Ubiquitous GPS Diminishes Innate Navigation, Cognitive Function

Key Quotes

"my neighbor called us and said you can look on google earth my mom heard through the grapevine that uh google earth was updating photos basically as often as they could after a storm like that everybody is looking for answers and they're looking for answers right away and so google maps and google earth and that satellite view was something that we used to sort of help fill that vacuum"

This quote highlights how Google Earth and Google Maps provided a crucial source of information during the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Laurene explains that in the absence of immediate, on-the-ground updates, these tools offered a way to find answers and fill a knowledge vacuum for those desperate for information about their homes and communities.

"but also there was a sort of routine to it so you would describe where you were going you would give them an direction but at the end of it you would say if you see this you have gone too far so there's a confirmation element to the process of navigating which they built into the system that they rolled out in india"

The Map Men, Jay Foreman and Mark Cooper-Jones, describe a key insight gained from studying navigation in India. They explain that instead of relying solely on street names, which are often absent, the system developed for India incorporated landmark-based directions and confirmation cues to help users orient themselves. This demonstrates an adaptive approach to mapping based on local context.

"no one does that anymore no one does that anymore because no one has to do that anymore the introduction of location services means that we don't have to find our starting location on a map the map knows where we are and it shows it knows with that little blue dot simple yet sacred the center of our own little navigational universe"

Mark Cooper-Jones points out how modern location services have fundamentally changed our relationship with maps. He explains that the ubiquitous "blue dot" on digital maps eliminates the need for users to manually locate themselves, centralizing the navigational experience around the device rather than the user's own spatial awareness. This shift, while convenient, has implications for our innate navigational skills.

"there's actually some studies that have been done that show that these days the hippocampus the part of the brain that deals with spatial areas and the memories is not being used as much because we're not using our brains to navigate the way that we used to before gps didn't just make it easier they they did it for us"

Jay Foreman discusses the potential cognitive impact of relying heavily on GPS. He references studies suggesting that the hippocampus, crucial for spatial memory, may be underutilized due to the reduced need for active navigation. This implies that constant reliance on GPS could affect our brains' ability to form and recall spatial information.

"it's a commercial map it's about his cafes his restaurants his this airport his this thing you might want to buy you know that's its model it's google maps is about advertising things to you it's about people paying it's about businesses paying to be on there and to get visibility and it's worth remembering that google owns all of the data it collects"

Mark Cooper-Jones raises concerns about the commercial nature of Google Maps. He explains that as a for-profit entity, Google Maps prioritizes advertising and business visibility, controlling the data it collects. This commercial model means users are interacting with a platform designed to promote services and products, rather than a purely objective representation of geography.

"and so ben i think we got to do that i think we just got to go get lost no my precious so we've been given a destination by some of our colleagues here at wbur and our goal is to go find it without using a map"

The podcast hosts, Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Siverson, conclude by embracing the idea of intentionally getting lost. They set out on a challenge to find a specific destination without using a map, suggesting that this act of deliberate disorientation can be an enjoyable and insightful way to re-engage with our sense of place and navigation. This highlights a counterpoint to the pervasive reliance on digital navigation tools.