Abstract
Estimating distances is a basic example of how to use spatial information represented in maps. Estimating a distance correctly is highly important for a proper orientation and navigation performance. As graphical support-measures, most maps are provided with scale bars. It is known that distances between two locations are over-estimated if barriers lie in-between. A regular as well as structuring division of a topographic map is achieved by using grids. In cartography, grids serve as a search tool and/or may also be used to better reference coordinate systems. Yet, it is not known how map-based distance estimation is affected by the integration of grids. Grids could lead to an interruption due to the additional structuring map information (map cluttering), which might further affect the scan process and perception of a distance. Therefore, eye-movements were measured in an experimental study. The eye-movement was registered with a Tobii TX300 eye-tracker while participants had to estimate the distance between two object-locations in a topographic map. Maps were either presented with or without grids. Behavioural data (on distance estimation performance) as well as eye-movement data reveal that grids have no effect on the perception and estimation of distances. Thus, grids can be excluded as clutter producing factors.
Zusammenfassung
Distanzschätzung ist ein grundlegendes Beispiel, wie rtiumliche lnformationen in Karten genutzt werden können. Die Schätzung von korrekten Distanzen ist von großer Bedeutung für die Orientierungs- und Navigationsleistung. Aus diesem Grund verfügen die meisten Karten über Maßstabbalken als grafisches Hilfsmittel für die Distanzschäzung. Für die Schätzung von Distanzen ist bekannt, doss es zu einer Überschtitzung der Distanz zwischen zwei Lokalisationen kommt, wenn der Raum dazwischen durch Barrieren unterbrochen ist. Eine regelmäßige Unterbrechung einer topographischen Korte ist durch den Einsatz von Gittern, als strukturierendes Element, gegeben. Gitterdienen in Karten als Suchgitter und zur Visualisierung der Koordinatenlinien. Bis jetzt istjedoch nicht bekannt, ob Gitter; die in topographische Karten integriert sind, einen Effekt auf Distanzschätzungen haben. Es besteht die Möglichkeit, doss das Gitter als zusäzliches Kartenelement eine unterbrechende Wirkung hat („Ciutter“-Wirkung), die sich auf den Scan-Prozess und dam it ouch auf die Wahrnehmung einer Distanz auswirken könnte. Aus diesem Grund wurden mithilfe des Tobii-TX300-Eye-Trackers Augenbewegungen während der Schätzung einer Distanz zwischen zwei Objektpositionen auf einer topographischen Korte erfasst. Zur Überprüfung des Effekts von Gittern wurden den Probanden Karten mit oder ohne Gitter prtisentiert. Die Daten der behavioralen Auswertung wie ouch die Eye-Tracking Daten zeigen, doss Gitter keinen Einfluss auf die Distanzschtitzung haben und somit nicht als Clutter-erzeugender Faktor angesehen werden müssen.
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Dr. Anne-Kathrin Bestgen is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Geography Department of Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB). Her research interests include spatial cognition, emotion and olfaction combined with methods, such as eye-tracking and functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Dr. Dennis Edler is a senior lecturer at the Geography Department of Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB), where he teaches courses on cartography, remote sensing, statistics and GIS. His current research interests are related to empirical methods in cartography, cognitive effects of map graphics on spatial memory, and multimedia cartography.
Anna Ratmer, B. Sc., is a master student (M. Sc.) at the Geography Department of Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB). In 2016, she started to work as a student assistant in the Geomatics Group. In her bachelor thesis, Anna dealt with eye-tracking, experimental design and cognitive cartography.
Dr. Frank Dickmann is Professor of Cartography and Geo-Information Science at the Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB). His major research interests are the application of modem visualization techniques to thematic mapping, cognitive cartography and the exploration of map efficiency using integrated media.
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Bestgen, AK., Edler, D., Ratmer, A. et al. The Perception and Estimation of Distances in Topographic Maps Are Not Distorted by Grids. j. Cartogr. Geogr. inf. 67, 61–67 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03545378
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03545378
Keywords
- empirical cartography
- cognitive cartography
- spatial cognition
- distance estimation
- eye-tracking
- grids
- topographic maps