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Weisberg SM, Ebner NC, Seidler RD. Getting LOST: A conceptual framework for supporting and enhancing spatial navigation in aging. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2024; 15:e1669. [PMID: 37933623 PMCID: PMC10939954 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Spatial navigation is more difficult and effortful for older than younger individuals, a shift which occurs for a variety of neurological, physical, and cognitive reasons associated with aging. Despite a large body of evidence documenting age-related deficits in spatial navigation, comparatively less research addresses how to facilitate more effective navigation behavior for older adults. Since navigation challenges arise for a variety of reasons in old age, a one-size-fits-all solution is unlikely to work. Here, we introduce a framework for the variety of spatial navigation challenges faced in aging, which we call LOST-Location, Orientation, Spatial mapping, and Transit. The LOST framework builds on evidence from the cognitive neuroscience of spatial navigation, which reveals distinct components underpinning human wayfinding. We evaluate research on navigational aids-devices and depictions-which help people find their way around; and we reflect on how navigation aids solve (or fail to solve) specific wayfinding difficulties faced by older adults. In summary, we emphasize a bespoke approach to improving spatial navigation in aging, which focuses on tailoring navigation solutions to specific navigation challenges. Our hope is that by providing precise support to older navigators, navigation opportunities can facilitate independence and exploration, while minimizing the danger of becoming lost. We conclude by delineating critical knowledge gaps in how to improve older adults' spatial navigation capacities that the novel LOST framework could guide to address. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Development and Aging Neuroscience > Cognition Neuroscience > Behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Weisberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, 1225 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Natalie C. Ebner
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, 1225 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Institute on Aging, University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Department of Physiology and Aging, University of Florida, 1345 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610-0274
| | - Rachael D. Seidler
- Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, University of Florida, 1864 Stadium Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Normal Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, 3009 SW Williston Rd. 1864 Stadium Rd., Gainesville, FL 32608
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2
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Garcia-Sanchez NL, Dick AS, Hayes T, Pruden SM. Direct and indirect effects of mother's spatial ability on child's spatial ability: What role does the home environment play? Dev Sci 2024:e13480. [PMID: 38321593 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Individual differences in spatial thinking are predictive of children's math and science achievement and later entry into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Little is known about whether parent characteristics predict individual differences in children's spatial thinking. This study aims to understand whether, and to what extent, mother's intrinsic (i.e., mental rotation) and extrinsic (i.e., spatial scaling) spatial ability directly and indirectly, via the variation in home spatial environment, predicts children's intrinsic and extrinsic spatial ability. A total of 165 mothers and their 4-6-year-old children were recruited to participate in a remote video session with an experimenter. Mothers were administered a forced-choice Intrinsic Spatial Toy Preference Task gauging their preference for highly spatial versus less spatial toys and asked questions with the Home Intrinsic Spatial Environmental Questionnaire about the frequency with which they engage their child in spatial activities at home. Mothers completed a Mental Rotations Test and a Spatial Scaling Task adapted for adults. Children were administered the Picture Rotation Task, the Spatial Scaling Task, and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Structural equation modeling was used to examine direct and indirect, via home spatial environment and toy choices, influences of mother spatial ability on child spatial ability. Contrary to our predictions, we did not find direct, nor indirect, relations between mother and child spatial ability. These findings suggest that researchers should consider alternative conceptualizations of the early home spatial environment beyond the frequency of spatial play in the home. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The identification of factors that predict individual differences in children's spatial ability is important in order to maximize STEM learning outcomes. Data collection was conducted remotely rather than in traditional preschool or laboratory settings. Contrary to our pre-registered hypotheses, no significant relations between mother spatial ability, the early home spatial environment, and children's development of spatial skills were found. Future research should consider examining the amount of spatial language used in the home or the quality of parent-child interactions during spatial play as potential explanations for individual differences in children's spatial ability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Timothy Hayes
- Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
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3
