A spatial cognition investigation by using the integrated methodology combined with cognitive map and space syntax

Cognitive map method and space syntax theory are both concerned with the study field of environmental cognition and behavior. The theory basis of the two methodologies derived from environmental psychology gives an inspiring opportunity to establish an integrated research framework by Kim and Penn from 2001 to 2004. According to the standpoints presented by Kim, an investigation and survey in this paper was performed to examine the degree of correlation between cognitive map method and space syntax theory. As far as cognitive map method was concerned, 52 college students were chosen to take part in the cognitive test in Xiao Ximen historical conservation area, a historical city core in Changsha. After analyzing the cognitive maps drawn by students and digitizing their sketch maps through syntactic measures based on GIS technique, the data platform of comparative study was created followed by measuring the syntactic values of the real map. With comparing these data derived from the two methodologies, findings suggest that the syntactic configuration in the real environments and the configuration of cognitive map are closely related.