Orientation-free representations from navigation through a computer-simulated environment

Navigating through an environment and viewing a map of that environment can result in different types of cognitive representation. Maps are typically encoded in the same orientation that they are viewed, while navigation results in an orientation-free representation. The present study concerns the orientation specificity of spatial knowledge following navigation in a computer-simulated space. Subjects either explored a simulated 3-D environment by navigating through it, or were presented with a map-like single orientation plan view of the same environment. When asked to indicate the direction of test objects that were not directly visible from within the simulation, response latencies suggested that the navigation group had an orientation-free representation while the map group had an orientation-specific representation. We conclude that navigation in computer-simulated space and real space lead to similar kinds of spatial knowledge.