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Spatial symbol systems and spatial cognition: A computer science perspective on perception-based symbol processing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 1999

Christian Freksa
Affiliation:
Department for Informatics and Cognitive Science Program, University of Hamburg, D-22527 Hamburg, Germany{freksa; barkowsky; klippel}@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
Thomas Barkowsky
Affiliation:
Department for Informatics and Cognitive Science Program, University of Hamburg, D-22527 Hamburg, Germany{freksa; barkowsky; klippel}@informatik.uni-hamburg.de
Alexander Klippel
Affiliation:
Department for Informatics and Cognitive Science Program, University of Hamburg, D-22527 Hamburg, Germany{freksa; barkowsky; klippel}@informatik.uni-hamburg.de

Abstract

People often solve spatially presented cognitive problems more easily than their nonspatial counterparts. We explain this phenomenon by characterizing space as an inter-modality that provides common structure to different specific perceptual modalities. The usefulness of spatial structure for knowledge processing on different levels of granularity and for interaction between internal and external processes is described. Map representations are discussed as examples in which the usefulness of spatially organized symbols is particularly evident. External representations and processes can enhance internal representations and processes effectively when the same structures and principles can be implicitly assumed.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press

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