Mapping minds: A new way to measure 'community' in politics

This paper introduces a novel approach to measuring mental representations of geography by asking survey respondents to draw their own local communities on maps. Using Canada as a case study, we demonstrate that these maps accurately reflect the places individuals think about regularly and reliably capture consistent geographic knowledge over time.

Key Findings:

• Individuals' map drawings correspond to real-life communities they engage with frequently.
• The drawing task produces geographically stable representations even when repeated months later.
• This method confirms 'community' is a concrete political consideration for citizens.

This research establishes the validity and reliability of this innovative measurement technique, providing scholars studying context in politics with a robust tool to advance their work.