The effects of restricted field-of-view on spatial learning while navigating: implications for strategy use and cognitive load

Research suggests that spatial memory while navigating with severely degraded acuity demands the use of limited cognitive resources. Peripheral vision is also a vital aspect of successful navigation, both for sensory cues and for obstacle avoidance. In a series of studies, we examined how restricted peripheral field during navigation influences spatial memory (Experiments 1-3). Participants walked on novel real-world paths wearing goggles that restricted the field-of-view (FOV) to severe (4, 10, or 15) or mild angles (60) and then pointed to remembered target locations using a verbal reporting measure. Only the most severe restriction (4) showed impairment in pointing error compared to the mild restriction (within-subjects). The 4 condition also showed an impairment in reaction time to a secondary attention task, suggesting that navigating with 4 FOV demands the use of limited cognitive resources. This comparison of different levels of field restriction suggests that peripheral field loss does not negatively affect spatial memory for navigation until the restriction is very severe (4). Additionally, we examined the effectiveness of slower walking speed as a strategy to offload the cognitive costs of navigating with severely restricted FOV (Experiment 4). Results suggest that walking speed may negatively affect cognitive resources in general, but not spatial memory for object locations.