Spatial navigation relies on extracting environmental information to determine where to go. To support navigation behavior, navigational aids, such as maps, compasses, or global positioning systems (GPSs), offer access to easily extractible information, but do these aids enhance spatial memory? Here, we propose the hypothesis that navigation aids…

Cognitive maps are mental representations of space essential for guiding spatial behavior. To assess the properties of these cognitive maps, sketch mapping has been widely used as a research tool in spatial cognition research. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the methodologies and the cognitive processes concerning…

Studies of hemispheric specialization have traditionally cast the left hemisphere as specialized for language and the right hemisphere for spatial function. Much of the supporting evidence for this separation of function comes from studies of healthy adults and those who have sustained lesions to the right or left hemisphere. However, we know…

From video games to laparoscopic surgeries, differences in users' abilities to adapt to new control schemes can have significant, even deadly impacts on performance. Starting with the question of why some video game players invert the y-axis on their console controllers, this work aims to provide a foundation for future investigations of how…

Even though successful navigation is vital for survival, individuals vary widely in their navigation skills. Researchers have examined the correlates of such variation using a wide variety of paradigms. However, we know little about the relation among the paradigms used, and their validity for real-world behaviors. In this study, we assessed 94…

Cognitive tasks are seldom evaluated on their ability to provide valid and reliable measurements of the construct they intend to measure. This scarcity of psychometric evaluations makes it challenging to evaluate replications of experimental effects and to relate performance in cognitive tasks to other constructs of interest. In developmental…

Classical two-dimensional multiple object tracking (2D-MOT) measures the cognitive ability to track multiple moving elements in real-life-like scenarios. Stereo-three-dimensional MOT (S-3D-MOT), a more ecologically valid form of 2D-MOT, shows better tracking performance in soccer players. Its unique feature is the additional binocular and…

Spatial thinking is essential for nurturing spatially literate graduates in tertiary education. However, there is limited research on individual differences in cognitive processes and their impact on spatial problem solving in disciplinary contexts. This study aimed to investigate cognitive processes involved in spatial thinking in geography…

Although we cannot see or touch time, across many cultures, we use spatial representations to think about this abstract concept. Spatial representations of time are thought to support temporal concepts that might otherwise be difficult to represent and reason about, such as the temporal component of episodic memory. One common form of spatially…

Mental rotation, a crucial aspect of spatial cognition, can be improved through repeated practice. However, the long-term effects of combining training with non-invasive brain stimulation and its neurophysiological correlates are not well understood. This study examined the lasting effects of a 10-day mental rotation training with high-definition…

Background: Despite the numerous positive effects of augmented reality (AR) on learning, previous research has shown ambiguous results regarding the cognitive demand on the learner arising from, for example, the overlay of virtual elements or novel interaction techniques. At the same time, the number of evidence-based guidelines on designing AR is…

Although ultrasound (US) appears to complement traditional anatomy teaching, limited objective data exist on its efficacy. Existing literature often relies on student perceptions rather than performance-based outcomes. Additionally, the role of spatial understanding (SU)--the ability to mentally manipulate and interpret 3D anatomical…

The concept of number emerges from the interaction of psychological, behavioral, and material elements of numerical cognition, collapsing the distinction between "abstract" and "concrete." This dual nature is evident in the Inca numerical system, where tools like the yupana integrate abstract numerical concepts with concrete…

Many students persistently misinterpret histograms. This calls for closer inspection of students' strategies when interpreting histograms and case-value plots (which look similar but are different). Using students' gaze data, we ask: "How and how well do upper secondary pre-university school students estimate and compare arithmetic means of…

This study examines the pedagogical decision-making of teacher candidates in virtual reality (VR) environments, focusing on instructional strategies, spatial interactions, and associated challenges. Using a descriptive phenomenological approach, class recordings and debriefing interviews with five U.S.-based teacher candidates were analyzed, and…