This paper discusses the mental mapping method, which helps us understand how people think about and interact with space.
Authors
Jack Jen Gieseking.
Key features
The method involves creating maps based on individuals' or groups' mental representations of places by hand or using computers. The paper argues that despite its long history in social sciences, the method's development has been uneven, and its analysis methods are often inconsistent. The paper reviews the method using 32 mental sketch maps and interviews, detailing 57 analytic components and techniques.
The author also suggests future research directions to improve the method's effectiveness. Overall, the paper aims to enhance understanding of how mental maps can be used in qualitative studies of people, places, and spaces in various social science fields.
Sources
Gieseking, J.J. (2013). Where We Go from Here: the Spatial Mental Mapping Method and Its Analytic Components for Social Science Data Gathering. Qualitative Inquiry, 19(9).