Spatial trends in mental images: The world view of Singapore students

• Main Author: KONG, Lily
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 1991
• Subjects: Asian Studies; Human Geography
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/2273; https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.1991.9683966
• Institution: Singapore Management University

The aim of the paper is to show the practical value of studying the mental images that Singapore students have of the world. It reports an empirical study which yielded information on the spatial trends in students' mental image. Such an empirical exercise is important because it provides an understanding of how citizens of a global city, in this case, Singapore, view the world.The study found that that Singapore students' mental images of the world are generally limited and areally biased. No country, let alone a global city like Singapore, can hope to survive well without a citizenry that knows about the world. In the case of Singapore, to maintain progress and economic buoyancy, it is necessary for its people to know about the world and to become a part of the international community. A first step is to address the spatial biases in the younger generation's mental images.