Abstract
One can read a spatial text to form spatial mental models. Using them, one can perform various spatial inference tasks, such as directional judgments and wayfinding. In such cases, two kinds of perspective are available: a survey perspective and a route perspective (e.g., “A is north of B” vs. “you can see A when you turn left at B”). In two experiments, forty undergraduates read a spatial text with either a survey or a route perspective, and were asked to infer spatial relations in terms of either the same or the other perspective. Subsequently, they performed some mental rotation tasks and perspective-taking tasks, and rated their own sense of direction. There were significant correlations between spatial inference and mental rotation when the participants had read a spatial text with the survey perspective or inferred spatial relations from the survey perspective. The results suggest that spatial mental models for the survey perspective are supported by spatial visualization.
