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Title: Navigable Space and Traversable Edges Differentially Influence Reorientation in Sighted and Blind Mice

Reorientation enables navigators to regain their bearings after becoming lost. Disoriented individuals primarily reorient themselves using the geometry of a layout, even when other informative cues, such as landmarks, are present. Yet the specific strategies that animals use to determine geometry are unclear. Moreover, because vision allows subjects to rapidly form precise representations of objects and background, it is unknown whether it has a deterministic role in the use of geometry. In this study, we tested sighted and congenitally blind mice ( Ns = 8–11) in various settings in which global shape parameters were manipulated. Results indicated that the navigational affordances of the context—the traversable space—promote sampling of boundaries, which determines the effective use of geometric strategies in both sighted and blind mice. However, blind animals can also effectively reorient themselves using 3D edges by extensively patrolling the borders, even when the traversable space is not limited by these boundaries.

 
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Award ID(s):
1924732
PAR ID:
10368040
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  
Publisher / Repository:
SAGE Publications
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Psychological Science
Volume:
33
Issue:
6
ISSN:
0956-7976
Page Range / eLocation ID:
p. 925-947
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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