Development of strategies and competencies in environmental orientation and cognition: Influences of gender, age, experience an motivation

Pointing accuracy, sketch maps and walking speed in a three-dimensional maz e were investigated for 22 primary school children. Hints for the developme nt of two different orientation patterns were found: a landmark pattern, re lating landmark preference, orientation anxiety and good performance in lan dmark positioning, and alternatively a survey pattern, characterized by a l arger and more connected daily action radius, higher scores in speed motiva tion, and better pointing accuracy. Girls seem to develop more into the lan dmark pattern, while boys apparently grow more into the survey pattern.