Wayfinding with Maps and Verbal Directions

This experiment investigated the role of the source of information as well as the route complexity for wayfinding performance and wayfinding knowledge acquired. Participants had to find a complex and a simple route in an unknown city with figural instructions (map) and verbal instructions (directions). The participants reported transforming the map into verbal directions; therefore no general difference between the instructions was found. On oblique intersections which were difficult to code verbally participants recalling the map tended to perform better but built up worse route knowledge. Figural information from the map was only used for wayfinding or pointing if these tasks could not be solved otherwise.