Cognitive Maps Quiz

What is the primary function of cognitive maps?

• To represent spatial relationships between objects, places, or concepts

• To record historical events

• To calculate mathematical equations

• To translate languages

Cognitive maps are essential in tasks that require which of the following?

• Planning, orientation, and navigation

• Memorizing vocabulary words

• Solving algebraic equations

• Writing creative stories

Which of the following was a feature of the map used in Thorndyke’s experiment?

• It only included one city

• It contained cities and routes with 0, 1, 2, or 3 other cities along the way

• It was a real-world map of Toronto

• It had no routes between cities

(DoK Level 3) Imagine you are given a map with several cities and asked to estimate the distance between two cities with three intervening cities along the route. How might the number of intervening cities affect your distance estimation, and why?

• You might underestimate the distance because more cities make the route seem shorter.

• You might overestimate the distance because more cities make the route seem longer.

• The number of intervening cities has no effect on your estimation.

• You will always estimate the distance accurately regardless of intervening cities.

According to the findings, how does the number of intervening cities affect participants' estimation of distance between two target cities?

• The greater the number of intervening cities, the shorter the estimated distance.

• The greater the number of intervening cities, the longer the estimated distance.

• The number of intervening cities has no effect on estimated distance.

• The fewer the number of intervening cities, the longer the estimated distance.

What did participants learn in the study involving a hypothetical map of a town?

• A hypothetical map of a town

• The history of a real town

• The population statistics of a city

• The weather patterns of a region

In the study by McNamara & Diwadkar (1997), what did participants do as part of the study design?

• Memorized a map with pictures of various objects

• Built a physical model of a town

• Wrote essays about famous landmarks

• Traveled to different cities

What is the 90-Degree Angle Assumption?

• The belief that intersections or angles between streets and buildings are 90 degrees, even when they are not.

• The idea that all streets are parallel.

• The assumption that all buildings are circular.

• The belief that all maps are drawn to scale.

How can the 90-Degree Angle Assumption affect navigation and spatial reasoning?

• It can lead to errors because the mind simplifies complex shapes and angles to fit standard geometric forms.

• It always improves navigation accuracy.

• It makes people ignore landmarks.

• It helps people remember exact distances.

What was the main task given to participants in the study involving cognitive maps of Cambridge, England?

• To estimate the angles at which two streets intersected.

• To draw a map of Cambridge from memory.

• To identify famous landmarks in Cambridge.

• To calculate the distance between two points in the city.