The relationship between object-based spatial ability and virtual navigation performance

Abstract

Spatial navigation is a multi-faceted behaviour drawing on many different aspects of cognition. Visuospatial abilities, such as spatial working memory and mental rotation, in particular, may be key factors. A range of tests have been developed to assess visuospatial processing and memory, but how such tests relate to navigation ability remains unclear. This understanding is important to advance tests of navigation for disease monitoring in Alzheimer's Disease, where disorientation is an early symptom. Here, we report the use of an established mobile gaming app, Sea Hero Quest, as a measure of navigation ability. We used three separate tests of navigation embedded in the game: wayfinding, path integration and spatial memory in a radial arm maze. In the same participants, we also collected measures of mental rotation (Mental Rotation Test), visuospatial processing (Design Organization Test) and visuospatial working memory (Digital Corsi). We found few strong correlations across our measures. Being good at wayfinding in a virtual navigation test does not mean an individual will rate themself as a confident navigator, be good at path integration, or have a superior memory in a radial arm maze. However, those good at wayfinding tend to perform well on the three visuospatial tasks examined here, and to also use a landmark strategy in the radial maze task. These findings help clarify the inter-relationships between different abilities supporting visuospatial and navigation skills.

Individuals learning to drive solo before age 18 have superior spatial navigation ability compared with those who learn later

“…One potential explanation for the link between learning to drive and navigation ability is that those people who learn earlier have greater spatial perspective taking, mental rotation and visuospatial processing ability which lead to being able to learn to drive faster and learning to navigate better. This is supported by evidence that better performance on different facets of spatial cognition are associated with better driving performance (Andrews & Westerman, 2012; Di Meco et al, 2021; Kunishige et al, 2020; Moran et al, 2020; Tinella et al, 2020, 2021a, 2021b) and navigation ability (Garg et al, 2023; Wolbers and Hegarty, 2010). Indeed, spatial skills can predict driving test success in clinical and non-clinical samples (Barco et al, 2014; Barrash et al, 2010; Crizzle et al, 2012).…”

Early detection of diseases causing dementia using digital navigation and gait measures: A systematic review of evidence

“…One exception to the in-person tools was Sea Hero Quest, a citizen science smartphone navigation game app with over 4 million global downloads that was remotely played by participants. 71 Initiatives such as this exemplify the potential power of remote collection of different navigation-based metrics, which are independent of other cognitive abilities, 72 usable across multiple countries and cultures, 73 show sensitivity to preclinical genetic AD risk, 43 and can predict the real-world navigation ability of both young 74 and older users. 75 In contrast to the active metrics, all passive GPS driving metrics were collected remotely using loggers fitted in participant personal cars.…”

No link between handedness and spatial navigation: evidence from over 400 000 participants in 41 countries

“…navigation). While performance in large-and small-scale spatial abilities is significantly correlated, the correlation is low to moderate [30][31][32]. The lack of a strong correlation between performance in small-and large-scale spatial tasks indicates that, while they have some overlap, they also make different demands on cognition [31,33].…”