What is cognitive mapping in learning?

Cognitive mapping refers to the mental representation of the layout of one's environment, allowing individuals to navigate and remember spatial relationships. This concept is rooted in cognitive psychology and emphasizes how people create internal frameworks to understand their physical surroundings. An individual might visualize the streets in their neighborhood or the arrangement of rooms in a house, using these mental maps to guide their actions and decisions.

The other choices address different aspects of learning. Memorization techniques focus on recalling information rather than forming spatial representations. Observational learning involves acquiring new behaviors or information by watching others, which doesn’t relate to the internal visualization of environments. Lastly, enhancing problem-solving skills is broader and doesn't specifically pertain to the mental mapping of one's surroundings. Therefore, the definition of cognitive mapping best aligns with the understanding of how individuals internally visualize and organize environmental space.