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Tuena C, Di Lernia D, Rodella C, Bellinzona F, Riva G, Costello MC, Repetto C. The interaction between motor simulation and spatial perspective-taking in action language: a cross-cultural study. Mem Cognit 2023; 51:1870-1880. [PMID: 37204674 PMCID: PMC10638199 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-023-01427-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence has revealed the crucial role of motor simulation and spatial perspective-taking in action language. However, there is still a lack of understanding of how motor and spatial processes interact when there are multiple actors involved, and if embodied processes are consistent across different cultures. To address this gap, we examined the interaction between motor simulation and spatial perspective-taking in action-sentences comprehension, along with the consistency of embodied processes across cultures. We collected data from Italian and US English speakers using an online sentence-picture verification task. The participants completed four conditions: two congruent (i.e., the participant is the agent in the sentence and the photo; the agent is someone else interacting with the participant in both the sentence and the picture) and two incongruent (i.e., the agents of the sentence and the picture do not match). The results show that when the perspective of the picture matched that described in the sentence-processing reaction times (RTs) were faster than in the incongruent conditions. In the congruent conditions where the agent is someone else, RTs were slower compared to the condition where the participant is the agent. This has been interpreted as claiming that motor simulation and perspective-taking are independent processes interacting during sentence comprehension (e.g., motor simulation is always run in the role of the agent, but we can adopt multiple perspectives depending on the pronouns and the contextual cues). Furthermore, Bayesian analysis provided evidence that embodied processing of action language entwines a common mechanism, suggesting cross-cultural consistency of embodied processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosimo Tuena
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Di Lernia
- Humane Technology Lab, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Rodella
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Riva
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
- Humane Technology Lab, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Claudia Repetto
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy.
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2
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Walkowiak S, Coutrot A, Hegarty M, Velasco PF, Wiener JM, Dalton RC, Hölscher C, Hornberger M, Spiers HJ, Manley E. Cultural determinants of the gap between self-estimated navigation ability and wayfinding performance: evidence from 46 countries. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10844. [PMID: 37407585 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30937-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive abilities can vary widely. Some people excel in certain skills, others struggle. However, not all those who describe themselves as gifted are. One possible influence on self-estimates is the surrounding culture. Some cultures may amplify self-assurance and others cultivate humility. Past research has shown that people in different countries can be grouped into a set of consistent cultural clusters with similar values and tendencies, such as attitudes to masculinity or individualism. Here we explored whether such cultural dimensions might relate to the extent to which populations in 46 countries overestimate or underestimate their cognitive abilities in the domain of spatial navigation. Using the Sea Hero Quest navigation test and a large sample (N = 383,187) we found cultural clusters of countries tend to be similar in how they self-rate ability relative to their actual performance. Across the world population sampled, higher self-ratings were associated with better performance. However, at the national level, higher self-ratings as a nation were not associated with better performance as a nation. Germanic and Near East countries were found to be most overconfident in their abilities and Nordic countries to be most under-confident in their abilities. Gender stereotypes may play a role in mediating this pattern, with larger national positive attitudes to male stereotyped roles (Hofstede's masculinity dimension) associated with a greater overconfidence in performance at the national level. We also replicate, with higher precision than prior studies, evidence that older men tend to overestimate their navigation skill more than other groups. These findings give insight into how culture and demographics may impact self-estimates of our abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Walkowiak
- Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London, London, UK
- The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK
| | - A Coutrot
- Laboratoire d'InfoRmatique en Image et Systèmes d'information (LIRIS), CNRS, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - M Hegarty
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
| | | | - J M Wiener
- Department of Psychology, Ageing and Dementia Research Centre, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - R C Dalton
- Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
| | - C Hölscher
- ETH Zürich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M Hornberger
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - H J Spiers
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
| | - E Manley
- Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London, London, UK.
- The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK.
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
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3
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Jeung S, Hilton C, Berg T, Gehrke L, Gramann K. Virtual Reality for Spatial Navigation. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023; 65:103-129. [PMID: 36512288 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Immersive virtual reality (VR) allows its users to experience physical space in a non-physical world. It has developed into a powerful research tool to investigate the neural basis of human spatial navigation as an embodied experience. The task of wayfinding can be carried out by using a wide range of strategies, leading to the recruitment of various sensory modalities and brain areas in real-life scenarios. While traditional desktop-based VR setups primarily focus on vision-based navigation, immersive VR setups, especially mobile variants, can efficiently account for motor processes that constitute locomotion in the physical world, such as head-turning and walking. When used in combination with mobile neuroimaging methods, immersive VR affords a natural mode of locomotion and high immersion in experimental settings, designing an embodied spatial experience. This in turn facilitates ecologically valid investigation of the neural underpinnings of spatial navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sein Jeung
- Department of Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christopher Hilton
- Department of Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Timotheus Berg
- Department of Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lukas Gehrke
- Department of Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Gramann
- Department of Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Center for Advanced Neurological Engineering, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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4
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Wunderlich A, Grieger S, Gramann K. Landmark information included in turn-by-turn instructions induce incidental acquisition of lasting route knowledge. SPATIAL COGNITION AND COMPUTATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/13875868.2021.2022681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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5
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Spatial Navigation and Visuospatial Strategies in Typical and Atypical Aging. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11111421. [PMID: 34827423 PMCID: PMC8615446 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111421] [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: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related spatial navigation decline is more pronounced in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia. We used a realistic-looking virtual navigation test suite to analyze different aspects of visuospatial processing in typical and atypical aging. A total of 219 older adults were recruited from the Czech Brain Aging Study cohort. Cognitively normal older adults (CN; n = 78), patients with amnestic MCI (n = 75), and those with mild AD dementia (n = 66) underwent three navigational tasks, cognitive assessment, and brain MRI. Route learning and wayfinding/perspective-taking tasks distinguished the groups as performance and learning declined and specific visuospatial strategies were less utilized with increasing cognitive impairment. Increased perspective shift and utilization of non-specific strategies were associated with worse task performance across the groups. Primacy and recency effects were observed across the groups in the route learning and the wayfinding/perspective-taking task, respectively. In addition, a primacy effect was present in the wayfinding/perspective-taking task in the CN older adults. More effective spatial navigation was associated with better memory and executive functions. The results demonstrate that a realistic and ecologically valid spatial navigation test suite can reveal different aspects of visuospatial processing in typical and atypical aging.
