title: Representation of space: image-like or sensorimotor?
abstract: We investigate the relation between the physical world and its mental representation in the 'cognitive map', and test if this representation is image-like and complies with the laws of Euclidean geometry. We have developed a new experimental technique using 'impossible' virtual environments (VE) to directly influence the representational development. Subjects explore a number of VEs -- some 'normal', others with severe violations of Euclidean metrics or planar topology. We check if these manipulated properties cause problems in navigation performance. A consistent VE should be easily represented mentally in a map-like fashion, while a VE with severe violations should prove difficult. Surprisingly, we found no substantial influence of the impossible VEs on navigation performance, and forced-choice tests showed little evidence that subjects were aware of manipulations. This suggests that the representation does not resemble a two-dimensional image-like map. Alternatives to consider are sensorimotor and graph-like representations.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Neuroinformatics, University of Bremen, FB3, University of Bremen, P.O. Box 330 440, 28334 Bremen, Germany. zetzsche@informatik.uni-bremen.de
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zetzsche
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolter
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galbraith
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D056228:Feedback, Sensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult