Shared and distinct cognitive processes across multiple virtual navigation tasks

Abstract

Summary Although virtual navigation tasks are widely used to investigate human spatial navigation, the processes underlying behavior across tasks remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we administered four virtual navigation tasks assessing spatial learning, path integration, and wayfinding in a single cohort. Participants additionally completed four event segmentation tasks to examine links with episodic memory. Across tasks, spatial cues such as landmarks or the arena center improved performance, with better outcomes when navigating near these cues and when goals were nearby. Despite these shared effects, between-task correlations were sparse. Significant associations emerged between the two path integration tasks, whereas reliance on spatial cues showed little correspondence. However, principal component analysis identified two behavioral dimensions: one aligned with self-reported preference for scene-based navigation, the other with reduced route-based navigation. Episodic memory showed no association with navigation. Virtual navigation tasks thus capture partially distinct processes, and dimensionality reduction helps disentangle navigation mechanisms.