NATICK, Mass. (Oct. 2, 2014) -- When the going gets tough, Dr. Tad
Brunyé wants to help. A member of the Cognitive Science Team at the
Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, Brunyé is
investigating spatial and non-spatial influences on Soldier navigation
choices.
Spatial influences pertain to things in an actual space, such as
topography, local and distant landmarks, or the position of the sun.
Non-spatial influences are a little harder to define and can include a
Soldier's emotional state, level of stress, mission and task demands,
skills, abilities, traits, and his or her past experience in a
geographical area, all of which can affect navigational choices.
"We are still trying to identify and characterize the full range of
spatial and non-spatial influences and how they interact with emerging
representations of experienced environments," Brunyé said. "We all have
our current mental states. So, you may see the same landmarks as I do,
you may see the same topography that I do, but I might be in a very
different state that leads me to interpret and use that same information
in very different ways.
"How confident do I feel in my environment? Is there a history of enemy
activity? Are there certain areas I want to avoid? Are there certain
safe spots that I want to keep in mind? There is always interplay
between what you sense in the environment, what you perceive, what you
know, what you predict will occur, and ultimately how you act."
Soldiers face special challenges during navigation. Their jobs are
physically demanding. They are often under extreme stress, and they
often need to make quick decisions in an ever-changing and sometimes
dangerous environment. They may be cold, hot, hungry or tired. All of
these factors can affect the ability to make wise navigation decisions.
Individual cognitive abilities and individual personalities can also
affect navigation choices. Brunyé has found that good navigators tend to
be more open to new experiences and are less anxious than poor
navigators.
There are also misperceptions that influence navigation choices. One of
the key discoveries made by Natick Soldier Research, Development and
Engineering Center researchers is that many people will choose a route
that goes south because they equate going south with going downhill.
They perceive a southern route as easier than a northern route, which
they equate with going uphill. This incorrect assumption can lead to
less than optimal navigation choices.
"This finding has been coined the 'north-is-up' heuristic, and has been
replicated in not only the USA, but also in Bulgaria, Italy, and the
Netherlands," Brunyé said.
Moreover, Brunyé said that right-handed people tend to prefer making
right turns. Left-handed people prefer going left, and most people will
chose a route that is straight initially, even if it curves and becomes
suboptimal later in the journey.
By studying and monitoring people's choices in navigation (through
non-intrusive devices and methods) and by observing patterns of
physiology and neurophysiology, Brunyé is developing ways to predict
behavior and optimize navigation performance. The goal is to incorporate
his observations into Soldier training, providing Soldiers with
concrete tips for becoming better navigators in a variety of situations.
In addition to training, Brunyé is exploring redesigning tasks and
support technologies to better match individual and contextually guided
Soldier capabilities and limitations.
The team is also investigating stimulating areas of the brain with
low-current, electrical charges. Brunyé said that the low-current
charges have been shown to help some poor navigators become better
navigators, but the charges do little to help those who are already
competent navigators. Brunyé pointed out that brain stimulation could
also ultimately be used to accelerate learning or help Soldiers overcome
barriers to flexible performance, such as fear, anxiety or lack of
confidence.
The research is expected to have a major impact in the future.
"The knowledge garnered from this research could ultimately affect
military strategy, including predicting which way an enemy will go,"
Brunyé said. "The research also could help predict the movement of
friendly personnel who are disoriented or lost. By understanding the way
the mind works, we can make some predictions about what people are
going to do when they are lost or isolated. This knowledge will help
improve survivability and mission effectiveness."
http://www.army.mil/article/134775/Natick_s_cognitive_science_research_helps_steer_Soldiers_in_the_right_direction/
By Jane Benson, NSRDEC Public Affairs
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