The Mental Map Between Human Cognition and Artificial Simulation: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Evolution of Geographical Methodology

Abstract

The mental map (Cognitive Map) represents a core concept in cognitive geography, expressing the mental representations that humans construct to understand spatial environments and navigate within them. With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technologies, the possibility of simulating these cognitive processes through algorithms and intelligent systems has emerged. This research aims to study the dialectical relationship between the mental map as a product of human cognition and the mental map produced by artificial intelligence, and the implications of this comparison for the development of contemporary geographical methodology. The research adopts descriptive, analytical, comparative, and critical approaches, with an applied spatial analysis using land use data from the Salman Pak area. The findings reveal that human mental maps are characterized by flexibility, embodiment, and contextuality, while artificial mental maps are distinguished by computational precision and scalability, with challenges including algorithmic bias and lack of deep contextual understanding. The research also uncovers a methodological transformation in contemporary geography through the integration of artificial mental mapping principles into research methodologies, contributing to the emergence of new currents such as intelligent geography and posthuman geo-humanities.