Mapy mentalne w analizie przestrzeni miejskich wybranych małych miast nadmorskich – implikacje dla polityki lokalnej i administracji publicznej

<jats:p>The monograph, entitled &amp;ldquo;Mental maps in the analysis of urban spaces in selected small coastal towns: implications for local policy and municipal administration&amp;rdquo; is an analysis of urban space in six small coastal towns: Darłowo, Dziwn&amp;oacute;w, Hel, Międzyzdroje, Ustka, and Władysławowo. The study was grounded in the mental mapping method and questionnaire surveys administered to two distinct demographic groups: primary school students and senior citizens. The theoretical section explores key issues related to urban space, the research significance of mental maps, and their practical applications in local policy. The primary objective of the study was to determine differences in the perception of urban space among different age groups. The research enabled the identification of subjective spatial representations held by students and seniors. The findings revealed both similarities and significant differences in how the two groups perceive urban space, as presented in the empirical section. The final section of the monograph includes a sample &amp;ldquo;niby-mapa&amp;rdquo; project, recommendations for municipal and state administrations on applying the research findings in local policy, and proposed directions for further studies on urban space perception using mental maps.</jats:p>