Spatial generalization in sketch maps: A systematic classification

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101851Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Systematic investigation and classification of generalizations in sketch map.

  • Enables new way of analyzing sketch map with respect to generalization.

  • Enables aligning sketch and metric maps with different degree of generalization.

  • Structured process of capturing generalization enables mental map assessment.

Abstract

Sketch maps are one of the most commonly used instruments to study people's perception of the environment. While previous research has focused on analyzing sketch maps with respect to their accuracy, completeness, or distortion, there is little study focusing on generalization (the level of geometric details of the depicted features) in sketch maps. Furthermore, when investigating people's mental representations of space, researchers compute the accuracy or completeness of sketch maps via a one-to-one comparison of sketched features with features in metric map data. The task of one-to-one comparison becomes problematic because features in sketch map often represent many features in a metric map. This paper identifies the frequently occurring generalizations in 108 sketch maps of small urban area by manually extracting generalized features such as streets and buildings and classifying them based on similarities. We found three generalization types in streets, two in junctions and four in buildings. To evaluate our classification, we created 10 sketch maps by systematically introducing the nine identified generalizations. A study was conducted wherein five raters were briefed about the different generalization types. Each of them classified the features in sketch maps as generalized and non-generalized. We found a high inter-rater agreement, implying the comprehensibility and clarity of the identified generalization types. We propose that such systematic view on the generalization in sketch maps would standardize the process of comparing them with metric map data as well as enable a new way of analyzing sketch maps with respect to generalization.

Keywords

Sketch maps
Generalization
Mental map assessment
Map generalization
Sketch map analysis

Cited by (0)

All the correspondences concerning this article should be addressed to Charu Manivannan, a doctoral candidate focusing on spatial reasoning, Institute for Geoinformatics, University of Muenster, Heisenbergstrasse 2, Muenster – 48149.

Jakub Krukar is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Geoinformatics, University of Muenster. He is a cognitive psychologist applying psychological research methods in the fields of geoinformatics, architecture, and human-computer interaction.

Angela Schwering is a professor at the Institute for Geoinformatics, University of Muenster and leads the Spatial Intelligence Laboratory. Her research interests are focussed towards spatial cognition, qualitative spatial reasoning, and cognitive navigation.