The Factors and Mechanisms That Influence Geospatial Thinking: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Geospatial thinking is crucial for understanding the spatial order of the world. The factors influencing geospatial thinking deserve attention in geography education. Utilizing correlation analysis, we found that general intelligence, geographic knowledge, and geographic learning interest had a significant influence on geospatial thinking. This article attempts to understand how these factors affect geospatial thinking by using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that they impacted geospatial thinking directly. In addition, general intelligence and geographic learning interest had an indirect impact on geospatial thinking.