The Future of Geographic Information Displays from GIScience, Cartographic, and Cognitive Science Perspectives

Abstract

With the development of modern geovisual analytics tools, several researchers have emphasized the importance of understanding users´ cognitive, perceptual, and affective tendencies for supporting spatial decisions with geographic information displays (GIDs). However, most recent technological developments have focused on support for navigation in terms of efficiency and effectiveness while neglecting the importance of spatial learning. In the present paper, we will envision the future of GIDs that also support spatial learning in the context of large-scale navigation. Specifically, we will illustrate the manner in which GIDs have been (in the past) and might be (in the future) designed to be context-responsive, personalized, and supportive for active spatial learning from three different perspectives (i.e., GIScience, cartography, and cognitive science). We will also explain why this approach is essential for preventing the technological infantilizing of society (i.e., the reduction of our capacity to make decisions without technological assistance). Although these issues are common to nearly all emerging digital technologies, we argue that these issues become especially relevant in consideration of a person´s current and future locations.