Spatial navigation is a complex ability crucial to daily life and its expression is influenced by several factors. Some factors have been well-known and well-investigated, such as gender and individual differences, while others, although important, have been less investigated. Among the latter, one could consider several dimensions: motivational (e.g., extrinsic motivation like in serious games), attitudinal (e.g., feelings and self-efficacy about spatial navigation), and, more importantly, emotional (e.g., spatial anxiety, mood). Some of these factors, such as spatial anxiety, notoriously influence spatial navigation negatively. Like other cognitive functions, spatial navigation could be trained in all age ranges, with different aims: in infancy and childhood, for early development; in early adulthood, to promote specific navigational abilities; and in late adulthood, to preserve cognitive functioning. The present systematic review aimed to summarize the current state of knowledge on spatial navigational training in all age ranges, considering also whether the relevant factors introduced above are included in the training. Of the 22 articles identified as eligible, only 10 articles considered these factors. Specifically, 7 studies considered gender, and 3 studies considered emotional, motivational, or attitudinal dimensions. From these findings, it seems that the influence of these factors – although crucial in spatial navigation – is under-investigated when navigational trainings are implemented. For this reason, future studies could further consider the influence of emotional, motivational, and attitudinal dimensions in trying to intervene in the perception, self-efficacy, and spatial anxiety regarding spatial navigation, leading to better performances and longer training effects.

Training to promote navigational skills in healthy population: a systematic review with a particular focus on the emotional, motivational and attitudinal dimensions

Luca Pullano
;
Francesca Irene Foti
2024-01-01

Abstract

Spatial navigation is a complex ability crucial to daily life and its expression is influenced by several factors. Some factors have been well-known and well-investigated, such as gender and individual differences, while others, although important, have been less investigated. Among the latter, one could consider several dimensions: motivational (e.g., extrinsic motivation like in serious games), attitudinal (e.g., feelings and self-efficacy about spatial navigation), and, more importantly, emotional (e.g., spatial anxiety, mood). Some of these factors, such as spatial anxiety, notoriously influence spatial navigation negatively. Like other cognitive functions, spatial navigation could be trained in all age ranges, with different aims: in infancy and childhood, for early development; in early adulthood, to promote specific navigational abilities; and in late adulthood, to preserve cognitive functioning. The present systematic review aimed to summarize the current state of knowledge on spatial navigational training in all age ranges, considering also whether the relevant factors introduced above are included in the training. Of the 22 articles identified as eligible, only 10 articles considered these factors. Specifically, 7 studies considered gender, and 3 studies considered emotional, motivational, or attitudinal dimensions. From these findings, it seems that the influence of these factors – although crucial in spatial navigation – is under-investigated when navigational trainings are implemented. For this reason, future studies could further consider the influence of emotional, motivational, and attitudinal dimensions in trying to intervene in the perception, self-efficacy, and spatial anxiety regarding spatial navigation, leading to better performances and longer training effects.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12317/95357
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