Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
acceptedVersion
Publication Date
2-2007
Abstract
The present article describes the cognitive and emotional aspects of human thiginotaxis (a wall-following spatial strategy) during exploration of virtual and physical spaces. The authors assessed 106 participants with spatial and nonspatial performance-based learning-memory tasks and with fear and anxiety questionnaires. The results demonstrate that thiginotaxis plays a distinct role at different phases of spatial learning. The 1st phase shows a positive correlation between thigmotaxis and general phobic avoidance, whereas there is no association between thigmotaxis and general phobic avoidance during later phases of learning. Furthermore, participants who underperformed in working memory tests and in a spatial construction task exhibited greater thiginotaxis and a higher potential for fear response. Findings are interpreted in the framework of interactions among emotion-, action-, and knowledge-controlled spatial learning theories.
Keywords
thigmotaxis, spatial exploration, cognitive map, fear, anxiety
Discipline
Neuroscience and Neurobiology
Research Areas
Corporate Communication
Publication
Behavioral Neuroscience
Volume
121
Issue
1
First Page
21
Last Page
30
ISSN
0735-7044
Identifier
10.1037/0735-7044.121.1.21
Publisher
APA
Citation
KALLAI, Janos; MAKANY, Tamas; CSATHO, Arpad; KARADI, Kazmer; HORVATH, David; KOVACS-LABADI, Beatrix; JARAI, Robert; NADEL, Lynn; and JACOBS, Jake W..
Cognitive and affective aspects of thigmotaxis strategy in humans. (2007). Behavioral Neuroscience. 121, (1), 21-30.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/6648
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7044.121.1.21