Finding locations in the environment: the map as mediator

When an observer (O) uses a map (M) whose orientation does not correspond to the orientation of the environment (E) in which performance occurs, substantial errors occur: these are called map alignment effects. Much of the prior research on map/environment (M/E) alignment has involved maps of simple paths, although alignment effects have also been demonstrated for you-are-here (YAH) maps. A study is reported in which simple YAH maps were used to test the hypothesis that errors with misaligned maps would fall into categories predictable from the application of inappropriate cognitive operations to the misaligned maps, as demonstrated earlier by Rossano and Warren. Further, performance under conditions of M/E misalignment was compared with performance under map/observer (M/O) misalignment, the situation in which the map is sideways or upside-down with respect to the observer. The major hypothesis was supported: predictable errors occurred under conditions of M/E misalignment. Errors under conditions of M/O misalignment were significantly smaller. Furthermore, when given the choice of using M/E or M/O alignment, each at the expense of the other, the overwhelming choice was to retain M/E rather than M/O alignment. This pattern of results occurred even when environmental features were represented by words rather than by lines and shapes on the map. The results underscore the robustness of map alignment effects.