2016. 09. 27. Programme of the 29th ECNP Congress  Vienna 2016 http://www.ecnpcongress.eu/programme/AbstractList.aspx# 1/3 (/) Programme of the 29th ECNP Congress - Vienna 2016 BACK TO MY SEARCH RESULTS Presentation No: P.1.l.001 Session title: Basic and clinical neuroscience - Other Session type: Poster session Effect of age and gender in association with spatial anxiety on navigation strategy preferences C. Levay , X. Gonda , B. Labadi University of Pecs, Institute of Psychology, Pecs, Hungary Semmelweis University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Budapest, Hungary Background: Spatial orientation is an outstanding human ability by which people perceive their positions in relation to the environment, enabling them to recognize themselves and identify their position on a cognitive map of an area [1]. People possess an internal representation, a mental map of the place and of their experiences which primarily serves navigational behaviour [2]. The two exploration strategies include orientation strategy (mainly applying Euclidean rules) and route-㰊nding strategy (preferred signal stimuli). Choice of exploration strategy in a given situation is also impacted by affective and cognitive components [3]. Purpose: The present study investigated gender and age differences in navigation strategies and their association with map-using abilities and spatial anxiety. Methods: 32 young adults (17 men, 15 women; mean age: 33.59 years) and 32 elderly persons (15 men, 17 women; mean age: 73.40 years) were assessed by City map (including Lynch's key elements to score the time of route detections; the spontaneous memory regarding orientation) and Country map (less structured containing greater distances with points of the compass and distance markers) tests for the exploration of the navigation strategies which were recorded orally. Participants also completed the Spatial Orientation (1) (2) (1) (1) (2)