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Abstract
Spatial navigation is a complex cognitive process based on multiple senses that are integrated and processed by a wide network of brain areas. Previous studies have revealed the retrosplenial complex (RSC) to be modulated in a task-related manner during navigation. However, these studies restricted participants' movement to stationary setups, which might have impacted heading computations due to the absence of vestibular and proprioceptive inputs. Here, we present evidence of human RSC theta oscillation (4-8 Hz) in an active spatial navigation task where participants actively ambulated from one location to several other points while the position of a landmark and the starting location were updated. The results revealed theta power in the RSC to be pronounced during heading changes but not during translational movements, indicating that physical rotations induce human RSC theta activity. This finding provides a potential evidence of head-direction computation in RSC in healthy humans during active spatial navigation.
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Fernandez‐Baizan C, Arias JL, Mendez M. Egocentric and allocentric spatial memory in young children: A comparison with young adults. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Fernandez‐Baizan
- Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA) 33003 Oviedo Spain
- Department of Psychology University of Oviedo 33003 Oviedo Spain
| | - Jorge L. Arias
- Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA) 33003 Oviedo Spain
- Department of Psychology University of Oviedo 33003 Oviedo Spain
| | - Marta Mendez
- Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA) 33003 Oviedo Spain
- Department of Psychology University of Oviedo 33003 Oviedo Spain
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8
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Gehrke L, Gramann K. Single-trial regression of spatial exploration behavior indicates posterior EEG alpha modulation to reflect egocentric coding. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:8318-8335. [PMID: 33609299 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Learning to navigate uncharted terrain is a key cognitive ability that emerges as a deeply embodied process, with eye movements and locomotion proving most useful to sample the environment. We studied healthy human participants during active spatial learning of room-scale virtual reality (VR) mazes. In the invisible maze task, participants wearing a wireless electroencephalography (EEG) headset were free to explore their surroundings, only given the objective to build and foster a mental spatial representation of their environment. Spatial uncertainty was resolved by touching otherwise invisible walls that were briefly rendered visible inside VR, similar to finding your way in the dark. We showcase the capabilities of mobile brain/body imaging using VR, demonstrating several analysis approaches based on general linear models (GLMs) to reveal behavior-dependent brain dynamics. Confirming spatial learning via drawn sketch maps, we employed motion capture to image spatial exploration behavior describing a shift from initial exploration to subsequent exploitation of the mental representation. Using independent component analysis, the current work specifically targeted oscillations in response to wall touches reflecting isolated spatial learning events arising in deep posterior EEG sources located in the retrosplenial complex. Single-trial regression identified significant modulation of alpha oscillations by the immediate, egocentric, exploration behavior. When encountering novel walls, as well as with increasing walking distance between subsequent touches when encountering novel walls, alpha power decreased. We conclude that these oscillations play a prominent role during egocentric evidencing of allocentric spatial hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Gehrke
- Biopsychology and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Psychology and Ergonomics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Gramann
- Biopsychology and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Psychology and Ergonomics, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Advanced Neurological Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.,School of Computer Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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9
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Zhang JX, Wang L, Hou HY, Yue CL, Wang L, Li HJ. Age-related impairment of navigation and strategy in virtual star maze. BMC Geriatr 2021; 21:108. [PMID: 33546606 PMCID: PMC7866711 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-021-02034-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although it is well known that aging impairs navigation performance, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Egocentric strategy requires navigators to remember a series of body-turns without relying on the relationship between environmental cues. Previous study suggested that the egocentric strategy, compared with non-egocentric strategy, was relatively unimpaired during aging. In this study, we aimed to examine strategy use during virtual navigation task and the underlying cognitive supporting mechanisms in older adults. Methods Thirty young adults and thirty-one older adults were recruited from the local community. This study adapted star maze paradigm using non-immersive virtual environment. Participants moved freely in a star maze with adequate landmarks, and were requested to find a fixed destination. After 9 learning trials, participants were probed in the same virtual star maze but with no salient landmarks. Participants were classified as egocentric or non-egocentric strategy group according to their response in the probe trial. Results The results revealed that older adults adopting egocentric strategy completed the navigation task as accurate as young adults, whereas older adults using non-egocentric strategy completed the navigation task with more detours and lower accuracy. The relatively well-maintained egocentric strategy in older adults was related to better visuo-spatial ability. Conclusions Visuo-spatial ability might play an important role in navigation accuracy and navigation strategy of older adults. This study demonstrated the potential value of the virtual star maze in evaluating navigation strategy and visuo-spatial ability in older adults. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02034-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Xin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, 16 Lincui Road, Beijing, 100101, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, 16 Lincui Road, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Hai-Yan Hou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, 16 Lincui Road, Beijing, 100101, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chun-Lin Yue
- College of Physical Education and Sport Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215021, China
| | - Liang Wang
