Evaluating the impact of urban street network topology on human spatial cognition: a systematic review

Numerous studies have demonstrated that variations in streets' topological characteristics impact the degree to which people perceive the structure of urban environments. Accordingly, this systematic review aimed to evaluate how the topological parameters affect human spatial cognition, and also analyze the study methods used in studies. The PRISMA reporting guidelines were used in this regard. We systematically searched the Web of Science and Scopus until April 19, 2024. Two researchers independently screened the title, abstract, and full text for the eligibility criteria. A total of 39 articles met our eligibility criteria. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess the quality of the included articles. The studies have followed four objectives: wayfinding, pedestrian volume, route choice, and spatial representation. Quantitative descriptive, quantitative non-randomized, and observational methodologies were mostly employed. The evaluations mostly used space syntax theory, and accordingly, Depthmap, DepthmapX, and GIS-based toolboxes were used to analyze the topological parameters. Base and blank maps, street photos, and questionnaires have been used in many studies as experiment tools, while virtual reality tools have been less considered. The control variables have been rarely applied in the evaluations. The results indicated that integrated streets and streets with high choice values enhance human spatial cognition. Dense and intelligible street networks and streets with high-directional connectivity also enhance human spatial cognition; however, very few studies evaluated these parameters' influence. The results of evaluating the impact of the other parameters were very heterogeneous. The heterogeneity was mainly related to differences in the study designs, trip purpose, objectives, and spatial scales. Seldom studies have compared how different topological parameters influence spatial cognition. In conclusion, further research, especially experimental quantitative randomized controlled trials, is warranted to discover the impact of street network topology on human spatial cognition.