Turning corners in built environments shifts spatial attention costs

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Environmental Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Human attention is typically studied in static lab settings, not reflecting real-world active navigation.
• Architectural geometry in the built environment can influence spatial attention and cognitive processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how architectural features, specifically turning angles in virtual reality (VR), affect attention cueing costs.
• To explore the electrophysiological correlates of attention during embodied locomotion.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MBBI) within a naturalistic Virtual Reality (VR) environment.
• Participants physically navigated corridors with varying turning angles while performing a visual target detection task.
• Analyzed behavioral (accuracy, response time) and electrophysiological (N1, P3) data.

Main Results:

• A shift in attention costs was observed, with faster and more accurate responses to incongruent stimuli at specific turning angles (∼15° for accuracy, ∼30° for response time).
• Early (N1) and late (P3) attention-related electrophysiological responses were modulated by turning angles and stimulus congruency.
• Sharper turns attenuated N1 and P3 amplitudes, especially in congruent conditions, indicating attentional resource redistribution.

Conclusions:

• Embodied movements and environmental geometry engage distinct attentional dynamics compared to traditional experiments.
• Naturalistic locomotion can invert classical attention patterns, demonstrating the impact of architectural features on perception, cognition, and action.
• Cognitive load associated with novel visual information influences early visual processing and behavioral outcomes.