Spatial Cognition

Spatial cognition refers to an individual's ability to correctly perceive, respond to their surroundings based on their perceptions, and reorganize their sensory impressions to suit the definition of the world around them. The ability to remember faces, locations, pictures, and objects are determined by one's level of visual-spatial intelligence. Spatial cognition can thus be described as a special branch of psychology that deals with how individuals use their acquired knowledge about the environment to help understand the position they are in, and how to get resources and locate places and objects.

Introduction

The ability of the people to remember and easily relate with the environment they are in is explained well by spatial cognition. Spatial cognition is strongly a combination of architecture as indicated in environmental landmarks and the application of psychology. As Montello (74) indicates, cognition components include mental processes and structures that involve thinking, learning, memory, imagining, perception, and both linguistic and non-linguistic communication. Emotion and behavior are strongly connected with cognitive knowledge. The author shows how emotions and behavior are connected through the St Vitus Cathedral that creates spiritual emotions through its embodying vertical expanse, the subdued lighting and elegant lines that create the uniqueness of the cathedral. The uniqueness of the spatial architecture in the cathedral enables visitors to easily remember and locate the cathedral while creating emotions about it. For instance, the Sao Paulo Museum of Art in Brazil (below) creates a daring appeal while evoking fear.

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Relations between architecture and psychology

Architecture and psychology are related in the aspects of spatial cognition. Sociability, memorability, affection, knowledge, and attention can help describe the aspects of human psychology and how the interact with architectural spaces. Cognition can be through imagination or seeing of the real objects. Humans have to make, perceive or imagine architectural spaces, often making pictorial representations and making decisions based on the spaces, experienced aesthetics as well as emotional responses derived from the architectural spaces. The development of people’s beliefs, and the navigation around the environment is associated with what the architectural space presents. Environmental cognition plays an important role in architectural recognition and acclimatization with the surroundings. Environment enables creation of emotions, thoughts, perceptions and acts about objects within the surrounding. Architecture facilitates human cognition, behavior and experience through facilitating, allowing, and preventing perceptions, actions and emotions. For instance, creation of visual patterns can stimulate aesthetic reactions as well as create explorative minds. In addition to stimulation of aesthetic reactions, environmental cognition also evokes emotions and actions socio-culturally through application of implied norms and rules. For instance, walkways and entrances appear privately restrictive or publicly inviting despite them being accessible to the public through the implied norms and rules.

Environment is also associated with sensory reactions that also inform spatial cognition, for instance, attention is created through seeing and hearing. Sensory access is castigated by listening and seeing while memory is evoked by what can be remembered of a special architectural piece. Attention is created by listening and looking at the environment. Spatial cognition is also created by establishing knowledge on the architectural spaces through giving reasons and deriving at decisions (Montello 75). Behavioral affordance is also influenced by aspects of where people walk, sit, rest, enjoy and engage in other activities. Affection is also created through architectural spaces where emotions, moods, stress, aesthetics, fear and comfort levels are created through perceptions created from the spatial cognition imagined or experienced. Sociality is also created through creation of social spaces like pedestrian levels, body postures, social distances, and noise levels among other factors. The psychology aspects of sociability, affection, knowledge, attention and memory connect with architectural spaces (Montello 75).



Factors influencing spatial cognition

Spatial cognition is influenced by the size and shape of interiors and exteriors present in any architectural masterpiece. Appearances of special spaces like entrances and exits, the locations, degree of articulation into chambers as well as pathways, and the metric patterns of the pathways and chambers affect spatial cognition. Surface reflectivity, colors and textures also affect the way humans perceive space and built environment. Spatial cognition is influenced by several aspects as discussed by Montello (76) that in turn influence the legibility of the images and the cognition created through the perception of the objects. Legibility of the spatial arrangements and architecture is determined by layout complexity, visual access, and differentiation of appearances. The three aspects help in controlling the perception of spaces in built environment as conceptualized by Kevin Lynch 1960’s work, The Image of the City. Legibility, according to Lynch, was how a perception, or memory creates “imageability” of an object or built environment, that is, how it helps in evoking clear mental images (Montello 76).