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. .,CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, 16 Lincui Road, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Hui-Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, 16 Lincui Road, Beijing, 100101, China. .,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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10
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Miyakoshi M, Gehrke L, Gramann K, Makeig S, Iversen J. The AudioMaze: An EEG and motion capture study of human spatial navigation in sparse augmented reality. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:8283-8307. [PMID: 33497490 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Spatial navigation is one of the fundamental cognitive functions central to survival in most animals. Studies in humans investigating the neural foundations of spatial navigation traditionally use stationary, desk-top protocols revealing the hippocampus, parahippocampal place area (PPA), and retrosplenial complex to be involved in navigation. However, brain dynamics, while freely navigating the real world remain poorly understood. To address this issue, we developed a novel paradigm, the AudioMaze, in which participants freely explore a room-sized virtual maze, while EEG is recorded synchronized to motion capture. Participants (n = 16) were blindfolded and explored different mazes, each in three successive trials, using their right hand as a probe to "feel" for virtual maze walls. When their hand "neared" a virtual wall, they received directional noise feedback. Evidence for spatial learning include shortening of time spent and an increase of movement velocity as the same maze was repeatedly explored. Theta-band EEG power in or near the right lingual gyrus, the posterior portion of the PPA, decreased across trials, potentially reflecting the spatial learning. Effective connectivity analysis revealed directed information flow from the lingual gyrus to the midcingulate cortex, which may indicate an updating process that integrates spatial information with future action. To conclude, we found behavioral evidence of navigational learning in a sparse-AR environment, and a neural correlate of navigational learning was found near the lingual gyrus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Miyakoshi
- Swartz Center for Neural Computation, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Lukas Gehrke
- FG Biopsychologie und Neuroergonomie, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Gramann
- FG Biopsychologie und Neuroergonomie, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,School of Computer Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Scott Makeig
- Swartz Center for Neural Computation, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California San Diego, CA, USA
| | - John Iversen
- Swartz Center for Neural Computation, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California San Diego, CA, USA
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11
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Shikauchi Y, Miyakoshi M, Makeig S, Iversen JR. Bayesian models of human navigation behaviour in an augmented reality audiomaze. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 54:8308-8317. [PMID: 33237612 PMCID: PMC9292259 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15061] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We investigated Bayesian modelling of human whole‐body motion capture data recorded during an exploratory real‐space navigation task in an “Audiomaze” environment (see the companion paper by Miyakoshi et al. in the same volume) to study the effect of map learning on navigation behaviour. There were three models, a feedback‐only model (no map learning), a map resetting model (single‐trial limited map learning), and a map updating model (map learning accumulated across three trials). The estimated behavioural variables included step sizes and turning angles. Results showed that the estimated step sizes were constantly more accurate using the map learning models than the feedback‐only model. The same effect was confirmed for turning angle estimates, but only for data from the third trial. We interpreted these results as Bayesian evidence of human map learning on navigation behaviour. Furthermore, separating the participants into groups of egocentric and allocentric navigators revealed an advantage for the map updating model in estimating step sizes, but only for the allocentric navigators. This interaction indicated that the allocentric navigators may take more advantage of map learning than do egocentric navigators. We discuss relationships of these results to simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumi Shikauchi
- JSPS Research Fellow, Tokyo, Japan.,Rhythm-based Brain Information Processing Unit, CBS-TOYOTA Collaboration Center, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Makoto Miyakoshi
- Swartz Center for Neural Computation, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Scott Makeig
- Swartz Center for Neural Computation, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - John R Iversen
- Swartz Center for Neural Computation, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
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12
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Swallow KM, Wang Q. Culture influences how people divide continuous sensory experience into events. Cognition 2020; 205:104450. [PMID: 32927384 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Everyday experience is divided into meaningful events as a part of human perception. Current accounts of this process, known as event segmentation, focus on how characteristics of the experience (e.g., situation changes) influence segmentation. However, characteristics of the viewers themselves have been largely neglected. We test whether one such viewer characteristic, their cultural background, impacts online event segmentation. Culture could impact event segmentation (1) by emphasizing different aspects of experiences as being important for comprehension, memory, and communication, and (2) by providing different exemplars of how everyday activities are performed, which objects are likely to be used, and how scenes are laid out. Indian and US viewers (N = 152) identified events in everyday activities (e.g., making coffee) recorded in Indian and US settings. Consistent with their cultural preference for analytical processing, US viewers segmented the activities into more events than did Indian viewers. Furthermore, event boundaries identified by US viewers were more strongly associated with visual changes, whereas boundaries identified by Indian viewers were more strongly associated with goal changes. There was no evidence that familiarity with an activity impacted segmentation. Thus, culture impacts event perception by altering the types of information people prioritize when dividing experience into meaningful events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khena M Swallow
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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13
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Abstract
