What does the 'map' method do in JavaScript arrays?

The 'map' method in JavaScript arrays is utilized to create a new array by applying a provided function to each element of the original array. This method does not modify the original array; instead, it generates a new array that contains the results of the function applied to each element. For example, if you have an array of numbers and you want to create a new array that contains the squares of those numbers, you can use the 'map' method to achieve this efficiently.

While other methods such as filtering or sorting might manipulate an array's structure or order, 'map' specifically focuses on transforming each element and returning a new array with the transformed results, thereby highlighting its functional programming roots. Thus, understanding the 'map' method is crucial for functional manipulation of arrays in JavaScript programming.