The aspect of differentiation of appearance

According to Montello (76), differentiation of buildings is explained by the degree to which built objects (mostly buildings) differ in their heterogeneous or homogenous parts, especially in relation to color, shape, size and architectural style among other aspects. Differentiated buildings create the perception of landmarks and thus people are able to distinctly differentiate the buildings. The differentiated buildings are memorable and can be used as reference point to explain other buildings or structures. Despite differentiation being a subjective variable, people are able to agree on what makes the objects (buildings) unique and whether their expectations, their state of mind and interests of differentiated buildings are met or not. Spatial recognition is thus a function of differentiated environment.



(The 432 Park Avenue is differentiated from other buildings surrounding it by its height of 1396 feet)

Layout Complexity

Spatial cognition is largely informed by layout complexity. Cognition complexity depends on the individual cognitive characteristics of a person and the human cognition in general. Different people can view a building architectural design as complex while others might view it as not complex. Pathways, chambers and other spatial components are arranged to create a more complex masterpiece depending on the way they are organized. Complexity also depends on the geometric patterns of chambers and pathways, for instance, orthogonal turns and straight paths are less complex compared to oblique turns. For instance, a structure with seemingly unorganized paths might create the perception of disorganization or evoke fear if lighting is limited as indicated by the example of the spiral irregular descending corridor of the Hospital in the Rock (Montello 77). People tend to establish “good forms” in relation to the layout they can identify. It is easier for people to comprehend layouts that appear like conventional shapes of rectangle, square, oval, and radial among others.



(The Burj Al Arab boasts as one of the unique complex architectural designs in the world, built on the sea front to appear as a dhow)

Visual Access

The degree to which varied sections of a built structure can be viewed from different locations can be described as the visual access. Visual access also includes accessing parts of building including the entrances/exits, unique structural features, and other unique landmarks (Montello 77). The degree of visual access is linked with levels of uncertainties and mysteries. For instance, higher visual access decreases uncertainty and mystery. In addition, greater sense of comprehension of the building or the built environment is higher when visual access is also higher. Where buildings are not complex, visual access determines the levels of stress of moving around and finding way in/out/around the building. In situations of less complex environment, high visual access can reduce stress to the levels of boredom. Visual access can be thoroughly explained by focusing on the exterior and interior spaces that determine the level of visual access (Montello 77). People tend to establish visual access of a building through establishing locations where a higher visual access can be established.



(Visual access of the architectural design can be hard to describe by formation of shapes can aid in describing its ease of access)



Challenges of interpreting architecture through cognitive Science

Cognitive science might not be the ultimate or the best option to analyze architectural images and designs. Montello (79) indicates that spatial cognitive might establish architectural determinism thus becoming not effective in describing architectural spaces of built environment. The effectiveness of the cognitive science in explaining built environment is influenced by individual perceptions and the conventional agreements of what makes the cognitive science. Behavioral, emotional and cognitive responses by people are not strictly influenced by the architectural spaces alone but a couple of other supporting aspects. The level of exposure of individuals, the educational backgrounds, physical size and mobility among others influence spatial cognition.



Conclusion

The ability of people to remember built structures (buildings) and create environmental associations is associated with many aspects including emotion, memory, imagining, perception, and both linguistic and non-linguistic communication. Architectural spaces are strongly related to psychology in many aspects. Sociability, memorability, affection, knowledge, and attention can help describe the aspects of human psychology and how the interact with architectural spaces. Sensory reactions and environment are also associated in creating spatial cognition, for instance, attention is created through seeing and hearing. Spatial cognition is largely influenced by visual access, layout complexity and differentiated appearance.







Works Cited

Montello, Daniel R. "Spatial Cognition and Architectural Space."