The Dual Solution Paradigm (DSP) measures wayfinding strategies by assessing individuals’ preferences for taking shortcuts versus familiar learned routes after learning a fixed guided route repeatedly that passes through 12 landmarks in a grid-like maze environment.

This paradigm was originally introduced in:

Marchette, S. A., Bakker, A., & Shelton, A. L. (2011). Cognitive mappers to creatures of habit: Differential engagement of place and response learning mechanisms predicts human navigational behavior. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(43), 15264–15268. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3634-11.2011

Our Lab’s Adapted DSP Version

Our lab later developed an updated version of the DSP with several modifications:

• The number of wayfinding trials was reduced from 24 to 20.

• The maze size was increased from 22 × 22 meters to 55 × 55 meters.

• Wayfinding trials now begin in front of and facing the target landmark, rather than from any locations in the hallway, facing maze walls.

Studies using this version of DSP can be found in:

• Boone, A. P., Gong, X., & Hegarty, M. (2018). Sex differences in navigation strategy and efficiency. Memory & Cognition, 46(6), 909–922. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-018-0811-y

• Boone, A. P., Maghen, B., & Hegarty, M. (2019). Instructions matter: Individual differences in navigation strategy and ability. Memory & Cognition, 47(7), 1401–1414. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-019-00941-5

To use this version of the DSP:
https://osf.io/8znsd/overview

Latest DSP Version (Our Lab’s Current Version)

The newest version of the DSP in our lab adds several features and greater flexibility:

• Tests of route knowledge and configural knowledge are added before the wayfinding phase.

• Learning and wayfinding parameters (number of learning laps, walking speed, wayfinding time) can be customized.

• Environmental visibility (fog density) and trial structures can be easily changed.

• Users can create their own maze environments with different configuration.

Studies using this version of DSP can be found in:

• Zhou, M., Ou, W., Hollerer, T., Giesbrecht, B., & Hegarty, M. (2025). The Impact of Physical Effort and Cybersickness on Environmental Learning and Navigation: A Comparison of Desktop and Treadmill Interfaces. In Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (Vol. 47). https://escholarship.org/uc/item/35b2g2rp

To use this latest DSP version:
https://github.com/WilliamOu/ReCVEB-Maze-PointingDSP