might be (in the future) designed to be context-responsive, personalized, and supportive for active spatial learning from three different perspectives (i.e., GIScience, cartography, and cognitive science). We will also explain why this approach is essential for preventing the technological infantilizing of society (i.e., the reduction...
Assessing the Variation of Visual Complexity in Multi-Scale Maps with Clutter Measures
2016
Mapping applications, where a multi-scale navigation is available, display multi-scale maps, i.e. a set of maps at different scales. Across scales, the map levels (Fig. 1) can present large differences in terms of representation, due to cartographic generalisation. In our research project [2], we assume that adding intermediate representations between existing map levels could be one way to reduce these differences and to enable smooth transitions while zooming. Inspired by the literature (§2.b), we believe that smooth zooming requires regular and small variations of map complexity across scales. In this paper, we present our experiments assessing clutter variation in existing multi-scale maps. This study seeks to identify if clutter variations may predict the perceived variation of visual complexity in multi-scale maps. After presenting some research works connected to our experiments (§2), the following sections address our research issues and study procedure (§3), then results analysis (§4). Lastly, we discuss the relevance of clutter measures for our project and presents our future work (§5). 2. Related Work a. Map Complexity Many researchers studied the complexity of maps, using a different focus and thus different concepts. However, most proposed definitions [4; 8; 9; 16] highlight the distinction between: ▪ the visual (or graphical) complexity, evolving with the distribution and symbolization of map elements, ▪ the semiological complexity, related to the understanding of the semantic meaning of map signs, ▪ and the intellectual (or cognitive) complexity, which covers the understanding of spatial structures and implicit message of the map. The initial assumption of studying map complexity was that it could have an adverse effect on map effectiveness [9], and should thus be controlled. In this paper, we focus on visual complexity, as it is the aspect of complexity over which cartographers have the greater control [9].