Testing a Model of Human Spatial Navigation Attitudes towards Global Navigation Satellite Systems

Area of Science:

• Geomatics Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Spatial Cognition

Background:

• Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) offer enhanced data quality but face adoption barriers across demographics.
• Understanding these barriers is crucial for broader technology implementation in various fields.
• Existing research lacks a validated instrument to assess user attitudes towards GNSS adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a measurement instrument for assessing adoption attitudes towards GNSS technology.
• To examine the influence of demographic variables, specifically age and gender, on these attitudes.
• To explore the relationship between spatial navigation attitudes and geopositioning technology acceptance.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model.
• A survey was administered to 350 participants to collect data on their attitudes towards GNSS.
• The psychometric properties of the developed GNSS scale were rigorously evaluated.

Main Results:

• The newly developed GNSS scale demonstrated optimal psychometric properties, indicating reliability and validity.
• While the Wayfinding Questionnaire (WQ) showed gender-based differences, these were not significant for GNSS attitude scores.
• A significant relationship was identified between age and attitudes towards GNSS, particularly pronounced in women.

Conclusions:

• The validated GNSS scale serves as a reliable tool for measuring user attitudes towards geopositioning technology.
• Demographic factors like gender may not be primary drivers of GNSS adoption attitudes, contrary to some expectations.
• Age emerges as a key factor influencing spatial navigation attitudes towards GNSS, with a notable gender-specific pattern.