Human memory, as a product of the mind and brain, is inherently private and personal. Yet, arising from the interaction between the organism and its ecology in the course of phylogeny and ontogeny, human memory is also profoundly collective and cultural. In this review, I discuss the cultural foundation of human memory. I start by briefly reflecting on the conception of memory against a historical and cultural background. I then detail a model of a culturally saturated mnemonic system in which cultural elements constitute and condition various processes of remembering, focusing on memory representation, perceptual encoding, memory function, memory reconstruction, memory expression, and memory socialization. Then I discuss research on working memory, episodic memory, and autobiographical memory as examples that further demonstrate how cultural elements shape the processes and consequences of remembering and lay the foundation for human memory. I conclude by outlining some important future directions in memory research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA;
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14
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Kunishige M, Miyaguchi H, Fukuda H, Iida T, Nami K, Ishizuki C. Spatial navigation ability is associated with the assessment of smoothness of driving during changing lanes in older drivers. J Physiol Anthropol 2020; 39:25. [PMID: 32854780 PMCID: PMC7450806 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-020-00227-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Age-related changes affect driving ability, including the smoothness of driving. This operation requires the use of both allocentric strategies (based on world-centered representations) and egocentric strategies (based on self-centered representations); however, with age, a greater preference for egocentric strategies is evident when driving. Furthermore, an age-related decline occurs in both driving ability and spatial navigation. We therefore assessed the relationship between spatial navigation and driving smoothness and tested whether a driving simulator can be used to evaluate smooth lane changes in older drivers. Methods A total of 34 healthy older drivers (mean age: 68.2 ± 5.4 years old) and 20 younger drivers (mean age = 20.2 ± 5.4 years old) participated in this study. The smoothness of driving was assessed using a driving simulator and spatial navigation was assessed using the Card-Placing Test-A/B. We also assessed visual perception and general intellectual function using standard neuropsychological tests. Results Older drivers had significantly worse spatial navigation and exhibited less smooth driving than younger drivers. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between the smoothness of driving and spatial navigation within both groups. These results suggest that the deterioration in spatial navigation in older people may underlie the observed decrease in driving smoothness, and that spatial navigation and smooth driving deteriorate with age. Conclusions Considering these results, we found a significant correlation in the older group between the smoothness of vehicle movement and spatial navigation, in the smoothness of vehicle movement between the young and old groups. The smoothness values, which indices thoroughly derived from the driving simulator are indeed showing some evidence in ego/allocentric cognitions, which may change by age. The driving simulator could aid the development of intervention programs or assessment measures for drivers with a decreased function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masafumi Kunishige
- Division of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Minamiku Kasumi, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Pref, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Hideki Miyaguchi
- Department of Human Behavior Science of Occupational Therapy, Health Sciences Major, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Minamiku Kasumi, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Pref, 734-8551, Japan.
| | - Hiroshi Fukuda
- Graduate School of Information Sciences, Hiroshima City University, 3-4-1 Ozukahigashi Asaminami-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Pref, 731-3166, Japan
| | - Tadayuki Iida
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health and Welfare, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, 1-1 Gakuencho, Mihara City, Hiroshima Pref, 723-0053, Japan
| | - Kawabata Nami
- Department of Rehabilitation/Occupational Therapist, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hiroshima Cosmopolitan University, 3-2-1 Ozukahigashi Asaminami-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Pref, 731-3166, Japan
| | - Chinami Ishizuki
- Department of Human Behavior Science of Occupational Therapy, Health Sciences Major, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Minamiku Kasumi, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Pref, 734-8551, Japan
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15
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Zhao J, Simpson M, Wallgrün JO, Sajjadi P, Klippel A. Exploring the Effects of Geographic Scale on Spatial Learning. COGNITIVE RESEARCH-PRINCIPLES AND IMPLICATIONS 2020; 5:14. [PMID: 32249331 PMCID: PMC7131976 DOI: 10.1186/s41235-020-00214-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Investigating the relationship between the human body and its spatial environment is a critical component in understanding the process of acquiring spatial knowledge. However, few empirical evaluations have looked at how the visual accessibility of an environment affects spatial learning. To address this gap, this paper focuses on geographic scale, defined as the spatial extent visually accessible from a single viewpoint. We present two experiments in which we manipulated geographic scale using two perspectives, a ground level and an elevated view, in order to better understand the scale effect on spatial learning. Learning outcomes were measured using estimates of direction and self-reports of mental workload. Results In contrast to our hypothesis, we found few differences in spatial learning when comparing different perspectives. However, our analysis of pointing errors shows a significant interaction effect between the scale and spatial ability: The elevated perspective reduced the differences in pointing errors between low and high spatial ability participants in contrast to when participants learned the environment at ground level alone. Bimodal pointing distributions indicate that participants made systematic errors, for example, forgetting turns or segments. Modeling these errors revealed a unified alternative representation of the environment and further suggests that low spatial ability participants benefited more from the elevated perspective in terms of spatial learning compared to high spatial ability participants. Conclusions We conclude that an increased geographic scale, which was accessible through an elevated perspective in this study, can help bridge the performance gap in spatial learning between low and high spatial ability participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayan Zhao
- Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University, Walker Building, 302 N Burrowes Street, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Mark Simpson
- Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University, Walker Building, 302 N Burrowes Street, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Jan Oliver Wallgrün
- Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University, Walker Building, 302 N Burrowes Street, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Pejman Sajjadi
- Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University, Walker Building, 302 N Burrowes Street, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Alexander Klippel
- Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University, Walker Building, 302 N Burrowes Street, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
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Eizaguirre MB, Vanotti SI, Aguayo Arelis A, Rabago Barajas B, Cores EV, Macías MA, Benedict RHB, Cáceres F. Symbol Digit Modalities Test-Oral Version: An Analysis of Culture Influence on a Processing Speed Test in Argentina, Mexico, and the USA. Dev Neuropsychol 2020; 45:129-138. [DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2020.1737699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- María Bárbara Eizaguirre
- Research Institute of Psychology, School of Psychology, Buenos Aires University, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sandra Ines Vanotti
- Research Institute of Psychology, School of Psychology, Buenos Aires University, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- MS Clinic, Buenos Aires Institute of Neurosciences (INEBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Evangelina Valeria Cores
- Argentinean Science and Technology Research Council (CONICET), General Hospital of Acute Diseases Eva Perón - CONICET
| | | | - Ralph H. B. Benedict
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Fernando Cáceres
- MS Clinic, Buenos Aires Institute of Neurosciences (INEBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Coutrot A, Schmidt S, Coutrot L, Pittman J, Hong L, Wiener JM, Hölscher C, Dalton RC, Hornberger M, Spiers HJ. Virtual navigation tested on a mobile app is predictive of real-world wayfinding navigation performance. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213272. [PMID: 30883560 PMCID: PMC6422266 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Virtual reality environments presented on tablets and smartphones have potential to aid the early diagnosis of conditions such as Alzheimer’s dementia by quantifying impairments in navigation performance. However, it is unclear whether performance on mobile devices can predict navigation errors in the real world. We compared the performance of 49 participants (25 females, 18-35 years old) at wayfinding and path integration tasks designed in our mobile app ‘Sea Hero Quest’ with their performance at similar tasks in a real-world environment. We first performed this experiment in the streets of London (UK) and replicated it in Paris (France). In both cities, we found a significant correlation between virtual and real-world wayfinding performance and a male advantage in both environments, although smaller in the real world (Cohen’s d in the game = 0.89, in the real world = 0.59). Results in London and Paris were highly similar, and controlling for familiarity with video games did not change the results. The strength of the correlation between real world and virtual environment increased with the difficulty of the virtual wayfinding task, indicating that Sea Hero Quest does not merely capture video gaming skills. The fact that the Sea Hero Quest wayfinding task has real-world ecological validity constitutes a step toward controllable, sensitive, safe, low-cost, and easy to administer digital cognitive assessment of navigation ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Coutrot
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Numérique de Nantes - CNRS - Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
- * E-mail: (AC); (MH); (HS)
| | - Sophie Schmidt
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lena Coutrot
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Institut Jean Nicod, ENS, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Jessica Pittman
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lynn Hong
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan M. Wiener
- Department of Psychology, Ageing and Dementia Research Centre, Bournemouth University, Poole, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ruth C. Dalton
- Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Hornberger
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (AC); (MH); (HS)
| | - Hugo J. Spiers
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (AC); (MH); (HS)
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Coutrot A, Silva R, Manley E, de Cothi W, Sami S, Bohbot VD, Wiener JM, Hölscher C, Dalton RC, Hornberger M, Spiers HJ. Global Determinants of Navigation Ability. Curr Biol 2018; 28:2861-2866.e4. [PMID: 30100340 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Human spatial ability is modulated by a number of factors, including age [1-3] and gender [4, 5]. Although a few studies showed that culture influences cognitive strategies [6-13], the interaction between these factors has never been globally assessed as this requires testing millions of people of all ages across many different countries in the world. Since countries vary in their geographical and cultural properties, we predicted that these variations give rise to an organized spatial distribution of cognition at a planetary-wide scale. To test this hypothesis, we developed a mobile-app-based cognitive task, measuring non-verbal spatial navigation ability in more than 2.5 million people and sampling populations in every nation state. We focused on spatial navigation due to its universal requirement across cultures. Using a clustering approach, we find that navigation ability is clustered into five distinct, yet geographically related, groups of countries. Specifically, the economic wealth of a nation was predictive of the average navigation ability of its inhabitants, and gender inequality was predictive of the size of performance difference between males and females. Thus, cognitive abilities, at least for spatial navigation, are clustered according to economic wealth and gender inequalities globally, which has significant implications for cross-cultural studies and multi-center clinical trials using cognitive testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Coutrot
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK; Laboratoire des Sciences du Numérique de Nantes, CNRS, Université de Nantes, France
| | - Ricardo Silva
- Department of Statistical Science and CSML, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ed Manley
- Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London, London, UK
| | - Will de Cothi
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Saber Sami
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Véronique D Bohbot
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jan M Wiener
- Department of Psychology, Ageing and Dementia Research Centre, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | | | - Ruth C Dalton
- Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | | | - Hugo J Spiers
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
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Parizkova M, Lerch O, Moffat SD, Andel R, Mazancova AF, Nedelska Z, Vyhnalek M, Hort J, Laczó J. The effect of Alzheimer's disease on spatial navigation strategies. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 64:107-115. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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20
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Granger causal connectivity dissociates navigation networks that subserve allocentric and egocentric path integration. Brain Res 2017; 1679:91-100. [PMID: 29158177 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2017.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2017] [Revised: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Studies on spatial navigation demonstrate a significant role of the retrosplenial complex (RSC) in the transformation of egocentric and allocentric information into complementary spatial reference frames (SRFs). The tight anatomical connections of the RSC with a wide range of other cortical regions processing spatial information support its vital role within the human navigation network. To better understand how different areas of the navigational network interact, we investigated the dynamic causal interactions of brain regions involved in solving a virtual navigation task. EEG signals were decomposed by independent component analysis (ICA) and subsequently examined for information flow between clusters of independent components (ICs) using direct short-time directed transfer function (sdDTF). The results revealed information flow between the anterior cingulate cortex and the left prefrontal cortex in the theta (4-7 Hz) frequency band and between the prefrontal, motor, parietal, and occipital cortices as well as the RSC in the alpha (8-13 Hz) frequency band. When participants prefered to use distinct reference frames (egocentric vs. allocentric) during navigation was considered, a dominant occipito-parieto-RSC network was identified in allocentric navigators. These results are in line with the assumption that the RSC, parietal, and occipital cortices are involved in transforming egocentric visual-spatial information into an allocentric reference frame. Moreover, the RSC demonstrated the strongest causal flow during changes in orientation, suggesting that this structure directly provides information on heading changes in humans.
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Colombo D, Serino S, Tuena C, Pedroli E, Dakanalis A, Cipresso P, Riva G. Egocentric and allocentric spatial reference frames in aging: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 80:605-621. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Are allocentric spatial reference frames compatible with theories of Enactivism? PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2017; 83:498-513. [PMID: 28770385 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-017-0899-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Theories of Enactivism propose an action-oriented approach to understand human cognition. So far, however, empirical evidence supporting these theories has been sparse. Here, we investigate whether spatial navigation based on allocentric reference frames that are independent of the observer's physical body can be understood within an action-oriented approach. Therefore, we performed three experiments testing the knowledge of the absolute orientation of houses and streets towards north, the relative orientation of two houses and two streets, respectively, and the location of houses towards each other in a pointing task. Our results demonstrate that under time pressure, the relative orientation of two houses can be retrieved more accurately than the absolute orientation of single houses. With infinite time for cognitive reasoning, the performance of the task using house stimuli increased greatly for the absolute orientation and surpassed the slightly improved performance in the relative orientation task. In contrast, with streets as stimuli participants performed under time pressure better in the absolute orientation task. Overall, pointing from one house to another house yielded the best performance. This suggests, first, that orientation and location information about houses are primarily coded in house-to-house relations, whereas cardinal information is deduced via cognitive reasoning. Second, orientation information for streets is preferentially coded in absolute orientations. Thus, our results suggest that spatial information about house and street orientation is coded differently and that house orientation and location is primarily learned in an action-oriented way, which is in line with an enactive framework for human cognition.
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Sharma G, Gramann K, Chandra S, Singh V, Mittal AP. Brain connectivity during encoding and retrieval of spatial information: individual differences in navigation skills. Brain Inform 2017; 4:207-217. [PMID: 28510210 PMCID: PMC5563302 DOI: 10.1007/s40708-017-0066-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that the variations in the ability to navigate through any real or virtual environment are accompanied by distinct underlying cortical activations in multiple regions of the brain. These activations may appear due to the use of different frame of reference (FOR) for representing an environment. The present study investigated the brain dynamics in the good and bad navigators using Graph Theoretical analysis applied to low-density electroencephalography (EEG) data. Individual navigation skills were rated according to the performance in a virtual reality (VR)-based navigation task and the effect of navigator's proclivity towards a particular FOR on the navigation performance was explored. Participants were introduced to a novel virtual environment that they learned from a first-person or an aerial perspective and were subsequently assessed on the basis of efficiency with which they learnt and recalled. The graph theoretical parameters, path length (PL), global efficiency (GE), and clustering coefficient (CC) were computed for the functional connectivity network in the theta and alpha frequency bands. During acquisition of the spatial information, good navigators were distinguished by a lower degree of dispersion in the functional connectivity compared to the bad navigators. Within the groups of good and bad navigators, better performers were characterised by the formation of multiple hubs at various sites and the percentage of connectivity or small world index. The proclivity towards a specific FOR during exploration of a new environment was not found to have any bearing on the spatial learning. These findings may have wider implications for how the functional connectivity in the good and bad navigators differs during spatial information acquisition and retrieval in the domains of rescue operations and defence systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greeshma Sharma
- Biomedical Engineering Department, INMAS, DRDO, Delhi, 110054, India.