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Dilks DD, Jung Y, Kamps FS. The development of human cortical scene processing. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2023; 32:479-486. [PMID: 38283826 PMCID: PMC10815932 DOI: 10.1177/09637214231191772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Decades of research have uncovered the neural basis of place (or "scene") processing in adulthood, revealing a set of three regions that respond selectively to visual scene information, each hypothesized to support distinct functions within scene processing (e.g., recognizing a particular kind of place versus navigating through it). Despite this considerable progress, surprisingly little is known about how these cortical regions develop. Here we review the limited evidence to date, highlighting the first few studies exploring the origins of cortical scene processing in infancy, and the several studies addressing when the scene regions reach full maturity, unfortunately with inconsistent findings. This inconsistency likely stems from common pitfalls in pediatric functional magnetic resonance imaging, and accordingly, we discuss how these pitfalls may be avoided. Furthermore, we point out that almost all studies to date have focused only on general scene selectivity and argue that greater insight could be gleaned by instead exploring the more distinct functions of each region, as well as their connectivity. Finally, with this last point in mind, we offer a novel hypothesis that scene regions supporting navigation (including the occipital place area and retrosplenial complex) mature later than those supporting scene categorization (including the parahippocampal place area).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D. Dilks
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yaelan Jung
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Frederik S. Kamps
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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4
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Yang Y, Conde Santiago S, Lasc D, Hershkovich A, Grove L. Informal STEM learning: Examples from everyday spatial behaviors. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1117771. [PMID: 36968694 PMCID: PMC10036415 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1117771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionExtensive research has shown a close relationship between spatial abilities and success in STEM disciplines because many STEM problems often require students to reason about spatial information. Everyday spatial behaviors may predate and facilitate the development of spatial skills. Therefore, the current study examined children’s everyday spatial behaviors and their associations with broader child development outcomes and individual differences.MethodsBased on previous research, we developed an everyday spatial behaviors questionnaire for children (ESBQC). A total of 174 parents and their children aged 4–9 years old participated. In ESBQC, parents rated how much difficulty their children experience with different spatial behaviors, such as putting together a puzzle, retracing a route, or hitting a moving ball.ResultsFactor analysis revealed 8 components in ESBQC. The internal reliabilities were relatively high. ESBQC was positively correlated with age but not with sex. Furthermore, ESBQC predicted sense of direction, even after considering age and bias associated with parent reports.DiscussionOur questionnaire may provide a useful tool for parents and other stakeholders to better understand everyday spatial behaviors and encourage interest and competence in spatial skills, ultimately promoting STEM learning in informal, everyday settings.
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5
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Fan CL, Sokolowski HM, Rosenbaum RS, Levine B. What about "space" is important for episodic memory? WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2023; 14:e1645. [PMID: 36772875 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Early cognitive neuroscientific research revealed that the hippocampus is crucial for spatial navigation in rodents, and for autobiographical episodic memory in humans. Researchers quickly linked these streams to propose that the human hippocampus supports memory through its role in representing space, and research on the link between spatial cognition and episodic memory in humans has proliferated over the past several decades. Different researchers apply the term "spatial" in a variety of contexts, however, and it remains unclear what aspect of space may be critical to memory. Similarly, "episodic" has been defined and tested in different ways. Naturalistic assessment of spatial memory and episodic memory (i.e., episodic autobiographical memory) is required to unify the scale and biological relevance in comparisons of spatial and mnemonic processing. Limitations regarding the translation of rodent to human research, human ontogeny, and inter-individual variability require greater consideration in the interpretation of this literature. In this review, we outline the aspects of space that are (and are not) commonly linked to episodic memory, and then we discuss these dimensions through the lens of individual differences in naturalistic autobiographical memory. Future studies should carefully consider which aspect(s) of space are being linked to memory within the context of naturalistic human cognition. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina L Fan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - R Shayna Rosenbaum
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian Levine
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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6
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Brucato M, Frick A, Pichelmann S, Nazareth A, Newcombe NS. Measuring Spatial Perspective Taking: Analysis of Four Measures Using Item Response Theory. Top Cogn Sci 2023; 15:46-74. [PMID: 35032360 DOI: 10.1111/tops.12597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Research on spatial thinking requires reliable and valid measures of individual differences in various component skills. Spatial perspective taking (PT)-the ability to represent viewpoints different from one's own-is one kind of spatial skill that is especially relevant to navigation. This study had two goals. First, the psychometric properties of four PT tests were examined: Four Mountains Task (FMT), Spatial Orientation Task (SOT), Perspective-Taking Task for Adults (PTT-A), and Photographic Perspective-Taking Task (PPTT). Using item response theory (IRT), item difficulty, discriminability, and efficiency of item information functions were evaluated. Second, the relation of PT scores to general intelligence, working memory, and mental rotation (MR) was assessed. All tasks showed good construct validity except for FMT. PPTT tapped a wide range of PT ability, with maximum measurement precision at average ability. PTT-A captured a lower range of ability. Although SOT contributed less measurement information than other tasks, it did well across a wide range of PT ability. After controlling for general intelligence and working memory, original and IRT-refined versions of PT tasks were each related to MR. PTT-A and PPTT showed relatively more divergent validity from MR than SOT. Tests of dimensionality indicated that PT tasks share one common PT dimension, with secondary task-specific factors also impacting the measurement of individual differences in performance. Advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid PT test that includes a combination of items across tasks are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg
