Mental Map

This cover Illustration from the New Yorker magazine is a humorous example of a Mental Map. Mental Maps are maps that individuals create in their minds, and sometimes commit to paper, that represents their understanding and perception of a specific geographical area. Those areas that are most familiar, such as the neighborhood they live in, will be more detailed than other areas less frequented. In Saul Steinberg's Mental Map, the local geography heading west is very detailed until the Hudson River is crossed. At that point the geography, and scale is rather less accurate.