中文摘要：

虚拟地理环境是一种新的空间认知工具，文章介绍了虚拟地理环境的特点并分析了这些特性对人的空间认知方式所造成的影响。虚拟地理环境的多感觉通道拓展了人的空间认知手段，为没有制图和GIS使用经验的用户提供了一种有效的复杂信息表示方法，并从更深的层次上改变了人的空间思维方式，使得人的空间思维方式由原来的形象思维为主转变为抽象思维与形象思维并重，极大地提高了人的空间认知能力。

英文摘要：

The virtual geographic environment is a new tool of spatial cognition. This article introduces the features of the virtual geographic environment and analyses these characters＇ influences on the styles of spatial cognition. The multi-sensor of virtual geographic environment extends human＇ s means of spatial cognition, and offers an effective method for those who have no ideas about GIS or cartography. Furthermore it has changed people＇ s styles of spatial thinking and made the abstract thinking to pay equal attention to primary visual thinking. The virtual geographic environment has hugely improved people＇ s ability of spatial cognition.