Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
2.1 Introduction: Relative and absolute location
As is the case with Robert Frost's people along the sand, most of us are crea-
tures of habit; we do not look out far, or in deep, at our real-world surround-
ings. We tend to categorize our surroundings in particular ways and to use
those categorizations throughout our lifetimes as ways to reference position
and navigation within our worlds. One way to think about our own mental
structures is to consider the simple task of giving directions.
Method 1: When you leave the campus of The University of Michigan,
turn left on Washtenong, take it out of town past the bend in the road
and beyond the split to the stadium. Keep going until you get to the
new shopping mall then turn left onto Platt Parkway. Keep going on
the parkway until you see a berm on the right and then enter the
condo complex behind the berm. Turn left once inside. I live in the
eighth condo from the end on the right side.
Method 2: When you leave the campus of The University of Michigan,
head southeast on Washtenong Avenue. Take Washtenong for 3.3
miles, southeast, and then due east, until you get to Platt Parkway.
Turn north onto Platt Parkway and continue for 2.4 miles. Turn east
onto Woodlawn Drive on the east side of the parkway. Head north on
Woodlawn to 1452.
The first approach is a “relative” approach. The second is an “absolute”
approach. Method 1 has the advantage of tying directions to landmarks that
may be familiar. But, it is ambiguous. One set of directions can lead to many
places. What is on the “left” when I am facing north, becomes on my “right”
when I am facing south. Orientation is critical in this approach. In the “abso-
lute” approach, however, orientation is irrelevant. Due east is the same, no
matter which direction I am facing. One set of absolute directions leads to one
location, and only to that one location. What is often a problem with an “abso-
lute” approach is one of communication. Many people do not really think
about the real world in terms of the cardinal points of the compass. Education
is a great ally here and coupling it with contemporary technology offers ways
to reinforce such education.
The examples given in “Method 1” and “Method 2” are extremes. Many would
blend the two approaches, perhaps giving a street address as well as both
landmarks and turn directions. Often, it is the case that folks who are not
“good” with maps rely more on relative locational direction than do others.
The ubiquity and ease of use of today's geotechnologies, with GPS-enabled
maps on tablet computers, on smartphones, and in vehicles may be boost-
ing the level of map literacy (although there are stories to the contrary).
These devices rely on absolute location in order to offer clear and unambigu-
ous direction to drivers. As with all useful devices, one still needs to think!
Because the devices also offer turn-by-turn information, they actually may
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