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7
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Ishikawa T. Individual Differences and Skill Training in Cognitive Mapping: How and Why People Differ. Top Cogn Sci 2023; 15:163-186. [PMID: 35226795 PMCID: PMC10078750 DOI: 10.1111/tops.12605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Spatial ability plays important roles in academic learning and everyday activities. A type of spatial thinking that is of particular significance to people's daily lives is cognitive mapping, that is, the process of acquiring, representing, and using knowledge about spatial environments. However, the skill of cognitive mapping shows large individual differences, and the task of spatial orientation and navigation poses great difficulty for some people. In this article, I look at the motivation and findings in the research into spatial knowledge acquisition from an individual differences perspective. I also discuss major implications of the existence of large individual differences, particularly the possibility of improving cognitive mapping by training and adjusting navigation assistance to the wide variations in spatial aptitudes and preferences among people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toru Ishikawa
- Department of Information Networking for Innovation and Design (INIAD), Toyo University
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8
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Nguyen KV, Tansan M, Newcombe NS. Studying the Development of Navigation Using Virtual Environments. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022; 24:1-16. [PMID: 37614812 PMCID: PMC10445272 DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2133123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Research on spatial navigation is essential to understanding how mobile species adapt to their environments. Such research increasingly uses virtual environments (VEs) because, although VE has drawbacks, it allows for standardization of procedures, precision in measuring behaviors, ease in introducing variation, and cross-investigator comparability. Developmental researchers have used a wide range of VE testing methods, including desktop computers, gaming consoles, virtual reality, and phone applications. We survey the paradigms to guide researchers' choices, organizing them by their characteristics using a framework proposed by Girard (2022) in which navigation is reactive or deliberative, and may be tied to sensory input or not. This organization highlights what representations each paradigm indicates. VE tools have enriched our picture of the development of navigation, but much research remains to be done, e.g., determining retest reliability, comparing performance on different paradigms, validating performance against real-world behavior and open sharing. Reliable and valid assessments available on open-science repositories are essential for work on the development of navigation, its neural bases, and its implications for other cognitive domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim V Nguyen
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University
| | - Merve Tansan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University
| | - Nora S Newcombe
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University
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9
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Yang Y, Merrill EC. Wayfinding in Children: A Descriptive Literature Review of Research Methods. J Genet Psychol 2022; 183:580-608. [DOI: 10.1080/00221325.2022.2103789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Yang
- Department of Psychology, Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey, USA
| | - Edward C. Merrill
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
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10
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Brucato M, Nazareth A, Newcombe NS. Longitudinal development of cognitive mapping from childhood to adolescence. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 219:105412. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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11
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Entropy of city street networks linked to future spatial navigation ability. Nature 2022; 604:104-110. [PMID: 35355009 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04486-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The cultural and geographical properties of the environment have been shown to deeply influence cognition and mental health1-6. Living near green spaces has been found to be strongly beneficial7-11, and urban residence has been associated with a higher risk of some psychiatric disorders12-14-although some studies suggest that dense socioeconomic networks found in larger cities provide a buffer against depression15. However, how the environment in which one grew up affects later cognitive abilities remains poorly understood. Here we used a cognitive task embedded in a video game16 to measure non-verbal spatial navigation ability in 397,162 people from 38 countries across the world. Overall, we found that people who grew up outside cities were better at navigation. More specifically, people were better at navigating in environments that were topologically similar to where they grew up. Growing up in cities with a low street network entropy (for example, Chicago) led to better results at video game levels with a regular layout, whereas growing up outside cities or in cities with a higher street network entropy (for example, Prague) led to better results at more entropic video game levels. This provides evidence of the effect of the environment on human cognition on a global scale, and highlights the importance of urban design in human cognition and brain function.
