Mapping Behaviors - examples of graphics used to portray findings in various typologies

Here I am just sharing a few graphics from papers I am reading of studies that use "Behavioral Mapping". Behavioral Mapping is a way of gathering information - or evidence about a certain environment, which can be used as evidence for design decisions. It involves recording spatial information - usually on a map, and information about the activities that are done at that location. Being a visual person I enjoy how graphics portray information and the various ways researchers visualize concepts. Shown here are examples from urban planning, nursing home design, middle school design, and playground design. Behavioral mapping is also used in hospital design,  parks, environmental design, library design, museum design, neuroscience and computer science.

 Sanoff, Henry, and Gary Coates. 1971. “Behavioral Mapping.” International Journal of Environmental Studies 2: 227–35.

This map show where children played in a residential neighborhood. Lager dots mean more people.

Sandra Horne, Martin. 2002. “The Classroom Environment and Its Effects on the Practice of Teachers.” Journal of Environmental Psychology 22 (1–2): 139–56.

Movement of a teacher around a classroom based on how the desks were arranged.

Pasalar, Celen. 2003. “The Effects of Spatial Layouts on Students’ Interactions in Middle Schools: Multiple Case Studies.” North Carolina State University.

Various ways to examine the layout of middle schools and how we can analyze them. These show connectivity, activities, various levels of seclusion in certain areas, correlational graphs and examples of typical school layouts.

Marušić, Barbara Goličnik. 2010. “Analysis of Patterns of Spatial Occupancy in Urban Open Space Using Behaviour Maps and GIS.” URBAN DESIGN International 16 (1): 36–50.

some examples of mapping of urban plazas using overlays, dots, symbols and gathering spaces.

Milke, Doris L, Charles H M Beck, Stefani Danes, and James Leask. 2009. “Behavioral Mapping of Residents’ Activity in Five Residential Style Care Centers for Elderly Persons Diagnosed with Dementia: Small Differences in Sites Can Affect Behaviors.” Journal of Housing For the Elderly 23 (4): 335–67.

Graphs indicating activities that Elderly persons with Dementia participate in during a day.

 Zamani, Zahara, and Robin Moore. 2013. “The Cognitive Play Behaviour Affordances of Natural and Manufactured Elements within Outdoor Preschool Settings.” Landscape Research 1: 268–78.

Playground behavior maps showing where children play in a playground.

Ozdemir, Aydin, and Oguz Yilmaz. 2008. “Assessment of Outdoor School Environments and Physical Activity in Ankara’s Primary Schools.” Journal of Environmental Psychology 28 (3): 287–300.

Scoring of school yard environments based on student satisfaction. (this is actually a pretty interesting study on school yards comparing a number of spaces)

Cosco, Nilda G, Robin C Moore, and Mohammed Z Islam. 2010. “Behavior Mapping: A Method for Linking Preschool Physical Activity and Outdoor Design.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 42 (3): 513–19.

Behavior mapping of a playground showing activity levels, and a graph showing the"affordances" of various ground covers.