Upload
joan-warner
View
214
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
PEOPLE AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE WORLD
Mental Maps
Making Sense of the World
Images of geographic space
Based on: information and impressions
“New Yorkers View of the World”
Mental Maps
Our perception of places are more important than reality.
our personal identity, provides a sense of place.
Where do mental maps come from? Experience, hearsay, media, books, friends/family,
institutions (church/school)
Mental Maps
Factors influencing perception Distance
Distance decay: decrease knowledge with increasing distance
Who we are Age, gender, race, ethnicity, wealth, experience
Groups Religion, culture, nationality Us vs. Them
Why is this important? Who cares about your mental maps?
Preference Maps
Justify each of your 5 best and worst statesWhat receives best results (states)? Why?
What receives worst results (states)? Why?
Mapping – World View
Mapping
Spatial representations of aspects of EarthCartography – art and science of mapmakingFull of informationRipe for interpretation
Mapping
Critical decisions1. Projection – transferring a spherical surface to a flat
map Impossible to escape error All maps lie flat, all flat maps lie
Mapping
Projection is selected to: Minimize distortion
Area, shape, distance, or direction
2. Simplification Omission, exaggeration, distortion
3. Aggregation – think spatial association
Mapping
4. Map Type General reference map – political vs. physical Topographic – contour lines of elevation
Mapping
Thematic Maps – highlight a particular feature or variable Choropleth – shades of colors depict intensity of some
variable
Mapping
Thematic Maps Proportional Symbol – size of symbol depicts intensity
or size
Mapping
Thematic Maps Dot – number of dots depict density
Mapping
Thematic Maps Isoline – connect points of equal value (not just
topographic)
Mapping
Thematic Maps Cartogram – space is distorted to show size of some
variablehttp://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/2008/
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/cartograms/
Mapping
5. Scale –relationship between the map distance and actual earth distance
Large scale – small area (more detail) Small scale – large area (less detail) Scale is shown as:
Representative fraction• 1/24,000 or 1:24,000
Verbal• 1 inch = 400 miles
Graphic • Scale bar
Spatial Association at Various Scales
Fig. 1-13: Death rates from cancer in the US, Maryland, and Baltimore show different patterns that can identify associations with different factors.
Cancer Death Rates in the U.S.
Cancer Death Rates in Maryland
Cancer Death Rates in Baltimore
Intro to Maps and GIS Maps Remote Sensing Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Fires in Southern CaliforniaSource: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=11799
• Latest World Earthquakes Map
• National Atlas of the United States
The Future?????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKh1Rv0PlOQ