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12
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Three cortical scene systems and their development. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:117-127. [PMID: 34857468 PMCID: PMC8770598 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Since the discovery of three scene-selective regions in the human brain, a central assumption has been that all three regions directly support navigation. We propose instead that cortical scene processing regions support three distinct computational goals (and one not for navigation at all): (i) The parahippocampal place area supports scene categorization, which involves recognizing the kind of place we are in; (ii) the occipital place area supports visually guided navigation, which involves finding our way through the immediately visible environment, avoiding boundaries and obstacles; and (iii) the retrosplenial complex supports map-based navigation, which involves finding our way from a specific place to some distant, out-of-sight place. We further hypothesize that these systems develop along different timelines, with both navigation systems developing slower than the scene categorization system.
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13
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Wang Q, Yang Y, Li W. How Well Do 5- to 7- Year-Old Children Remember the Spatial Structure of a Room? JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2025809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Sun Yat-sen University, China
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14
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Spatial exploration strategies in childhood; exploration behaviours are predictive of navigation success. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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15
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Castillo J, Carmona I, Commins S, Fernández S, Ortells JJ, Cimadevilla JM. Spatial Recognition Memory: Differential Brain Strategic Activation According to Sex. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:736778. [PMID: 34539360 PMCID: PMC8441006 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.736778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human spatial memory research has significantly progressed since the development of computerized tasks, with many studies examining sex-related performances. However, few studies explore the underlying electrophysiological correlates according to sex. In this study event-related potentials were compared between male and female participants during the performance of an allocentric spatial recognition task. Twenty-nine university students took part in the research. Results showed that while general performance was similar in both sexes, the brain of males and females displayed a differential activation. Males showed increased N200 modulation than females in the three phases of memory process (encoding, maintenance, and retrieval). Meanwhile females showed increased activation of P300 in the three phases of memory process compared to males. In addition, females exhibited more negative slow wave (NSW) activity during the encoding phase. These differences are discussed in terms of attentional control and the allocation of attentional resources during spatial processing. Our findings demonstrate that sex modulates the resources recruited to performed this spatial task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquín Castillo
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain.,Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain
| | - Isabel Carmona
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain.,Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain
| | - Sean Commins
- Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Sergio Fernández
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain.,Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain
| | - Juan José Ortells
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain.,Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain
| | - José Manuel Cimadevilla
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain.,Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain
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16
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Hao X, Huang T, Song Y, Kong X, Liu J. Development of navigation network revealed by resting-state and task-state functional connectivity. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118515. [PMID: 34454043 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans possess the essential capacity to navigate in environment, supported by multiple brain regions constituting the navigation network. Recent studies on development of the navigation network mainly examined activation changes in the medial temporal regions. It is unclear how the large-scale organization of the whole navigation network develops and whether the network organizations under resting-state and task-state develop differently. We addressed these questions by examining functional connectivity (FC) of the navigation network in 122 children (10-13 years) and 260 adults. First, we identified a modular structure in the navigation network during resting-state that included a ventral and a dorsal module. Then, we found that the intrinsic modular structure was strengthened from children to adults, that is, adults showed stronger FC within the ventral module and weaker FC between ventral and dorsal modules than children. Further, the intrinsic modular structure was loosened when performing scene-viewing task, that is, both adults and children showed decreased within-ventral FC and increased between-module FC during task- than resting-state. Finally, the task-modulated FC changes were greater in adults than in children. In sum, our study reveals age-related changes in the navigation network organization as increasing modularity under resting-state and increasing flexibility under task-state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Hao
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (Central China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China; School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Taicheng Huang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiying Song
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiangzhen Kong
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Psychology & Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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17
