Effects of practice on visuo-spatial attention in a wayfinding task

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Human Factors

Background:

• Visuo-spatial attention is crucial for wayfinding.
• Gaze direction is a common indicator of attentional focus.
• The impact of practice on attention during wayfinding requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how wayfinding practice modifies visuo-spatial attention.
• To compare these modifications between young and older adults.
• To analyze behavioral and gaze data during wayfinding recall tests.

Main Methods:

• Participants (young and older) completed six trials of a virtual city wayfinding task.
• Route recall tests involved identifying correct directions from screenshots.
• Behavioral accuracy and gaze data (total time, fixation time, scatter) were recorded.

Main Results:

• Wayfinding accuracy improved with practice, more significantly in younger individuals.
• Gaze metrics (total time, mean fixation time, vertical scatter) decreased with practice, uniformly across age groups.
• Attentional focus narrowed to relevant areas, with comparable dynamic changes in young and older adults.
• Older adults exhibited longer dwell times on chosen options before making decisions.

Conclusions:

• Wayfinding practice enhances attentional efficiency and focus.
• Dynamic changes in visuo-spatial attention during practice are age-independent.
• Age-related differences emerge in decision-making processes, not in attentional adjustments.
• Older adults may require more time for decision-making despite similar attentional processing.