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George Mason University & The University of Pittsburgh )
)

The spatial model is being inspired by numerous areas of spatial research: neurological, developmental, as
well as traditional cognitive psychology. It is hoped that these converging lines of evidence will inform a
more plausible and defensible model of spatial reasoning and processing. Data and theories from these
various domains are presented briefly with respect to their impact on the model.

The first structural decision for this model was the

Peripersonal Space separation of visio-spatial representations into three
distinct spatial representations and one visual. These
Ambient Space
divisions follow Previc’s neurological model of 3-D
• Region that is immediately within grasp of the individual. space. The visual representation system (focal space • Used in postural control (effectively determining which way is
• Spans central 60 degrees on the visual field in Previc) already exists in ACT-R/PM, and will be up)
• Lower field bias
• Extends to the maximum arm’s reach. modified only slightly. The remaining spatial • Used as general qualitative, locational encoding.
• Neuroimaging studies show used during fine motor control and representations are Previc’s ambient extrapersonal,
object manipulation action extrapersonal, and peripersonal spaces. Each • Used to integrate representation across large expanses
• Neuroimaging studies show used during mental rotation
• suggests region contains very precise three-dimensional metric of these four representational systems will have their
representations of objects to be manipulated. own buffers with which to operate. This will allow
the model to process incoming representations in
parallel (much like the motor and basic visual system
Coordinate System operate in parallel in ACT-R/PM).
Coordinate System

• Origin
• Upper torso Focal Space Action Space • Origin
• Center of region
• Object
• Object
• Accurate 3D geon
•Used for navigational representations and scene memory. • Rough 3D geon of spatial extent
• Location (of object) • Only region with a variable extent and a non-anchored span within • Location (of self)
• Vector from upper torso the visual field •We borrowed from robotic navigation to determine the
• Sector based
functional necessities.
• Units • Units
• The majority of cognitive psychology research into vision has • Categorical
• Psychological cubits • Neuropsychology brain damage studies suggest a
focused on this region
representation that uses landmark’s position relative to the
• It is responsible for object identification, tracking, and reading. observer’s point of gaze.

• Utilizes much of Byrne’s ACT-R/PM extension. • Navigation is performed by trying to match up relative
positions to landmarks, while avoiding other obscuring
Encoding landmarks. Encoding
Two objects I’ve manipulated: Two distinct geometric regions:
1. The chair
2. My umbrella
Coordinate System Coordinate System 1. My office
2. The hall

• Origin • Origin
• Center of gaze My-office
Chair-back Umbrella • Upper-left of scene isa ambient-rep
isa prp-rep location center
geon chair-back-cube
isa prp-rep • Object
geon umbrella-cylinder (ACT-R/PM) geon box-01
• Object • Rectangle obstacles
Chair-seat
• Feature based composite • Location Office-hall
isa ambient-rep
isa prp-rep
geon chair-seat-cube • Location • Vectors to obstacle location nil
geon box-02
• Screen-X, Screen-Y edges
• Units • Units
• • Angular vectors

Other Considerations Key References

Encoding Cabinet
isa action-rep
Encoding • Anderson, J. R., & Lebiere, C. (1998). Atomic components of
1. No, I have no new email retinal-loc vis-loc1
right-theta 350o Objects that I need to navigate thought. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
2. Oh, that guy is Lelyn right-distance 3m around: • Biederman, I. (1987). Recognition-by-components: A theory of
• Object representations and object identities are separate left-theta 300o 1. A chair
left-distance 3.1m 2. A table
human image understanding. Psychological Review, 94(2), 115-
entities. However, once the identity is established it is linked Lelyn
isa visual-object
region My-office 3. A cabinet 117.
to the representation as long as it remains active location loc-02 4. Some guy • Huttenlocher, J., Newcombe, N., & Sandberg, E. H. (1994). The
…
• An episodic memory system is required for most basic coding of spatial location in young children. Cognitive Psychology,
spatial reasoning processing. A symbolic mechanism will be Chair Table 27(2), 115-148.
isa action-rep isa action-rep
used. retinal-loc vis-loc2 retinal-loc vis-loc3 • Margules, J., & Gallistel, C. R. (1988). Heading in the rat:
Screen right-theta 5o right-theta 120o
isa visual-object right-distance 1m right-distance 0.2m Determination by environmental shape. Animal Learning &
• Spatial representations are all with respect to an object and location loc-04 left-theta 355o left-theta 10o Behavior, 16(4), 404-410.
…. left-distance 0.5m left-distance 2.5m
the viewer top-theta 100o top-theta 105o • Presson, C. C. (1982). Strategies in spatial reasoning. Journal of
top-distance 1.05m top-distance 0.2m
• Spatial relationships allow the tying together of multiple region My-office region My-office Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 8(3),
representations within a region (focal to focal, ambient to 243-251.
• Previc, F. H. (1998). The neuropsychology of 3-D space.
ambient)
Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 123-164.
• Each region has its own buffer which capacity is limited by • Sandberg, E. H., Huttenlocher, J., & Newcombe, N. (1996). The
activation levels development of hierarchical representation of two-dimensional
space. Child Development, 67, 721-739.
• Tourekzky, D. S., & Redish, A. D. (1996). Theory of rodent
navigation based on interacting representations of space.
Hippocampus, 6, 247-270.