Learning through "orienteering": Comparing the visuospatial abilities and environment representations of individuals with and without orienteering experience

Background: Orienteering sports practitioners develop cognitive skills and strategies that enable them to approach their task efficiently, i.e. using map and compass to navigate from place to place (Millet et al., 2010). Little is known about whether practicing orienteering improves an individual’s spatial abilities (Cornoldi et al., 2003), spatial preferences, and efficacy in everyday movements. Aims: This study investigated whether practicing orienteering fur- thers the development of good spatial skills, spatial preferences and efficacy in everyday movements. Method: Three groups of participants selected by years of orien- teering experience (OE)—18 controls (OE = 0; age: 42.33), 18 beginners (OE = 4.6 age: 24.65); and 18 experts (OE = 21.56; age: 45.89)—completed several visuospatial tasks and questionnaires (De Beni et al., 2014), and a questionnaire on their movements and wayfinding methods. They also studied a map and their recall was tested with map drawing and aligned and counter-aligned pointing tasks. Results: By comparison with controls and beginners, experts: (i) were more accurate in visuospatial tasks; (ii) had a stronger self-assessed sense of direction and preference for allocentric strategies; (iii) were more accurate in counter-aligned pointing at landmarks on a map (and as accurate as for aligned pointing); and (iv) scored higher for using maps as everyday navigation aids (and lower for using satnavs or asking for directions)-, and lower for getting lost in unfamiliar places. Conclusions: This study showed that extended practice with orien- teering improves spatial competences (abilities and preferences) and everyday movement habits by comparison with little or no practice.