If everyone is constantly guided by the satnav, the ability to find one’s way without technical support will suffer – that is a common assumption. Psychologists have now tested this.
A vacation always throws small problems at the participants. The spectrum of difficulties is wide-ranging, there is something for everyone, something that can get you really upset, cause you to argue with your partner or reprimand your children. However, one flower from the bouquet of vacation challenges has all but disappeared: who can still remember how exhausting it was to find your way through the maze of one-way streets in an Italian old town without a navigation device? What it was like to reach your vacation destination, let alone your vacation home, without Google Maps? Yes, you could still have adventures, right? In any case, GPS devices have made vacation trips a lot easier and are a great help when it comes to getting somewhere (spatially) – even on foot or by bike. But, question, what about the side effects? If everyone is constantly guided by the navigation device, does the ability to find your way around without technical support suffer?