Cognitive Aspects: How People Perceive, Memorize, Think and Talk About Landmarks - Landmarks: GIScience for Intelligent Services - page 45

points, it has been linked to the sensor-motor system and vestibular organs, and in
the brain to particular cell types in different regions of the brain. Path integration is
closely related to our sense of place and sense of direction [ 79 ] . Path integration is
accumulating uncertainty, and hence typically combinations with spatial updating
are applied.

3.1.1.5 Spatial Updating

In order to be able to act, people know the position of surrounding objects relative to
their body. They are spatially aware, and this awareness is provided by their senses.
Since people act in space and time, their own pose or location changes constantly.
Similarly objects in the environment can change pose or location. Only continuous
updating of the spatial mental representation of these relationships helps with
survival. Wolbers et al. studied spatial updating from a neuroscience perspective,
i.e, how the brain keeps track [ 240 ] , and Kelly et al. looked at spatial updating from
a cognitive perspective, i.e., which cues in the environment are used [ 97 , 98 ] .

Hegarty et al. published a self-reporting measure—by introspection and self-
assessment—of spatial abilities, called the Santa Barbara Sense of Direction
Scale [ 79 ] . The questionnaire consists of several statements about the par-
ticipant's spatial and navigational abilities, preferences, and experiences.
Participants have to rank themselves on a seven-point Likert scale [ 123 ] .
The self-reporting measure proved to be internally consistent and had good
test-retest reliability, but of course does not provide an evaluation of actual
performance.

1. I am very good at giving directions.
2. I have a poor memory for where I left things.
3. I am very good at judging distances.
4. My “sense of direction” is very good.
5. I tend to think of my environment in terms of cardinal directions (N, S, E,
W).
6. I very easily get lost in a new city.
7. I enjoy reading maps.
8. I have trouble understanding directions.
9. I am very good at reading maps.
10. I don't remember routes very well while riding as a passenger in a car.
11. I don't enjoy giving directions.
12. It's not important to me to know where I am.
13. I usually let someone else do the navigational planning for long trips.
14. I can usually remember a new route after I have traveled it only once.
15. I don't have a very good “mental map” of my environment.