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Glöckner F, Schuck NW, Li SC. Differential prioritization of intramaze cue and boundary information during spatial navigation across the human lifespan. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15257. [PMID: 34315933 PMCID: PMC8316315 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94530-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatial learning can be based on intramaze cues and environmental boundaries. These processes are predominantly subserved by striatal- and hippocampal-dependent circuitries, respectively. Maturation and aging processes in these brain regions may affect lifespan differences in their contributions to spatial learning. We independently manipulated an intramaze cue or the environment's boundary in a navigation task in 27 younger children (6-8 years), 30 older children (10-13 years), 29 adolescents (15-17 years), 29 younger adults (20-35 years) and 26 older adults (65-80 years) to investigate lifespan age differences in the relative prioritization of either information. Whereas learning based on an intramaze cue showed earlier maturation during the progression from younger to later childhood and remained relatively stable across adulthood, maturation of boundary-based learning was more protracted towards peri-adolescence and showed strong aging-related decline. Furthermore, individual differences in prioritizing intramaze cue- over computationally more demanding boundary-based learning was positively associated with cognitive processing fluctuations and this association was partially mediated by spatial working memory capacity during adult, but not during child development. This evidence reveals different age gradients of two modes of spatial learning across the lifespan, which seem further influenced by individual differences in cognitive processing fluctuations and working memory, particularly during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franka Glöckner
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Faculty of Psychology, Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 17, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Nicolas W. Schuck
- grid.419526.d0000 0000 9859 7917Max Planck Research Group NeuroCode, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany ,grid.4372.20000 0001 2105 1091Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Shu-Chen Li
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Faculty of Psychology, Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 17, 01069 Dresden, Germany ,grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257CeTI - Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
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18
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Faedda N, Guariglia C, Piccardi L, Natalucci G, Rossetti S, Baglioni V, Alunni Fegatelli D, Romani M, Vigliante M, Guidetti V. Link Between Topographic Memory and the Combined Presentation of ADHD (ADHD-C): A Pilot Study. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:647243. [PMID: 34220569 PMCID: PMC8245696 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.647243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Topographic memory is the ability to reach various places by recognizing spatial layouts and getting oriented in familiar environments. It involves several different cognitive abilities, in particular executive functions (EF), such as attention, working memory, and planning. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show impairments in inhibitory control, regulation of attention, planning, and working memory. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the topographic memory in children with ADHD-combined subtype (ADHD-C). Method: Fifteen children (8-10 years) with a diagnosis of ADHD-C (DSM-5) (ADHD-C group) were compared to 15 children with typical development (TD group) of the same age. All children performed Raven's colored progressive matrices (CPM) test to obtain a measure related with cognitive functioning. The walking Corsi test (WalCT), a large-scale version of the Corsi block-tapping test, was used to assess topographic memory in experimental environment. Results: A higher impairment was observed in ADHD-C than TD with significant differences in the WalCT, in particular on the topographic short-term memory (TSTM) task, on the topographic learning (TL) task, and on the repetition number (RN) task during the TL task. Perseverative errors were reported in performing the square-sequence in the WalCT. Zero-order correlations showed a positive correlation between TSTM and auditory attention, and memory of design of NEPSY-II and digit span of WISC-IV. No statistically significant differences were found between the ADHD-C group and TD group in the TL task in the WalCT condition. Conclusion: In ADHD-C, initial topographic learning was compromised whereas the long-term retention of learned topographical material seemed to not be impaired. In particular, these impairments seem to be linked with difficulties in sustained attention, in spatial memory for novel visual materials, in a poor working memory, and in perseverative behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Faedda
- Section of Child and Adolescents Neuropsychiatry, Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Cecilia Guariglia
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS) Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Piccardi
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS) Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Natalucci
- Section of Child and Adolescents Neuropsychiatry, Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Rossetti
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Baglioni
- Section of Child and Adolescents Neuropsychiatry, Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Danilo Alunni Fegatelli
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Romani
- Section of Child and Adolescents Neuropsychiatry, Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Miriam Vigliante
- Section of Child and Adolescents Neuropsychiatry, Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Guidetti
- Section of Child and Adolescents Neuropsychiatry, Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Iaria G, Slone E. The relationship between mental and physical space and its impact on topographical disorientation. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 178:195-211. [PMID: 33832677 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821377-3.00009-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
