SBER-9500196 Patricia P. Gilmartin Elizabeth S. Nelson University of South Carolina Dissertation Improvement Research: Assessing Theories of the Mental Representations of Maps This research will examine the major theories pertaining to the mental representation of knowledge and determine which theory best describes the mental representations of map knowledge. The influence of specific encoding processes on these mental representations will also be explored. Human subjects will be used in a computer-based experiment which will evaluate their ability to complete a series of recognition tasks involving a set of maps. The importance of assessing the mental representations of map knowledge is essential for Geographers to understand in order to improve the map communication.
