Differences in Spatial Memory Recognition Due to Cognitive Style

Abstract

Field independence refers to the ability to perceive details from the surrounding context as a whole and to represent the environment by relying on an internal reference frame. Conversely, field dependence individuals tend to focus their attention on single environmental features analysing them individually. This cognitive style affects several visuo-spatial abilities including spatial memory. This study assesses both the effect of field independence and field dependence on performance displayed on virtual environments of different complexity. Forty young healthy individuals took part in this study. Participants performed the Embedded Figures Test for field independence or dependence assessment and a new spatial memory recognition test. The spatial memory recognition test demanded to memorize a green box location in a virtual room picture. Thereafter, during ten trials participants had to decide if a green box was located in the same position as in the sample picture. Five of the pictures were correct. The information available in the virtual room was manipulated. Hence, two different experimental conditions were tested: a virtual room containing all landmarks and a virtual room with only two cues. Accuracy and reaction time were registered. Analyses demonstrated that higher field independent individuals were related to better spatial memory performance in two landmarks condition and were faster in all landmark condition. In addition, men and women did not differ in their performance. These results suggested that cognitive style affects spatial memory performance and this phenomenon is modulated by environment complexity. This does not affect accuracy but time spent. Moreover, field dependent individuals are unable to organize the navigational field by relying on internal reference frames when few landmarks are available, and this causes them to commit more errors.

Effects of oral contraceptives and natural menstrual cycling on environmental learning

“…Generally, the positive effect of OC has not been systematically found for visuo-spatial cognition, and, when evidenced, it seems to be related to the type of OC used [ 13 – 16 ]. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have attempted to assess the effect of OC on topographic memory, despite findings demonstrating it to be sensitive to gender-related effects and hormonal fluctuations [ 2 , 17 – 29 ]. Due to the expected effect of OC on memory, and due to the presence of gender-related effects on topographic memory, this type of memory could be a target of OC effects.…”

Critical thinking of field dependent student’s in problem solving

“…Those studies did not examine students'critical thinking based on cognitive style. In fact, cognitive style may be an key factor in determine students's existing knowledge and learning performance (Chinien & Boutin, 1993;Mayer & Massa, 2003;Riding, & Sadler-Smith, 1997;Sadler-Smith, & Badger, 1998;Sadler-Smith & Riding, 1999;Tascón, Boccia, Piccardi, & Cimadevilla, 2017).…”

The Effects of Visual Realism on Spatial Memory and Exploration Patterns in Virtual Reality

“…Cognitive style influences spatial memory potentially. For example, a study showed that participants who were better at perceiving the environment as a whole outperformed participants who focused their attention on single environmental features in an object location memory task [43]. Another possibility is that the difference in high and low visual realism may be too subtle.…”