| | - Klaus Gramann
- Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Technology, University of Berlin, 10587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sushil Chandra
- Biomedical Engineering Department, INMAS, DRDO, Delhi, 110054, India
| | - Vijander Singh
- Instrumentation and Control Engineering Department, NSIT, Dwarka, Delhi, 110078, India
| | - Alok Prakash Mittal
- Instrumentation and Control Engineering Department, NSIT, Dwarka, Delhi, 110078, India
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24
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Saulton A, Bülthoff HH, de la Rosa S, Dodds TJ. Cultural differences in room size perception. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176115. [PMID: 28426729 PMCID: PMC5398688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cultural differences in spatial perception have been little investigated, which gives rise to the impression that spatial cognitive processes might be universal. Contrary to this idea, we demonstrate cultural differences in spatial volume perception of computer generated rooms between Germans and South Koreans. We used a psychophysical task in which participants had to judge whether a rectangular room was larger or smaller than a square room of reference. We systematically varied the room rectangularity (depth to width aspect ratio) and the viewpoint (middle of the short wall vs. long wall) from which the room was viewed. South Koreans were significantly less biased by room rectangularity and viewpoint than their German counterparts. These results are in line with previous notions of general cognitive processing strategies being more context dependent in East Asian societies than Western ones. We point to the necessity of considering culturally-specific cognitive processing strategies in visual spatial cognition research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelie Saulton
- Human Perception, Cognition and Action, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
- * E-mail: (AS); (HB)
| | - Heinrich H. Bülthoff
- Human Perception, Cognition and Action, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
- * E-mail: (AS); (HB)
| | - Stephan de la Rosa
- Human Perception, Cognition and Action, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Trevor J. Dodds
- Human Perception, Cognition and Action, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
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Gramann K, Hoepner P, Karrer-Gauss K. Modified Navigation Instructions for Spatial Navigation Assistance Systems Lead to Incidental Spatial Learning. Front Psychol 2017; 8:193. [PMID: 28243219 PMCID: PMC5303713 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial cognitive skills deteriorate with the increasing use of automated GPS navigation and a general decrease in the ability to orient in space might have further impact on independence, autonomy, and quality of life. In the present study we investigate whether modified navigation instructions support incidental spatial knowledge acquisition. A virtual driving environment was used to examine the impact of modified navigation instructions on spatial learning while using a GPS navigation assistance system. Participants navigated through a simulated urban and suburban environment, using navigation support to reach their destination. Driving performance as well as spatial learning was thereby assessed. Three navigation instruction conditions were tested: (i) a control group that was provided with classical navigation instructions at decision points, and two other groups that received navigation instructions at decision points including either (ii) additional irrelevant information about landmarks or (iii) additional personally relevant information (i.e., individual preferences regarding food, hobbies, etc.), associated with landmarks. Driving performance revealed no differences between navigation instructions. Significant improvements were observed in both modified navigation instruction conditions on three different measures of spatial learning and memory: subsequent navigation of the initial route without navigation assistance, landmark recognition, and sketch map drawing. Future navigation assistance systems could incorporate modified instructions to promote incidental spatial learning and to foster more general spatial cognitive abilities. Such systems might extend mobility across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Gramann
- Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Berlin Institute of TechnologyBerlin, Germany; Center for Advanced Neurological Engineering, University of California, San Diego, San DiegoCA, USA
| | - Paul Hoepner
- Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Berlin Institute of Technology Berlin, Germany
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Arnold G, Pesnot-Lerousseau J, Auvray M. Individual Differences in Sensory Substitution. Multisens Res 2017; 30:579-600. [DOI: 10.1163/22134808-00002561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Sensory substitution devices were developed in the context of perceptual rehabilitation and they aim at compensating one or several functions of a deficient sensory modality by converting stimuli that are normally accessed through this deficient sensory modality into stimuli accessible by another sensory modality. For instance, they can convert visual information into sounds or tactile stimuli. In this article, we review those studies that investigated the individual differences at the behavioural, neural, and phenomenological levels when using a sensory substitution device. We highlight how taking into account individual differences has consequences for the optimization and learning of sensory substitution devices. We also discuss the extent to which these studies allow a better understanding of the experience with sensory substitution devices, and in particular how the resulting experience is not akin to a single sensory modality. Rather, it should be conceived as a multisensory experience, involving both perceptual and cognitive processes, and emerging on each user’s pre-existing sensory and cognitive capacities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Arnold
- Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jacques Pesnot-Lerousseau
- Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Malika Auvray
- Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France
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Hüther L, Müller T, Spada H. Professional Experience and Referencing Context Explain Variance in Use of Spatial Frames of Reference. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Hüther
- Department of Psychology; University of Freiburg; Freiburg Germany
| | - Tanja Müller
- Department of Psychology; University of Freiburg; Freiburg Germany
| | - Hans Spada
- Department of Psychology; University of Freiburg; Freiburg Germany
