title: A comparison of the cognitive demands of navigating two-versus three-dimensional spatial database layouts.
abstract: This paper reports an experimental investigation of target search performance in two- versus three-dimensional spatial database configurations. Although distance to targets was reduced in a three-dimensional condition there was no corresponding performance advantage in response times or implicit learning, and navigational efficiency was reduced. Participants also reported expending greater effort when using a three-dimensional layout. Spatial ability was not predictive of navigational performance, and there was no interaction between spatial ability and database structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Hull, UK.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Westerman
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D019992:Databases as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011930:Reaction Time; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D014584:User-Computer Interface