Enacting Space in Virtual Reality: A Comparison Between Money's Road Map Test and Its Virtual Version

Area of Science:

• Spatial cognition
• Neuroscience
• Human-computer interaction

Background:

• The relationship between perception and action in spatial orientation is a key area of research.
• Previous studies often assume similar cognitive mapping across different environments (simulated vs. real, allocentric vs. egocentric).
• Investigating how different embodied experiences influence spatial knowledge organization is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if distinct embodied affordances in spatial simulations lead to varied knowledge organization during wayfinding.
• To compare spatial outcomes between a traditional map test and a virtual reality environment.

Main Methods:

• 61 healthy subjects participated in both the Money's Road Map test (M-RMT) and a virtual reality Road Map test (VR-RMT).
• M-RMT involves allocentric to egocentric reasoning using a survey perspective map.
• VR-RMT allows active egocentric navigation in a 3D virtual environment of the same stylized city.

Main Results:

• Different embodiments provided by the M-RMT and VR-RMT resulted in distinct spatial outcomes.
• Increasing complexity in turn types within the environments also influenced spatial results.
• These findings suggest that the way spatial information is presented and interacted with significantly affects cognitive processing.

Conclusions:

• Embodied experiences in spatial simulations differentially shape spatial knowledge organization and wayfinding.
• The sensorimotor coupling theory from enactive cognition provides a framework for understanding these differences.
• Further research into embodied affordances is significant for advancing spatial cognition studies.