The Spatial Thinking Lab leverages virtual reality technologies and real-world environments to conduct research on large-scale spatial abilities or spatial navigation ability, including learning the layout of new environments, navigating environments using maps and under uncertainty or stress, learning and navigating using different user interfaces, and examining the relationship between navigation and small-scale spatial abilities. This research has contributed new measures, such as the Santa Barbara Sense-of-Direction Scale, and basic research on the nature of individual differences in large-scale spatial cognition. Current research is focused on identifying fundamental individual differences in neurological and cognitive processes as well as aptitudes that differentiate people with a good vs. poor sense of direction; how factors such as stress, uncertainty, and motivation influence people's wayfinding efficiency and strategies; and whether virtual reality technologies are more advantageous to use for studying navigation.
