The ability to navigate through space is essential for our autonomy and independence. However, few people stop to wonder how we are able to find our way or why there are such marked differences between those who navigate easily and those who frequently get lost.
During the Pint of Science events held in Oviedo (Spain), I had the opportunity to share scientific research on spatial memory with the public and explain some of the mechanisms that make everyday navigation possible.
Spatial navigation is a complex skill that relies largely on spatial memory: the ability that allows us to remember places, move through our environment, recognize routes, and even anticipate journeys. This ability begins to develop from birth and continues to improve throughout childhood and adolescence.
Throughout this process, we acquire different navigation strategies. An egocentric strategy allows us to locate ourselves using our own position as a reference, whereas an allocentric strategy is based on the relationships between the different elements that make up the environment. By combining both strategies, we are able to build mental maps of the space around us.
Various factors influence our spatial performance, including age, sex, hormones, stress levels, familiarity with the environment, and even our emotional state.
Research shows that, in general, men tend to use allocentric strategies more frequently, which may facilitate navigation in unfamiliar environments. Women, on the other hand, tend to rely more on egocentric strategies and often excel in tasks involving the location of objects and landmarks. Furthermore, once they become familiar with an environment, they can achieve similar or even superior performance in certain navigation tasks, particularly those requiring efficient route planning.
The good news is that spatial navigation is not a fixed ability. Although much of its development takes place during the early years of life, it can be trained and improved at any age. Simple actions such as taking different routes, exploring unfamiliar neighborhoods, or visiting new cities stimulate the brain systems involved in navigation and help maintain this skill over time.
Ultimately, navigation is not simply a matter of having a good sense of direction. It is the result of a complex set of cognitive processes that enable us to understand the space around us and move through it safely and independently.
I am a PhD student in the Health Sciences Doctoral Programme at the University of Oviedo. After earning a degree in Psychology from the University of Zaragoza and completing a Master’s degree in Neuroscience Research at the University of Oviedo, I began my research career focusing on the study of spatial memory.
My current work aims to understand how people navigate through space and which factors explain individual differences in the use of navigation strategies. To achieve this, I investigate the functioning of spatial memory in different population groups, with particular attention to the differences between men and women in orientation processes and perspective-taking abilities.