Wayfinding in New York City: An integrated approach to spatial cognition.
Item
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Title
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Wayfinding in New York City: An integrated approach to spatial cognition.
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Identifier
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AAI3063825
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identifier
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3063825
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Creator
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Diaz-Wionczek, Mariana.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Joseph Glick
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Date
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2002
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Cognitive
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Abstract
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This study has two objectives. First, to describe the process by which adults get to know and use a large-scale environment. Second, to support my hypotheses that wayfinding consists of a repertoire of evolving processes and strategies, including internalized representations of space, situated actions, and use of the environment.;The current study expands on integrative perspectives to spatial cognition that consider the individual as an embodied mind and suggest continuity between the internal cognitive processing of information and the physical world. In the cognitive and environmental psychology literature, symbolic representation theorists often ignore the role of the environment in spatial cognition. On the other hand, action/activity approaches focus too much on the external physical world while often leaving internal symbolic processes unexamined. This dissertation integrates elements of both activity and cognitive representation theories, examines the relationship between them, and suggests that people moving through cities can be understood as action systems configured by a mind, a body, and the environment.;In this dissertation, I employ qualitative methods to (1) study spatial behavior and environmental adaptation to the city, and (2) describe wayfinding through its related cognitive representational processes, purposeful spatial activity, and the physical elements of the city. These methods include in-depth walk-along interviews, detailed commentary notes, and maps/sketches by participants.;Results from my qualitative analysis indicate that Manhattan is spatially organized in three layers: underground (subway system), street level, and a more subjective level I have called "bird's-eye." The findings support my hypothesis that wayfinding consists of a repertoire of strategies, configured both by internalized representations of space and situated actions. My results also indicate that the use and selection of representation-action cognitive strategies of this repertoire (1) depend on environmental "channeling," and (2) change over time.;This study contributes to the literature on spatial cognition in three ways. First, it expands upon current knowledge of spatial cognition by providing detailed research on the process by which adults get to know and use New York City. Second, it demonstrates that wayfinding consists of a repertoire of strategies. Third, it shows that an integrated theoretical and methodological approach is the most useful for understanding the dynamics of spatial cognition, especially in relation to how newcomers to a large city learn how to navigate new locations.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
