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Learning from maps: the role of visuo‐spatial working memory
Author(s) -
Coluccia Emanuele
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
applied cognitive psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.719
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1099-0720
pISSN - 0888-4080
DOI - 10.1002/acp.1357
Subject(s) - landmark , spatial learning , psychology , working memory , task (project management) , cognitive psychology , spatial memory , cognitive map , artificial intelligence , cognition , computer science , neuroscience , management , economics
The involvement of visuo‐spatial working memory (VSWM) in map learning was tested. While learning a map, participants were asked either to perform or abstain from a secondary interference task. Learning of the map was assessed by means of three different tasks (landmark positioning, pointing, route finding), each tapping a different type of spatial knowledge, namely, relative position knowledge, absolute position knowledge and route knowledge. Results showed that VSWM supports learning of absolute landmark positions but not learning of relative landmark positions. Moreover, VSWM appears to be involved in route learning. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.