The effect of guided and free navigation on spatial memory in mixed reality

The role of active and passive navigation strategies on human spatial cognition is not well understood. One problem in addressing this question is that combining free movement with controlled stimulus conditions in navigation tasks is difficult to achieve. We have constructed a unique mixed reality space that answers this challenge. In our experiment we expose human subjects to a virtual house where they can navigate following two different protocols: guided or free navigation. We want to assess how navigation mode affects spatial memory. Our results show that the participants that were assigned to the guided navigation condition display higher spatial memory performance, as opposed to those assigned to the free navigation paradigm.