Spacelab Overview

Every day and across every scale, we are presented with spatial information that we must interpret or process in order to achieve our goals. As you find your way home from a shopping trip, you will use your spatial knowledge of the local environment to guide your navigation. If you point from your current location to a distant city, you will likely use spatial knowledge of a very different kind. Determining that ‘W’ is not an upside-down ‘M’ involves spatial processing of yet another kind.

Spatial cognition is ubiquitous and is a fundamental prerequisite for most behavior. Yet it has traditionally resisted close analytical analysis, and is often taken for granted. The research in our lab investigates the psychological structures and processes that enable this critical aspect of behavior.

Our research is heavily influenced by the use of computer simulated (“virtual”) environments, which we use primarily as a tool for conducting basic research. We find that immersing people in computer-simulated environments allows great control over stimuli and precise measurement of behavior, with comparatively little loss in ecological validity. We are also interested in the applied uses of virtual environment technology, particularly as a means of training people on tasks that require spatial cognition.

Details about our specific research projects are available here,
or contact David Waller at wallerdamuohio.edu