We generate mental representations of space to facilitate our ability to remember things and navigate our environment. Many studies implicitly assume that these representations simply reflect the environments that they represent without considering other factors that influence the extent to which this is the case. Here, we bring together findings from cognitive psychology, environmental psychology, geography, urban planning, and neuroscience to discuss how internalizing the environment involves a complex interplay between bottom-up and top-down mental processes and depends on key characteristics of the physical environment itself. We describe how mental space is structured, the ways in which mental and physical space converge and diverge, and the disparate but complementary techniques used to assess these relationships. Finally, we contextualize this knowledge in the clinical populations affected by acquired and developmental topographical disorientation, exploring mechanisms that cause these patients to get lost in familiar surroundings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Iaria
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Edward Slone
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Meneghetti C, Toffalini E, Lanfranchi S, Carretti B. Path Learning in Individuals With Down Syndrome: The Floor Matrix Task and the Role of Individual Visuo-Spatial Measures. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:107. [PMID: 32296317 PMCID: PMC7136450 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Environment learning is essential in everyday life. In individuals with Down syndrome (DS), this skill has begun to be examined using virtual exploration. Previous studies showed that individuals with DS can learn and remember paths in terms of sequences of turns and straight stretches, albeit with some difficulty, and this learning is supported by their cognitive abilities. This study further investigates environment learning in the DS population, newly examining their ability to learn a path from actual movements, and to learn increasingly long paths, and how their performance relates to their visuo-spatial abilities and everyday spatial activities. A group of 30 individuals with DS and 30 typically-developing (TD) children matched for receptive vocabulary performed a 4 × 4 Floor Matrix task in a grid comprising 16 squares (total area 2.3 × 2.3 meters). The task involved repeating increasingly long sequences of steps by actually moving in the grid. The sequences were presented in two learning conditions, called Observation (when participants watched the experimenter’s moves), or Map (when they were shown a map reproducing the path). Several visuo-spatial measures were also administered. The results showed a clear difference between the two groups’ performance in the individual visuo-spatial measures. In the Floor Matrix task, after controlling for visuo-spatial reasoning ability, both groups benefited to the same degree from the Observation condition vis-à-vis the Map condition, and no group differences emerged. In the group with DS, visuo-spatial abilities were more predictive of performance in the Floor Matrix task in the Observation condition than in the Map condition. The same was true of the TD group, but this difference was much less clear-cut. The visuo-spatial working memory and visualization tasks were the strongest predictors of Floor Matrix task performance. Finally, the group with DS showed a significant relation between Floor Matrix task performance in the Observation condition and everyday spatial activity. These results enlarge on what we know about path learning in individuals with DS and its relation to their visuo-spatial abilities. These findings are discussed within the frame of spatial cognition and the atypical development domain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Enrico Toffalini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Silvia Lanfranchi
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Barbara Carretti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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21
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Burles F, Liu I, Hart C, Murias K, Graham SA, Iaria G. The Emergence of Cognitive Maps for Spatial Navigation in 7- to 10-Year-Old Children. Child Dev 2019; 91:e733-e744. [PMID: 31286504 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Although much is known about adults' ability to orient by means of cognitive maps (mental representations of the environment), it is less clear when this important ability emerges in development. In the present study, 97 seven- to 10-year-olds and 26 adults played a video game designed to investigate the ability to orient using cognitive maps. The game required participants to reach target locations as quickly as possible, necessitating the identification and use of novel shortcuts. Seven- and 8-year-olds were less effective than older children and adults in using shortcuts. These findings provide clear evidence of a distinct developmental change around 9 years of age when children begin to proficiently orient and navigate using cognitive maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ford Burles
- University of Calgary.,University of Toronto
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23
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Nazareth A, Newcombe NS, Shipley TF, Velazquez M, Weisberg SM. Beyond small-scale spatial skills: Navigation skills and geoscience education. COGNITIVE RESEARCH-PRINCIPLES AND IMPLICATIONS 2019; 4:17. [PMID: 31197489 PMCID: PMC6565794 DOI: 10.1186/s41235-019-0167-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background Research examining the relation between spatial skills and the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields has focused on small-scale spatial skills, even though some STEM disciplines—particularly the geography and geoscience (GEO) fields—involve large-scale spatial thinking at the core of their professional training. In Study 1, we compared large-scale navigation skills of experienced geologists with those of experienced psychologists, using a novel virtual navigation paradigm as an objective measure of navigation skills. In Study 2, we conducted a longitudinal study with novice Geographic Information Systems (GIS) students to investigate baseline navigational competence and improvement over the course of an academic semester. Results In Study 1, we found that geologists demonstrated higher navigational competence and were more likely to be categorized as integrating separate routes, compared to their non-STEM counterparts. In Study 2, novice GIS students showed superior baseline navigational competence compared to non-STEM students, as well as better spatial working memory and small-scale mental rotation skills, indicating self-selection. In addition, GIS students’ spatial skills improved more over the course of a semester than those of non-STEM students. Conclusions Our findings highlight the importance of large-scale spatial thinking for enrollment and success in the GEO fields but likely also across the broader range of thinking involving spatial distributions. We discuss the potential of GIS tools to develop spatial skills at an early age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Nazareth
- Temple University, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA.
