USING fMRI IN CARTOGRAPHIC RESEARCH

In this paper we summarize findings to date from a project that had subjects performing navigational map tasks on a computer and again while they were being scanned in a magnetic resonance imaging machine. By comparing activity levels in each voxel with an expected function, the images were converted to functional ones (fMRI), and involvement or non-involvement of the brain area in doing the task was indicated. We will raise some fundamental questions that arise in such research, including "Should cartographers be collaborating with colleagues in other disciplines to carry out work of this sort?" and "So what?" We argue that yes, we should be so involved, even if in the end we find little useful. There could be important implications for some very hard questions that overlap between psychology, physiology, and cartography/GIS such as which tasks use similar brain regions even though the tasks themselves seem to be very different or which tasks use different brain regions even though the tasks seem to be very similar. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND: For years, cartographers and psychologists conducted research in the area of map reading and spatial abilities. But, until recently, collaborative research was rare. Arguably, such collaborative research brings together the strengths of each discipline, resulting in more meaningful, reliable, and valid results. Similar to the beginning of spatial/map abilities research, fMRI based experiments are currently not commonly conducted collaboratively. But, such collaboration would likely improve the breadth and depth of the research. Any review of fMRI-related spatial abilities research would reveal many results that address map related issues. However, in many cases, even though the study questions may mirror similar ones asked by cartographers, the test instruments do not include maps. Therefore, results may be generalized to suggest they may potentially be related to similar cartographic questions; but, unless the test instruments include maps and the questions address cartographic research, the extent to which results may be generalized is unproven. One way to bring the map or cartographic questions into the body of fMRI research is for cartographers to include this technology in their research. Arguably, map-related research may be considerably more fruitful when undertaken by collaborative teams. In the case of fMRI research, such teams may involve more than the cartographic/psychological groupings that are becoming more common in cognitive map research. Because of the technology and processes involved in fMRI studies, radiology and physiology researchers are part of the research team. Each participant potentially brings to the project a unique and valuable perspective.