The psychology of map reading

[Cogwulf]

I've seen numerous explanations of the differences between the map reading skills of men and women. The main explanation seems to be the differences in what men and women see when they look at a landscape, men apparently break the scene down into distance and direction, but women focus on the positions of landmarks. Hence men prefer navigating by using directions like "follow this road for five minutes then turn right, and then left at the end of the road" but women prefer directions like "turn right at the traffic lights and then it's next to the church."

I've been trying to work out how MBTI types and navigational skills correlate. The way mentioned above about how men navigate seems heavily weighted towards SJ types, so how might N and P types skills in navigation differ? I've always been good at finding where I want to go, but I very often end up wandering around the back of the building for five minutes looking for the way in before I realise I should try finding the front of the building

 

[Jaico]

I'm not so sure about giving directions, but when I want to go somewhere that I haven't gone before, I sort of go in the 'general direction' that I'm headed, and take all sorts of alternate routes just to see where they lead. As long as I know where my destination and where my starting points are, I can sort of visualize where a street will take me in relation to my destination even if I've never went down it before (I love finding new ways to get somewhere).

 

[Artifice Orisit]

I trust my instinct/subconscious/maleness to get me from A-to-B.

A system I've successfully tested by:
-Getting through Cairns/Brisbane/Sydney(international and domestic)/Narita airports.
-Exploring various Queensland bushlands, including almost the entirety of Russel island.
-Navigating the Tokyo railway system, the maps are so complicated I thought they were abstract art at first, and to make things challenging I couldn't read or speak Japanese.

 

[Minuend]

I'm the same as Jaico, except I don't usually explore much.

 

[Cavallier]

I'm not so sure about giving directions, but when I want to go somewhere that I haven't gone before, I sort of go in the 'general direction' that I'm headed, and take all sorts of alternate routes just to see where they lead. As long as I know where my destination and where my starting points are, I can sort of visualize where a street will take me in relation to my destination even if I've never went down it before (I love finding new ways to get somewhere).

This is how I do things as well.

Also, I HATE it when people give me directions like "go down the road about 5 min or so"...real five minutes or just what seems like five minutes to you?!?!?! It's so fuzzy! Just give me some f*&@# landmarks and point in a general direction. I'll find it.

 

[Oblivious]

I get lost all the damn time. It's nauseating. Its a combination between impatience with where I want to get to and second guessing myself I think.

 

[niteshift]

This is a "secert" topic which should not be discussed between genders. Any person in any long term relationship will say the same. Avoid at all costs.

cheers, niteshift

PS - Similar to "does my butt look big in this ? " or "How do I look ? "

 

[Waterstiller]

I can't speak for everyone, but in my experience and understanding higher levels of testosterone seem to affect people's passive spacial ability to extend well past/outside of themselves. Which makes relating to the 'top down, miles up' view of a map much easier. Estrogen, on the other hand, has a tendency to focus closer to the self. Traditionally, if you had a penis you were expected to do a masculine job - either personally affecting a larger spacial area (with a tractor, for instance) or manipulating many people to affect a wider area ($$$.. Power). Masculinity's work is spread out. Inversely, feminine work is crammed into as small of a space as possible - the vast majority of 'female' work is supposed to be centered on her body, children, and the house. Tiny little things, spacially. Fingernails. Sewing. Ect.

The problem is that everyone has had differing levels of testosterone in the womb and the present hormone levels *also* have an effect over this foundation. So the penis people and the vagina people often get lumped into roles they're not comfortable with or possibly even good at based on their genitalia. I like to think of differences based on hormone levels instead of the categories of "female/male".. at least when it comes to psychology.

SO.. that said.. I've always been more of a 'landmark' person but distinctly had an ability to exist outside the car when going somewhere. I could feel and understand the top-down view of the car. Distance was much easier to calculate. After a few months of taking androgen blockers and estrogen, I found that I was stuck inside my car, losing the 'top down' external relationship. I lost track of distance and began to get lost and frustrated. I even had a more difficult time parking.

That didn't last forever, though. After another 6 months I had completely relearned how to operate and relate spacially and am now just as capable as I ever was. In fact.. I'd venture to say that I'm better now. But it required a more active effort. It's a different process in a way I couldn't even begin to describe because the old process is so foreign to me now.

I can only imagine Alan Turing's depression at his processes changing after his forced castration.

 

[Cavallier]

I can only imagine Alan Turing's depression at his processes changing after his forced castration.

...and the thread spins off in a totally new direction! Intriguing.

I've taken the time to explain to a male friend that when driving a vehicle it's important to be able to spread out your awareness of yourself to include the size and weight of your vehicle. You are not person sized anymore but truck/car sized. Plus not just car sized but this specific car sized. It helps a lot when driving in tighter traffic conditions. I think most people who drive cars know this but it's different to know it and really physically feel it. It's made me a better driver.

I take your statement to mean that men are expected to be better at large movements and exercises while women are expected to be better at small or micro exercises. Driving a truck vs sewing. Both mechanical but men with their big fingers are the bull in the china shop while women with the delicate ways let their trucks powerful engine run out of control. I hate this ideology. I think that for the most part people follow these gender differences. The reason it frustrates me is because I've always been better with the big things than the little. I climbed trees and did cartwheels. Trying to sew drove me crazy. I couldn't get my fingers to mind what I wanted them too but I could climb a tree with the best of the boys. I still hate doing little fiddly things. "G"od save me from woman's work!