title: Improved mental representation of space in beginner orienteers.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to monitor any improvement in orienteering skills attributable to acquiring a better mental representation of space. Two groups were examined: the experimental group, who attended 6 mo. of orienteering lessons, versus the control group, who did jogging training instead. Each group, consisting of 20 children, was tested on the Corsi Block-tapping Test, run Forward and Backward, and the Star-Butterfly Test. Pre- and post-tests were administered. In the experimental group, scores increased in mean complexity from pre- to post-test on the Forward and the Backward Corsi tests, while on the Star-Butterfly Test both time and mistakes had decreased after the training. In the control group, mean complexity and Star-Butterfly Test scores were unchanged from pre- to post-test. These results showed that after continual training in orienteering techniques, the orienteering group was able to remember and repeat sequences of events with greater precision than before the training, while these skills were unchanged in the control group after training in jogging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Orthopedics Section, SAMS, Course of Degree in Science of Motorand Sport Activity, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of University of Bari, General Hospital, Italy. angelanotarnicola@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Notarnicola
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fischetti
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vicenti
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laricchia
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guastamacchia
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tafuri
authors.forename: Biagio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moretti
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003210:Concept Formation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009949:Orientation; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011340:Problem Solving; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D012691:Serial Learning; D013028:Space Perception