Relevance of egocentric perspective-taking ability for real-world environmental learning: insights from virtual reality and structural equation modeling

Abstract

In the current psychometric literature on spatial cognition and navigation, there is evidence supporting the efficacy of egocentric perspective-taking ability (PTA) in predicting the acquisition of novel environmental knowledge. This study reassessed previously established correlations between egocentric PTA and environmental learning by utilizing an immersive three-dimensional (3D) virtual reality PTA task, accompanied by detailed assessments of environmental learning. Through structural equation modeling, the study demonstrated that an egocentric PTA factor significantly predicted an environmental learning factor in terms of spatial performance variables, which comprised pointing accuracy, pointing response time, and goal proximity. Specifically, the combination of pointing accuracy measures from the 3D-PTA task and its desktop-based two-dimensional (2D) counterpart exhibited a robust predictive capacity for environmental learning (comprising pointing-to-landmarks accuracy and goal proximity), as indicated by a high standardized regression weight of 0.83. Correlational analyses further demonstrated the 3D-PTA task as offering a more sensitive measure of egocentric PTA than the 2D-PTA task. These findings were interpreted with respect to the varieties of spatial reasoning processes affecting PTA, ideas for further investigations into PTA-relevant spatial and imagery strategies, and a call to advance the development of the 3D-PTA task as a useful professional selection and healthcare assessment tool.