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Department of Geography Geographic Information Visualization and Analysis (GIVA)

Research

At the SCoPe Lab, we utilize a range of empirical methods to collect behavioral and physiological sensory data, including eye-tracking, electrodermal activity (EDA), and electroencephalography (EEG), in both real-world and virtual environments (i.e., AR and VR). This approach allows us to understand how people perceive and interact with physical and built spaces and to inform the design of tools and environments that support effective navigation and spatial learning, decision-making, and well-being.

The SCoPe Lab research activities are currently centred around these major projects:

  • Investigating the influence of in-car navigation systems on drivers' distraction and inattention and neurocognitive responses (find out more here).
  • Communicating climate change uncertainty in VR environments. Climate change skepticism, emotional responses, and their effects on visualization’s trust and interpretation (PhD project: Sergio Bazzurri).
  • Map-assisted wayfinding in virtual urban environments: How does landmark visualization and environmental familiarity shape spatial learning (PhD project: Jiaona Hu).

  • Assessing wayfinders' spatial learning, visual attention, and neurocognitive processes during map-aided navigation tasks in real-world and VR/AR environments (Source: A. Kapaj).

  • Assessing drivers' distraction/inattention and neurocognitive responses via physiological data (i.e., EEG, eye-tracking) during map-aided VR driving tasks (Source: A. Kapaj).

  • Assessing the effects of uncertainty visualization, emotional narratives, and users' attitudes on trust and interpretation of climate change maps (Source: S. Bazzurri).

  • Assessing how environmental familiarity and landmark visualization affect spatial learning and attentional and neurocognitive processes during map-aided navigation (Source: Q. Ying).

  • Assessing the effect of thermal heat stress on wayfinders' spatial learning performance, visual attention behavior, and electrodermal activity during a VR navigation task (Source: A. Pierro).

  • Assessing how different levels of vegetation density affect users' emotional response, stress levels, and perceived aesthetics of urban VR environments (Source: C. Moos).

Featured publications:

  • Bartling, M., Kapaj, A., Cheng, B., Xu, Z., Griffin, A. L., & Fabrikant, S. I. (2026). Unlocking context-aware mobile map adaptation: a VR navigation user study. Cartography and Geographic Information Science, 53 (1), 56–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230406.2025.2512075
  • Hilton, C., Kapaj, A. & Fabrikant, S.I. Fixation-related potentials during mobile map assisted navigation in the real world: The effect of landmark visualization style. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 87, 191–206(2025). https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-024-02864-z
  • Kapaj, A., Hilton, C., Lanini-Maggi, S., & Fabrikant, S. I.(2024). The influence of landmark visualization style on task performance, visual attention, and spatial learning in a real-world navigation task. Spatial Cognition & Computation, 24(4), 227–267. https://doi.org/10.1080/13875868.2024.2328099
  • Hilton, C., Kapaj, A., & Fabrikant, S. I. (2023). Landmark sequence learning from real-world route navigation and the impact of navigation aid visualisation style. Journal of Cognition, 6(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.5334/joc.307
  • Kapaj, A., Lanini-Maggi, S., Hilton, C., Cheng, B., &Fabrikant, S. I. (2023). How does the design of landmarks on a mobile map influence wayfinding experts’ spatial learning during a real-world navigation task? Cartography and Geographic Information Science, 50(2), 197–213. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230406.2023.2183525

 

The full list of publications from all SCoPe Lab members can be found here.