Active navigation and orientation-free spatial representations

In this study, we examined the orientation dependency of spatial representations following various learning conditions. We assessed the spatial representations of human participants after they had learned a complex spatial layout via map learning, via navigating within a real environment, or via nav...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMemory & cognition Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 51 - 71
Main Authors SUN, Hong-Jin, CHAN, George S. W, CAMPOS, Jennifer L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Austin, TX Psychonomic Society 2004
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Adolescent
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Cognition & reasoning
Cognition. Intelligence
Concept Formation
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Judgment
Learning
Male
Memory, Short-Term
Mental imagery. Mental representation
Navigation
Orientation
Pattern Recognition, Visual
Problem Solving
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Social Environment
Space Perception
User-Computer Interface
Visualization
Walking
Learning
Human
Navigation
Activity passivity
Proprioception
Spatial orientation
Cognition
Experimental study
Spatial representation
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Summary:In this study, we examined the orientation dependency of spatial representations following various learning conditions. We assessed the spatial representations of human participants after they had learned a complex spatial layout via map learning, via navigating within a real environment, or via navigating through a virtual simulation of that environment. Performances were compared between conditions involving (1) multiple- versus single-body orientation, (2) active versus passive learning, and (3) high versus low levels of proprioceptive information. Following learning, the participants were required to produce directional judgments to target landmarks. Results showed that the participants developed orientation-specific spatial representations following map learning and passive learning, as indicated by better performance when tested from the initial learning orientation. These results suggest that neither the number of vantage points nor the level of proprioceptive information experienced are determining factors; rather, it is the active aspect of direct navigation that leads to the development of orientation-free representations.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ObjectType-News-3
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ISSN:0090-502X
1532-5946
DOI:10.3758/BF03195820