| This study assessed the similarities and differences between cognitive maps of youth from two different environments in Michigan. The participants were children between the ages of eight to thirteen years old, from a rural Michigan community in Lenawee County, and an urban Michigan community in Ingham County. Both groups were asked to create a map, which explained the route from their home to school. Having children produce cognitive maps and interpreting the contents of these cognitive maps may assist planners and educators in better understanding how children can more effectively participate in the planning process. Using principal component analysis, the cognitive maps were analyzed. The Urban Component 1 had three images: stores, active recreation, and unidentified structures. Due to the ever growing popularity of mixed-use design these nodes of activities would be relevant to planners who are interested in defining nodes of activity among the community. While Rural Component 1 had, three images which included city, other houses, and school. This may indicate that children are less likely to consider common elements of their environment too common to be interesting or important, such as their school, and other houses along their route from school to home. Additionally, developing a planning curriculum, including qualitative observation notes, the cognitive maps, and the schematic diagrams generate further hypotheses regarding children's participation in planning, and thus push forward the questions for how to engage youth effectively in planning. |
