Visual Experience is not Necessary for Productive Spatial Cognition

Abstract

The competence to perceive the spatial surroundings is vital to tasks ranging from catching nearby objects to complex navigation through an unknown environment. Yet, many studies testing the functioning of visually impaired people in spatial tasks reported mixed results. Although the role of vision still remains critical in various aspects for such activities, vision experience is not necessarily needed for productive spatial cognition. The neural plasticity of the remaining modalities can reorganize the human brain to compensate the effects of blindness in order to efficiently implement the spatial cognition for navigating. The ability to discern the true nature of the human spatial cognition will lead to potential precise applications in the development of aids for visually impaired people.

Keywords

• Spatial cognition, Vision, Blind people, Visually impaired people, Sensory compensation