BEHAVIORAL COGNITIVE PROCESSES OF NOVICES AND EXPERTS DURING FIELD MAPPING ACTIVITIES

The nature of expert cognition in the geological sciences is poorly understood, particularly during authentic, field-based activities. We investigated the strategies and cognitive processes used by experts and novices during bedrock geologic mapping of two field localities in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Two undergraduate geology majors and one earth science/biology major, one MS student, PhD student, professional geologist, and college professor participated in this study, and represented a continuum of prior field mapping experience from none to 10+ years. The three undergraduates and master's student mapped sites during normal activities in a required field methods course, and remaining participants mapped the following day.

We collected background questionnaires, novelty space data, field maps, and field notes from each participant. We also used GPS units to track participant movement across the sites. The PhD student, professional geologist, and college professor recorded verbal commentary during the mapping exercises, took photographs to document sites of interest, and participated in a follow-up interview. Interviews occurred immediately to a few hours after the mapping, and were intended to provide additional information about the strategies and reasoning used during map generation. Participant-generated maps of each field site were converted to digital format and analyzed quantitatively via comparison of polygon shape, polygon perimeter type, and centroid distance metrics. Participant GPS tracks were analyzed to determine trends in spatial patterns, hot spots of activity, and correlations between tracks and mapped features. Thematic content analysis of audio logs and follow-up interviews provided a rich qualitative basis for interpretation of mapping behavior. We found that participant strategies, including initial mapping behavior, time-on-task, and observation redundancy, was dependent on both prior field experience and experience in geological research in general.