Mind maps are mental representations or images of the structure of the physical surrounding of an individual. The cognitive maps are times referred to as the mind maps or the frames of reference. The actual dimensions of a location and the entire region of that location are included in the spatial representation. As animals interact with the surroundings, they can process and encode them into discrete mental maps. Mammals then use these mental maps or spatial information to travel to their places, such as the favorite restaurant, nearby hospital, or route of getting into the office.
In his journal article, Tolman was the first researcher to develop the idea and concept of cognitive maps in 948. In his writing, the terms mental maps are associated with studying and analyzing how individuals acquire and use the knowledge from the surroundings. The information gained is then used to locate the exact location, how the individual can obtain the resources, and maneuver their ways back home.
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On the other hand, mental maps entail topography and landmarks, the route connectors and the mileage covered, and the directional relations. However, the cognitive map tends to differ from the cartographic map because it only consists of small packets, including landmarks, geographical regions, and route segments, unlike the cartographic, which only consists of unitary, integrated representations. The discrete information, are always linked up to represent the hierarchies of various location within that vicinity.
A Distinct Feature of Cognitive Maps from Mind Map
Mind maps are linked to the perception of thoughts; as a clear and direct type of cognitive map, one can think of them (Cvetkoska, 2017). They have a simple hierarchy and structure and are easy to build. A mind map can be compared with a tree with branches, where the trunk represents the main topic, and the branches represent the subtopics (Nikhil Kumar D. Parikh, 2015).
The map portrays knowledge and concepts that are connected in mind-mapping. Such a network of links allows us to maintain and learn new things quickly and effectively (Cvetkoska, 2017). Generally, the mind map's logic is dynamically passive, representing nothing more than the connection used for visualization and improved Memory. On the other hand, an environmental model of cognitive mapping is generated using links and hypotheses. Moreover, cognitive mapping uses connections more intentionally than mind mapping too. Unlike mind mapping, cognitive mapping lacks predictable structure such as flow charts; diagrams hence exist in mixed forms.
The Mechanisms of Cognitive Maps
There are different mechanisms and numbers of possible sources that have created cognitive maps in our brains. With the aid of visual stimuli, smell, and hearing, the mammal brain generates the map to locate the environment's position as one gets acquainted with it. When these signals come into play, a vector representing one's position and direction within that location is generated. The vector is then transmitted to the cells located in the hippocampal, then analyzed while feeding the brain with environmental information and one's relative location within the mind map's scope. The series of events happen nearly automatically, although the whole mechanism seems so complex.
Proves Of Hippocampus to Be a Cognitive Map
Neurons generate a memory of the animal's environment inside the hippocampus. The neurons are triggered when the animals go to that particular environment and are reminded of the same place as if they were reading from a map (Kim & Opfer, 2018). Within the brain, there are many cells called the entorhinal cortex, which functions to send information to the hippocampus. The cells only get triggered when an animal visits a specific place. When the cells get fired at a distance from the neighboring cells, they form the hexagonal pattern; this means that the brain's metric information is directed into grid cells without considering its previous experience. The hexagonal formation mechanism and information obtained indicate that the hippocampus is both a map and a memory system.
Does Cognitive Mapping Utilize The Memory?
Spatial Memory is used for cognitive visualization, but it's more than that. Spatial cognition records knowledge about one's location and visual experiences. Now, the most critical thing to be understood is that cognitive capacity is essentially the fact that one can maintain a street pattern in their building's direction (Nie, Ling, & Li, 2013). Nevertheless, whenever someone sees these routes in their Mind's eye, one should automatically get the path, and this concept is referred to as cognitive mapping and hence uses Memory.
Uses of Cognitive and Mind Map
There is a simple role for cognitive mapping. It's an important trait for many living creatures, and that's why we don't get stuck in the positions we've been in before. Tolman argues that cognitive mapping is a type of latent learning. Individuals acquire significant numbers of environmental stimuli or signals and utilize them to create a mental image of their environment or a cognitive image. The cognitive process enables one to learn the positions of different objects and buildings as they drive or walk the same path every day, creating mental pictures of these routes. The cognition processes occur spontaneously, a factor that ideally will result in the unconscious of one's whole latent learning. In comparison, the path's cognitive mapping is also in effect when you try to find a building or object on that specific route (Nie, Ling, & Li, 2013). With the current environmental awareness, the organism's neural functions produce new information or instructions to explore a building or structure.
References
Cvetkoska, V. (2017). Student Perceptions Regarding the Mind Map Application in Mathematical Education. SSRN Electronic Journal . doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3282583
Kim, D., & Opfer, J. (2018). Dynamics and development in number-to-space mapping. Cognitive Psychology , 107 , 44-66. doi: 10.1016/j.cogpsych.2018.10.001
Nie, J., Ling, W., & Li, M. (2013). Cognitive Mapping Technique and Application in Management Psychology. Advances In Psychological Science , 21 (1), 155-165. doi: 10.3724/sp.j.1042.2013.00155
Nikhilkumar D. Parikh. (2015). Mind Map and Concept Map as Complementary Tools for Teaching. International Journal Of Indian Psychology , 2 (4). doi: 10.25215/0204.015
