ABSTRACT
Spatial memory and distortions of spatial memory are discussed in relation to two contextual influences: practical activity and culture. Three types of spatial distortions in memory are described: distortions of distance, spatial relations, and direction. The ways in which practical activity and culture may help understand these distortions is discussed. Research on spatial memory conducted in Western and non-Western communities and with children and adults is used to illustrate how practical activity and culture influence spatial memory and may contribute to certain patterns of distortions of these memories.
