NAVIGATING IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT WITH MAP-ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE - ENCODING AND ALIGNMENT EFFECTS

When using topographical maps to orient in space, people as a rule mak e use of the alignment principle: Upward direction on the map is made to correspond with forward direction in the perceived environment. Vio lations of this principle (e.g., placing misaligned floorplans) have a negative impact on spatial-orientation performances. Using a method o f simulated egomotions in a virtual environment, we examined the influ ence of misalignment on time- and space-extended navigations. Twenty v olunteers were given maps with different orientations showing paths le ading from a starting point to a goal point. The maps were either alig ned (0-degrees), misaligned by 90-degrees or misaligned by 180-degrees . Ten subjects drew (pictorial encoding encoding condition) and 10 sub jects verbally described (procedural condition) the path and the objec ts encountered along it. Misalignment effects were expected for pictor ial but not for procedural encoding. When subjects later navigated thr ough the virtual environment under egomotion conditions, detrimental e ffects on speed and accuracy were observed as the degree of misalignme nt increased. However, no differences were found between the two encod ing conditions.