Mental image transformations in terrain map comparison

Comparison between maps and surfaces requires significant use of mental rotation about both azimuth and elevation axes. To determine whether: 1) this mental rotation can be quickly performed with high accuracy, 2) analog transdeformational or other strategies are used, and 3) the rotational process is similar between elevation and azimuth axes, 21 male geography students viewed computer-generated map surfaces in an experiment. A standard 3rd map surface was initially presented, followed by a comparison surface which was either the same map, though rotated about azimuth and/or elevation axes, or was the mirror-image of the map. -from Authors