Acquisition of spatial information and choice of behavior in humans and animals

Abstract

We review use of multiple landmarks in navigational behavior by humans and nonhuman animals focusing on three important aspects of spatial learning and cognition: Cognitive map, spatial integration, and configuration of multiple landmarks. Animals use multiple strategies for spatial navigation rather than a single strategy and flexibly choose an appropriate strategy in accordance with each environmental condition. Concerning the goal searching in humans, for example, whether it is based on information from multiple landmarks or from just one landmark would depend on the salience of the landmarks. Our conclusion is that it is more important what strategies or spatial information animals choose under what conditions than whether or not they have and use the strategies.