Expertise in a Map Reading Task: The Role of Schemas in the Processing of Topographical Relief Information

Earlier studies have suggested that proficient map readers employ cognitive strategies such as information chunking and schemas to aid information processing. In this paper experienced and non-experienced map readers studied and reproduced firstly a town map and then a topographical map. No group differences were observed for the town map task. When the topographical map was recalled the experts had better recall for contour related data. They also combined contour related data with individual features more often than less experienced map users and employed specialist procedures during encoding and recall. These findings are consistent with Template theory and schema based accounts of information processing.