| | - Nora S Newcombe
- Temple University, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Thomas F Shipley
- Temple University, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Mia Velazquez
- Temple University, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Steven M Weisberg
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
As babies rapidly acquire motor skills that give them increasingly independent and wide-ranging access to the environment over the first two years of human life, they decrease their reliance on habit systems for spatial localization, switching to their emerging inertial navigation system and to allocentric frameworks. Initial place learning is evident towards the end of the period. From 3 to 10 years, children calibrate their ability to encode various sources of spatial information (inertial information, geometric cues, beacons, proximal landmarks and distal landmarks) and begin to combine cues, both within and across systems. Geometric cues are important, but do not constitute an innate and encapsulated module. In addition, from 3 to 10 years, children build the capacity to think about frames of reference different from their current one (i.e. to perform perspective taking). By around 12 years, we see adult-level performance and adult patterns of individual differences on cognitive mapping tasks requiring the integration of vista views of space into environmental space. These lines of development are continuous rather than stage-like. Spatial development builds on important beginnings in the neural systems of newborns, but changes in experience-expectant ways with motor development, action in the world and success–failure feedback. Human systems for integrating and manipulating spatial information also benefit from symbolic capacities and technological inventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora S. Newcombe
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
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26
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Boccia M, Vecchione F, Di Vita A, D'Amico S, Guariglia C, Piccardi L. Effect of Cognitive Style on Topographical Learning Across Life Span: Insights From Normal Development. Child Dev 2018; 90:462-470. [PMID: 30414192 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Notwithstanding its well-established role on high-demanding spatial navigation tasks during adulthood, the effect of field dependence-independence during the acquisition of spatial navigation skills is almost unknown. This study assessed for the first time the effect of field dependence-independence on topographical learning (TL) across the life span: 195 individuals, including 54 healthy young-adults (age-range = 20-30), 46 teenagers (age-range = 11-14), and 95 children (age-range = 6-9) participated in this study. Field dependence-independence interacted with age in predicting TL. Also during childhood higher field independence was associated with better performances but not later in the life, that is, during adolescence and adulthood. This result suggests that field dependence-independence may have a role in fostering the acquisition of TL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Laura Piccardi
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia of Rome.,University of L'Aquila
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Weisberg SM, Newcombe NS. Cognitive Maps: Some People Make Them, Some People Struggle. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2018; 27:220-226. [PMID: 30122809 PMCID: PMC6095672 DOI: 10.1177/0963721417744521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The proposal that humans can develop cognitive maps of their environment has a long and controversial history. We suggest an individual-differences approach to this question instead of a normative one. Specifically, there is evidence that some people derive flexible map-like representations from information acquired during navigation whereas others store much less accurate information. Our research uses a virtual-reality paradigm in which two routes are learned and must be related to each other. It defines 3 groups: Integrators, Non-integrators, and Imprecise Navigators. These groups show distinctive patterns of spatial skills and working memory, as well as personality. We contrast our approach with research challenging the cognitive map hypothesis, and offer directions for rapprochement between the two views.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Weisberg
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Nora S. Newcombe
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19122
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