COGNITIVE MAP INTRODUCTION The idea of cognitive map originates from the work of the psychologist Edward Tolman, who is famous for his studies of how rats learned to navigate mazes. In psychology, it has a strong spatial connotation- cognitive maps usually refer to the representation of a space (e.g., a maze) in the brain. Cognitive maps have since been used in a range of fields; Colin Eden, an operations researcher, used the term in a broader sense to refer to a mental model representation of any type of process or concept (whether spatial or not). Cognitive maps can be defined as mental images and concepts that are built to visualize and assimilate information. They are also referred to as mental maps, mind maps, schemata, and frames of reference. They act as tools for strategists to move beyond the constraints of short-term memory and to process information spanning long periods of time. The mind creates spatial concepts in order to make sense of incoming information. Advanta...
