Evaluative perception
Two kinds:
Notes
- Spacial cognition
Frequently Asked Questions About Spatial Cognition
What is spatial cognition and what disciplines does it involve? Spatial cognition is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on how humans and other agents represent and process spatial knowledge. It draws upon various disciplines, including psychology, computer science, linguistics, and philosophy, to understand how we perceive, learn about, reason with, and act within spatial environments. This interdisciplinary approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of the complex nature of spatial thinking.
What are egocentric and allocentric reference systems for spatial information? Spatial information can be organized using different reference systems. An egocentric reference system specifies locations and directions relative to the observer's own position and orientation (the "ego"). For example, "the book is to my left" is an egocentric description. Conversely, an allocentric reference system uses an external frame of reference that is independent of the observer. Saying "the book is north of the desk" is an allocentric description, as it relies on an external direction (north) and a fixed object (the desk). These systems can be further categorized as global (covering a large area, like latitude and longitude) or local (limited to a specific environment, like within a room).
How are concepts like "bearing" and "distance" understood in the context of spatial cognition? Bearing refers to the angle between a reference direction and a line from a source point to a target point. An ego-oriented bearing uses the observer's axis of orientation as the reference, while an allocentric bearing uses any other external reference direction. Egocentric bearing is a specific type of ego-oriented bearing where the observer's location is the source point. Distance is the metric separation between two points in space, often considered Euclidean distance. Similar to bearing, distance can be egocentric (distance from the observer to a point) or nonegocentric (distance between two points other than the observer).
What are the different types of locational representations and what can be computed from them? The text identifies at least two primary types of locational representation: i) Allocentric representation: This describes the location of points relative to an external frame of reference, often using coordinates (like x, y). ii) Egocentric representation: This defines the location of points based on the observer's position and orientation, often using egocentric distance and egocentric bearing (a special polar coordinate system). What can be computed differs between these representations. Point-to-point bearings are not stably defined in a pure egocentric representation. However, they can be reliably computed from an allocentric representation. Determining the heading of an object (other than the observer) requires treating that object as multiple points or as a point with an axis of orientation.
How do the linguistic terms "Ecke" (corner) and "Knick" (kink) relate to the dimensionality and shape of objects? The German words "Ecke" (corner) and "Knick" (kink) highlight how language reflects spatial concepts related to object boundaries. "Knick" is typically used for one-dimensional or linear objects like paths or sticks that have a vertex where two straight or curved parts meet. In contrast, "Ecke" is more commonly associated with two-dimensional or planar objects and often implies a vertex formed by the intersection of two (perceived as) straight boundary parts. The applicability of these terms is influenced by the perceived dimensionality of the object, even if the actual boundary is more complex (e.g., ignoring the saw-toothed edge of a stamp to identify its corners).
What is the role of "hedges" and the frequency of direction terms in understanding spatial categories? Linguistic hedges (like "almost" or "exactly") and the frequency with which specific direction terms are used provide insights into the graded nature of spatial categories. Hedges express degrees of category membership and are used less emphatically as a spatial relation deviates from a prototypical example. Similarly, the frequency of using a particular direction term to describe the location of an object tends to be highest when the object is aligned with the core of that directional category (e.g., "above" for vertically higher objects) and decreases as the object's position moves away from that ideal alignment. This suggests that spatial categories are not always absolute but have degrees of typicality.
How does Mental Model Theory explain spatial reasoning, and what are the key phases involved? Mental Model Theory proposes that people reason about spatial situations by constructing mental representations (mental models) of the described scenarios rather than relying primarily on formal logical rules. This process typically involves three phases: i) Construction: Initially, a unified mental representation of the given premises is generated. ii) Inspection: The constructed model is examined to draw conclusions or answer questions. iii) Variation: If the initial model is ambiguous or insufficient, alternative models of the premises are sequentially generated and inspected to explore different possibilities and validate inferences.
What are the different levels of spatial knowledge for navigation, and how do they relate to each other? Spatial knowledge for navigation is often categorized into three levels: i) Location Knowledge: This is characterized by recognizing specific places based on views or snapshots of the surrounding landmarks or cues. ii) Route Knowledge: This involves knowing a sequence of locations or views and the actions needed to move between them. iii) Survey Knowledge: This is a more abstract and integrated representation of the environment, often referred to as a "cognitive map." It is formed by combining and abstracting information from multiple routes and allows for flexible navigation, understanding spatial relationships between non-adjacent locations, and planning novel paths. Survey knowledge builds upon and integrates location and route knowledge.