THE EFFECT OF USING TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS ON URBAN NAVIGATION: A mixed-methods study on wayfinding behaviour in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

Existing wayfinding literature has established strong links between the built environment and navigation in urban context (Allen, 2004; Raubal, 2008). These studies often assume that full cognitive attention is directed towards the task. However, in our modern society, engaging with various technological tools, such as smartphones, during wayfinding has become prevalent. The aim of this study is to assess how interacting with such technological tools during navigation influences wayfinding and spatial knowledge acquisition by employing a mixed-methods approach. 8 participants, assigned into 2 groups with access to technological tools being the differentiating factor, conducted a wayfinding task in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Upon completion, they participated in a post-activity survey and cognitive mapping activity. The street network configuration was analysed with various syntactic measures. The ‘predicted route’, determined by the most connected segments between origin-destination, was compared against the selected routes to identify differences in route choice behaviour. In addition, spatial knowledge acquisition across two groups was investigated through thematic analyses of surveys and maps. The results showed that individuals without access to technological tools displayed higher environmental awareness, producing cognitive maps which were richer in qualitative data. Interestingly, this did not translate into the selection of the most direct route. Analysis of cognitive maps suggested that these participants consciously avoided segments with specific environmental affordances (i.e., increased pedestrian densities). This study contributes towards existing wayfinding knowledge in the built environment by expanding our understanding on how using technological tools during navigation influences wayfinding behaviour and spatial cognition.