分析了地理学的地理环境与当前地理信息技术中的地理空间两者概念之间的差异, 探讨了地图与地理信息系统空间认知的发展及特点, 初步研究了虚拟地理环境认知与表达的对象、特征与主要内容。从基于虚拟地理环境的地理认知和基于地理认知的虚拟地理环境表达两个层面分析了虚拟地理环境的认知与表达; 指出虚拟地理环境的认知与表达研究不仅需要进一步发展地理空间认知理论和方法, 还需要拓展对地理过程及人类行为的认知与表达理论和方法研究; 并着重探讨了地理过程的表达和人类行为的模拟, 指出当前虚拟地理环境认知与表达研究的关键内容。

The differences between the geographic environment and the geo-spatial concept of current geo-information technologies, and the characteristics and development processes of spatial cognition of maps and geographic information systems are analyzed. The concept of virtual geographic environment cognition is proposed. The objectives of virtual geographic environment cognition include the cognition of the real world phenomena of surface features, geographic processes, human behavior and their relationships. This paper studies virtual geographical environment cognition from two aspects: acknowledgement and understanding of the geographic space, geographic processes and human behaviors; and then the representation of the real geo-graphic environment in the virtual geographic environment, as well as obtaining and sharing geographical knowledge based on virtual geographic environments to gain insight to the real geographic environment. Representation of virtual geographic envi-ronments involves three levels. Research on cognition of virtual geographic environments needs to develop geo-spatial cognition theories and methods of geographic entities and phenomena, as well as cognition and modeling of geographic dynamic processes and the perception of human behaviors. Geographic processes representation and human behavior simulation are focused upon and relevant preliminary study ideas and contents are presented.