Spatial Cognition, Spatial Perception: Mapping the Self and Space

Spatial cognition is discussed in relation to the internal mapping of external stimuli (e.g. landmarks and sensory perception of environmental information), the internal mapping of internally perceived stimuli (e.g. kinesthetic and visual imagery), and their subsequent effects on behavior. The diverse ways in which spatial information is encapsulated in perceptual and cognitive processes, allowing the self to move in space, are then examined. Major points and controversies in human and non-human animal spatial cognition, spatial perception, and landmark recognition are discussed comparatively within an evoluntionary framework. Written for postgraduate students and researchers, the authors present theoretical and experimental accounts at multiple levels of analysis - perceptual, behavioral, developmental, and cognitive - providing a thorough review of the processes of spatial cognition.