Using satnav 'switches off' parts of the brain, study suggests - Sensationalist Headlines

I use GPS for high/thru ways and wicked long rides, but I almost never need it since I never do that the best way to use it if you can is to drive for a while, stop, go park somewhere and get your bearings, look at the map, see where you are, and then do it again

So would it be viable to use satnav, hoping your entire brain shuts off eventually?

Everyone can take a chill pill. Sure the need for complex spatial navigation during (primarily) driving. But it won't actually devolve our ability to use it, because it is a system that is active pretty much all the time when we move inside our home or even think about certain places.

I never use any kind of active guidance when I can help it. A list of landmarks and turns after distances can get me across the country, along with a compass and an offline atlas for when I end up off route. Similarly, I have never written down a phone number. I also have never forgotten one. I wonder if it is similar.

As someone who uses a gps constantly for work, 1000mi a week, this is bullshit. I'm always aware of where I'm going and could return without the GPS

I wouldn't be surprised if this same psychology applies to math problems too. It's very different to read over a solution/proof and go "yeah, I see why that works" as opposed to coming up with it yourself.

[QUOTE=RikohZX;51994973]Makes sense, really. By relying on a line or dot that tells you handily where to go, you don't need to expend more brain power to memorize things since it's easy to follow. You can even apply the same logic to quest markers in video games, I know I don't memorize shit if I just head for a place and I often take the most impractically direct route possible in the process.[/QUOTE] I turned off quest markers in this one game I play a lot after several playthroughs. Even though I visited the areas multiple times, I just can't figure out where they are.

Energy efficient brains! I like that!

dont know if many people do this but when i drive using a satnav i usually google the route and such beforehand and on top of that i tend to take alternative routes to the satnav enroute to my destination depending on a situation just to remember the route and learn different ones... virgin post

I used to be able to remember the GTA maps off by heart as a child, now I'm completely dependent on the GPS maps.

[QUOTE=Vasili;51998168]I used to be able to remember the GTA maps off by heart as a child, now I'm completely dependent on the GPS maps.[/QUOTE] The GTA V map is really easy and has many distinctive areas, how can you not navigate that yourself?

Ah yes, the ol' skyrim/oblivion problem...

Man, this makes sense for me, for games at least. I used to explore in Fallout 3 simply by walking in the direction of the compass markers rather than looking at my surroundings and being aware of the terrain.

I've noticed this too. If I check a route I need to use I then follow that exact path with my brain pretty much turned off. I've had people I know literally brush my side and say hello while I'm just zoned out following instructions I memorized while walking to my destination. Then I get a messages such as "Dude are you blind? You walked past me and I waved and said hello and you just ignored me!" and I go "Huh what when where?"

I use Waze on every drive but I deactivate voice except for alerts. In routes I already know I keep it on so it can warn me about possible new speed cameras and hazards/police traps. I do notice that using the Satnav makes me take longer to memorize a new route but it's not like I become unable to memorize it, I still am very much aware of my surroundings.

I drive for a living so I often am using a satnav but I always turn the voice of and use it more like a map than just blindly following it. I kind of have to since my vehicle won't fit under small bridges and struggles on steep hills so you quickly learn to NOT listen to the thing on occasion.

I actually just watched a scishow video on this very subject. [video]https://youtu.be/D0PBMnlcGc8[/video]

I feel like this is a big reason to why I hate RPGs that just gives you an arrow to follow. As a kid I did a lot of outdoor foresting stuff with map and compass, and I always liked trying to figure out the local area and navigate, and I concider myself pretty good at it. I used to do the same in games but most don't even let me anymore and I find that boring.