A Scoping Review of the Relationship Between Mini-Map Usage and Spatial Knowledge

Navigational aids are commonplace in today’s technologically advanced world. Tools like GPS devices provide turn-by-turn instructions in place of paper maps, but this potentially comes at the expense of learning the traversed area. This scoping review investigates to what extent an alternative, the mini-map, can support navigation and spatial knowledge acquisition. Two systematic searches were performed, yielding 173 entries. Twenty peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria and were coded on the bases of mini-map design parameters, spatial knowledge measures, navigational efficiency measures, and central research motivation. Surprisingly, only half of the reviewed articles measured spatial knowledge, while the majority (85%) centrally examined navigation ability. Evidence from the review suggests that mini-maps may effectively guide navigation, but their support of spatial knowledge acquisition is less clear. Variability in methods and measurement techniques used in the studies that examined spatial knowledge make it difficult to draw meaningful conclusions.