Cognitive Mapping by the Blind

Abstract

In an effort to study the cognitive mapping abilities of blind persons, tactile maps of a school campus were made by ten congenitally blind and ten blindfolded partially sighted high school students. Although some blind students made well-organized and accurate maps of the campus, most of the maps made by the congenitally blind subjects were poorly organized and integrated as compared with maps made by the blindfolded partially sighted subjects. Blind persons exhibit varying methods for categorizing the elements of a large environment, and the method of cognitive mapping is believed to be related to how well a person can negotiate within the environment.