Cognitive and mathematical models have been proposed to understand this
process and to determine which factors are most influential in wayfinding. Cognitive
research has been able to define issues such as memory, cognitive
mapping, spatial recognition and information processing and furthered the
understanding of how the physical world is interpreted. It has provided insight
into how a cognitive map is formed, how routes are planned and how these
plans are executed. This has resulted in the development of cognitively based
computation models that simulate a wayfinder moving through an environment
in order to solve route planning tasks. These models, however, are based
heavily on the human aspects of wayfinding and lack the environmental aspects.