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Turn-by-turn navigation on phones and dedicated GPS devices has made it much easier to travel.
That’s a problem.
I have always been comically bad at navigating.
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Even places I’ve been to dozens of times can escape my memory.
So having a GPS unit in my pocket gave me a lot of confidence to travel.
We can essentially “turn off” our internal navigation system when using GPS navigation.
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You don’t have to pay as close attention to roads and landmarks as you pass them.
When it’s time to make a move, you’ll be alerted.
Recently, I’ve made a concerted effort to rely less on GPS navigation.
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Sometimes I will literally just start driving and see what happens.
Other times I’lllook up my destination in Google Maps firstto create a mental map in my head.
If I get lost, I can pull out my phone to find my way.
I’ve noticed an improvement in my navigation skills, but why is that?
The second method is the “stimulus-response strategy,” which is memorizing a sequence of events.
Turn left, drive five miles, turn right at the gas station, etc.
One studywas conducted with 50 adults between the ages of 19 and 35.
There was no requirement for prior GPS use.
Participants were given a number of tests that asked them to remember objects at the end of paths.
Three years later, 13 of the participants were retested.
Those who relied heavily on GPS since the initial testing had a steeper decline in spatial memory.
In other words, they had become worse at using landmarks as references for navigation.
They weren’t using that part of their brain with GPS navigation.
GPS is like training wheels on a bike.
They certainly make it easier to ride the bike, but you don’t have to practice balancing.
When the training wheels come off, you go down.
If you never navigate without the help of GPS, you’re building up a reliance on it.
The more you use it, the more you need it.
Maybe you get lost more often, but even that is a great learning experience.
That’s not a fun position to be in.
Even when using GPS, it’s important to still pay attention to your surroundings.
However, I don’t want to pull upGoogle Mapsfor every little trip for the rest of my life.
You should be able to get around your own city without the help of GPS.
I’m working on it, and maybe you should too.
Related:10 Google Maps Features You Should Be Using
