Spatial symbol systems and spatial cognition: A computer science perspective on perception-based symbol processing

People often solve spatially presented cognitive problems more easily than their nonspatial counterparts. We explain this phenomenon by characterizing space as an inter-modality that provides common structure to different spe cific perceptual modalities. The usefulness of spatial structure for knowle dge processing on different levels of granularity and for interaction betwe en internal and external processes is described. Map representations are di scussed as examples in which the usefulness of spatially organized symbols is particularly evident. External representations and processes can enhance internal representations and processes effectively when the same structure s and principles can be implicitly assumed.