Environmental Modeling: Using Space Syntax in Spatial Cognition Research Proceedings of the Workshop at Spatial Cognition 2010, Mt. Hood, Oregon Drew Dara-Abrams, Christoph Hölscher, Ruth Conroy-Dalton, Alasdair Turner (Eds.) SFB/TR 8 Report No. 026-12/2010 Report Series of the Transregional Collaborative Research Center SFB/TR 8 Spatial Cognition Universität Bremen / Universität Freiburg Contact Address: Dr. Thomas Barkowsky SFB/TR 8 Tel +49-421-218-64233 Universität Bremen Fax +49-421-218-64239 P.O.Box 330 440
[email protected] 28334 Bremen, Germany www.sfbtr8.uni-bremen.de © 2010 SFB/TR 8 Spatial Cognition Environmental Modeling: Using Space Syntax in Spatial Cognition Research Spatial cognition is concerned with both internal mental processes and external environments. It is from our surroundings that we acquire much of our spatial knowledge, and it is through those surroundings that we navigate. The interplay between, on the one hand, the sensory information and the physical constraints provided by the surrounding environment, and, on the other hand, humans' perceptual and cognitive processes is central to the questions of spatial cognition. Yet, for all the field's success at using precise behavioral measures to study spatial memory, cognitive models to study wayfinding, and virtual reality to study locomotion (to cite only a few advances), spatial cognition research has given insufficient attention to the role of environmental surroundings. In part, this has been an issue of competing concerns: When forced to choose between precise behavioral measures and rich, ecologically valid environments, researchers with training in experimental psychology will likely select the former and substitute for the latter a simple, contrived laboratory setting.