Individual differences in large-spaces orientation: g and beyond?

The relationships between the major abilities (g, Gv and Gel and general pr ocesses in wayfinding (Updating one's position, Route representation, and S urvey representation) are analyzed. Seven wayfinding tasks were developed f or the present study: two of them were field tasks and five were computeriz ed. The participants were 111 psychology undergraduate students. Updating t asks were used as a criterion measure of large-scale space orientation. We tried to isolate the g effects over Ge and Gv. Structural equation modeling was used for the analyses. Results indicated that Updating one's position was influenced by g and Gv(s) (Gv specific part), but not by Gc_(s) (Gc_spe cific part) or the remaining orientation processes. However, some of the Up dating variance remains unexplained. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rig hts reserved.