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Levy-Tzedek S, Maidenbaum S, Amedi A, Lackner J. Aging and Sensory Substitution in a Virtual Navigation Task. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151593. [PMID: 27007812 PMCID: PMC4805187 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Virtual environments are becoming ubiquitous, and used in a variety of contexts–from entertainment to training and rehabilitation. Recently, technology for making them more accessible to blind or visually impaired users has been developed, by using sound to represent visual information. The ability of older individuals to interpret these cues has not yet been studied. In this experiment, we studied the effects of age and sensory modality (visual or auditory) on navigation through a virtual maze. We added a layer of complexity by conducting the experiment in a rotating room, in order to test the effect of the spatial bias induced by the rotation on performance. Results from 29 participants showed that with the auditory cues, it took participants a longer time to complete the mazes, they took a longer path length through the maze, they paused more, and had more collisions with the walls, compared to navigation with the visual cues. The older group took a longer time to complete the mazes, they paused more, and had more collisions with the walls, compared to the younger group. There was no effect of room rotation on the performance, nor were there any significant interactions among age, feedback modality and room rotation. We conclude that there is a decline in performance with age, and that while navigation with auditory cues is possible even at an old age, it presents more challenges than visual navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Levy-Tzedek
- Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Department of Physical Therapy, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- * E-mail:
| | - S. Maidenbaum
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - A. Amedi
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Cognitive Science, Faculty of Humanities, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Sorbonne Universités UPMC Univ Paris 06, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - J. Lackner
- Ashton Graybiel Spatial Orientation Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Kitson A, Sproll D, Riecke BE. Influence of Ethnicity, Gender and Answering Mode on a Virtual Point-to-Origin Task. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:22. [PMID: 26941627 PMCID: PMC4763036 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In a virtual point-to-origin task, participants seem to show different response patterns and underlying strategies for orientation, such as “turner” and “non-turner” response patterns. Turners respond as if succeeding to update simulated heading changes, and non-turners respond as if failing to update their heading, resulting in left-right hemisphere errors. We present two other response patterns, “non-movers” and “spinners,” that also appear to result in failures to update heading. We have three specific goals in mind: (1) extend previous findings of higher turner rates with spatial language response mode using a point-to-origin task instead of a triangle completion task; (2) replicate the gender effect of males more likely responding as turners; (3) examine ethnicity influence. Designed as a classroom study, we presented participants (N = 498) with four passages through a virtual star field. Participants selected the direction pointing to the origin from four multiple-choice items. Response mode was either pictograms or written language, chosen to compare with similar studies and see if these response modes have an effect on virtual orientation behavior. Results show a majority of participants (48.35%) classified as non-turners, 32.93% turners, 15.57% as non-movers, and 3.14% as spinners. A multinomial regression model reached 49% classification performance. Written spatial language, compared to pictograms, made turner response patterns more likely; this effect was more pronounced for Chinese participants and among females, but not male Caucasians. Moreover, higher turner numbers for written spatial language extends Avraamides findings of higher turner numbers when participants turned their bodies toward the origin but not when they responded verbally. Using pictorial response mode (i.e., top-down picture of a head) may have increased cognitive load because it could be considered more embodied. It remains to be seen how we can reduce the reference frame conflict that might have caused increased cognitive load. Second, our results are inconsistent with previous research in that males overall did not show more turner behavior than females. Future research may look at possible underlying factors, such as cultural norms. Third, individualistic cultures (Caucasians; Greif, 1994) lean toward turner response patterns, whereas collectivist cultures (Asian) lean toward non-turner response patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Kitson
- iSpace Lab, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University Surrey, BC, Canada
| | - Daniel Sproll
- Department of Neurobiopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Bernhard E Riecke
- iSpace Lab, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University Surrey, BC, Canada
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Proulx MJ, Todorov OS, Taylor Aiken A, de Sousa AA. Where am I? Who am I? The Relation Between Spatial Cognition, Social Cognition and Individual Differences in the Built Environment. Front Psychol 2016; 7:64. [PMID: 26903893 PMCID: PMC4749931 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowing who we are, and where we are, are two fundamental aspects of our physical and mental experience. Although the domains of spatial and social cognition are often studied independently, a few recent areas of scholarship have explored the interactions of place and self. This fits in with increasing evidence for embodied theories of cognition, where mental processes are grounded in action and perception. Who we are might be integrated with where we are, and impact how we move through space. Individuals vary in personality, navigational strategies, and numerous cognitive and social competencies. Here we review the relation between social and spatial spheres of existence in the realms of philosophical considerations, neural and psychological representations, and evolutionary context, and how we might use the built environment to suit who we are, or how it creates who we are. In particular we investigate how two spatial reference frames, egocentric and allocentric, might transcend into the social realm. We then speculate on how environments may interact with spatial cognition. Finally, we suggest how a framework encompassing spatial and social cognition might be taken in consideration by architects and urban planners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Proulx
- Crossmodal Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Bath Bath, UK
| | - Orlin S Todorov
- European Network for Brain Evolution Research The Hague, Netherlands
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