Even though the path that the rats had learned to use was blocked and could not be used, rats were able to choose an alternate route that led them in the same general direction. This finding suggests that rats had formed cognitive maps. In other words, the rats must have acquired some form of survey knowledge as compared to just learning a route. Adaptive significance of mental maps and exploration of the environment. There are difference among various environments in the ease of getting around them.
Legibility relates to the ease with which one can form a cognitive map of an environment.
Comparison of various cities with regard to legibility. Urban planners have tried to design cities with an eye to improving their legibility. These elements enhance human ability to impose a pattern, an organizing structure which assists learning. Use of simplifying frameworks which allow humans to cope with vast quantities of information. Visual imagery appears to have fewer limitations space-wise in comparison to linguistic codes.