The Influence From Cognitive Style And Navigation Type On Map Orientation Performance

Map plays great role in our navigation. With the development of informationtechnology, using electronic map has drawn more and more attention. By taking theadvantage of graphic display technology,3D map application has gradually leads mapnavigation research. Most of these studies focused on map navigation efficiency byinvestigating the relationship between map orientation format and map types(Ego-centered reference frames, ERF and World-centered reference frames, WRF).Despite many studies investigated the orientation efficiency between2D mapnavigation formats, few has taken the subject characteristic factors into consideration.The present study focuses on how participants' cognitive style could influence theorientation performance in2D and3D navigation maps.This study includes3study sessions:1. Subject selection: using Embedded Figures Test to select field independent andfield dependent participants;2. Experimental study:The relation between cognitive style and mental rotationHow cognitive style and navigation style influence the map orientationperformance in2D mapsHow cognitive style and navigation style influence the map orientationperformance in3D maps3. Analog study: How cognitive style and navigation style influence the maporientation performance in virtual environment.The preset study has achieved following conclusions:(1)Field independent participants did better than field dependent participants inmental rotation test. Participants'accuracy was worst when image rotated to180. (2)Ego-centered reference frames map led better orientation performance thanWorld-centered reference frames map. Field independent participants were better thanfield dependent participants in World-centered reference frames map, while theirperformance failed to differ each other in Ego-centered reference frames map.(3) Field independent participants spent less time than field dependent participantsto finish reality analog task. For the navigation map look counts, field dependentparticipants looked more than field independent participants.