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From mice to humans: How cognitive maps shape our spatial perception?
The concept of cognitive maps was first proposed in 1948 by Edward Tolman in an attempt to explain the behavior of rats in a maze, and the concept was later applied to other animals, including humans. Cognitive maps are mental representations that individuals use to organize their information about their everyday or metaphorical spatial environments. The wide application of this mental model makes it a meaningful tool, widely involved in many fields such as psychology, education, archaeology, planning, geography, etc.
Cognitive maps are not just simple representations of the spatial environment, but a dynamic and flexible internal model that helps us navigate paths and understand the environment.
The formation of cognitive maps comes from multiple sources and relies on human sensory information. When we move in the environment, feedback from the senses such as vision, smell, and hearing help us position ourselves. In a sense, a cognitive map is like a blueprint in our mind, which can help us not only remember familiar environments, but also quickly adapt and orient ourselves when facing new environments.
The history of cognitive maps
Tolman's experiments showed that rats can form mental maps of mazes. They are able to show the same path in different locations, rather than just making decisions at a specific starting point. Over time, this concept has been further expanded by many researchers, especially studies on the hippocampus, showing its profound connection with cognitive maps.
The hippocampus is not only a storage center for spatial information, it is also the key to our action plans and environmental cognition.
Acquisition of cognitive map
The acquisition of a cognitive map goes through several stages: first, the recognition of landmarks in the environment, followed by the connection of paths, and finally the formation of a more comprehensive picture of the environment. This process is multimodal and involves the integration of visual, kinesthetic, and auditory information. When we acquire information while in motion, we are actually constantly updating and refining our cognitive maps.
Basics of neurobiology
Cognitive mapping relies primarily on the operation of the hippocampus, which is connected in a way that makes it an ideal place to integrate spatial and non-spatial information. The hippocampus not only processes the location information of an object, but also integrates other features to provide a background for the formation of cognitive maps. The researchers found that placement cells and grid cells play a key role in this process.
Placement cells help us understand where we are in the environment, while grid cells help us with path integration.
Cognitive maps in animals
Not just humans, many animals also require spatial abilities to find food and avoid predators. Experiments have shown that mice and other animals are able to make spatial inferences by establishing relationships between landmarks. This shows that whether it is for humans or animals, the existence of cognitive maps is based on the reality and experience of the environment.
Criticism and Outlook
Although the concept of cognitive maps has been widely recognized in the scientific community, there is still some controversy over its definition and research methods. Some scholars point out that the current findings may not fully support evidence that cognitive maps operate in animals. These discussions reflect that there are still many unanswered questions and future research directions in this field.
Now that we understand how cognitive maps influence our spatial perception, is it possible to imagine a world without such mental maps?
