The Baddest Elves in History: Edward C Tolman
Welcome to our first edition of The Badest Elves in History, where we dive into the pioneers who shaped the world of GIS today.
First up is Edward C. Tolman, a psychologist who revolutionized our understanding of how living things use mental maps to navigate the world. In his famous 1948 study, Cognitive Maps in Rats and Men, Tolman demonstrated that:
- rats created internal "mental maps" of mazes and
- that these cognitive maps allowed them to efficiently find food and water without needing direct trial-and-error every time.
Image retrieved 9/9/24 from Latent Learning In Psychology and How It Works (simplypsychology.org)
Tolman's work was groundbreaking because it proved that mental mapping is an essential, natural function of life - not just for humans, but for all animals. These internal maps help us:
- navigate,
- find resources,
- and even avoid danger, playing a critical role in our survival.
Without this ability to process and store spatial information, we wouldn't be able to interact meaningfully with our environments!
Fast forward to today, and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) operates on a similar principle.
Just as rats use mental maps, GIS tools help us make sense of complex spatial data, enabling better decision-making in fields like urban planning, ecology, and economics. The more we understand how the brain processes environments, the more we can apply this knowledge to design better communities and solve modern-day challenges.
Learn more about how Bad Elf is using cutting-edge GPS technology to enhance modern geospatial solutions. Stay tuned for more legendary elves who changed the course of geospatial history!
Sources:
https://psychologyfanatic.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_C._Tolman
https://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Tolman/
Dr. Smilovsky is the Geospatial Solutions Director for Bad Elf, a GNSS technologies company. Dr S is a faculty member at Arizona State University teaching various GIS and design classes. He is a certified Geographic Information Systems Professional, a certified Arborist, and a Part 107 certified UAV pilot. As a geospatial evangelist, custom geospatial solutions provider, and geographic researcher Dr. S is widely versed in all things geodetic. He is a proud Geoholic!