A person who has poor local orientation. Topographic cretinism

Topographic cretinism is a special condition that indicates a person’s inability and inability to navigate in the area where he is located. This disorder is quite common in women; men are less likely to experience this phenomenon.

This mental phenomenon is characteristic of many famous historical figures. Even Columbus, Kutuzov and Napoleon had manifestations of geographic cretinism.

In medical science, the disorder is not considered a complex pathology, so it is difficult to call it a disease. Almost every person had to seek help in an unfamiliar area. And some manage to easily find their destination the first time.

This phenomenon develops due to decreased activity of the right cerebral hemisphere, which is responsible for spatial orientation and has a “biological compass.”

Men, by their physiology, often have a more developed right hemisphere. This helps them navigate during various expeditions and travels. If we analyze who is more interested in hunting, fishing, and research travel, men will have a much higher percentage than women. Their three-dimensional imaginary map, created by the right hemisphere, helps to evaluate the sizes, shapes, and relationships of any surrounding objects.

Disorientation is not a lack of desire to remember the location of surrounding objects. It is also not dementia, cerebral ischemia, or organic brain damage. This phenomenon should not be confused with complex mental illnesses, although quite often it accompanies them. A person can remember information, but, due to brain damage, cannot use it. Or, conversely, the memorization process is disrupted, which leads to confusion and anxiety.

Risk factors and causes

There are certain reasons why orientation in space becomes difficult. This is due to:

Symptoms

Disorientation in a particular area manifests itself even at a young age, when the child is constantly lost. He is constantly worried about losing sight of his parents.

This phenomenon is characterized by a person's inability to reconstruct an internal map of the area that allows him to find the right path. Such people have poorly developed spatial imagination. In children with developing topographic cretinism, lessons in drawing, geometry, geography, and physics cause increasing internal tension and reluctance to go to class. They feel inferior when they cannot answer a teacher’s question correctly and this is emphasized by him or their classmates.

In adolescence, a person himself begins to realize his inadequacy in finding a destination in a certain area. Geographic cretinism is characterized by forgetfulness and disorientation of a person, even where he has been several times. Sometimes this phenomenon is accompanied by a fear of getting lost.

Treatment and correction

Since the disorder is not a mental illness, treatment consists of removing the causes of its occurrence. In some cases, correction of this phenomenon is accompanied by the use of medications.

Drug treatment

In cases of panic and fear attacks, experts sometimes recommend the use of sedatives. If the cause of disorientation in the area is memory problems, nootropic drugs are prescribed.

If there is a violation of the blood circulation in the brain or organic lesions of the right hemisphere, the doctor prescribes special medications that improve metabolic processes.

Psychotherapeutic assistance

The first thing a psychotherapist, psychiatrist or psychologist does after a person addresses this problem is to determine the main cause of its occurrence. Further psychotherapeutic assistance depends on this.

In most cases, simple recommendations help solve this problem. The specialist helps the patient use effective mnemonic techniques. Elements of cognitive behavioral therapy are used.

Effective methods for memorizing terrain and orientation on it include:

studying a map with a schematic representation of the area where a person is located, repeating its main elements or streets;
training spatial orientation by memorizing the view from your window or institutions on the main street, square, and so on;
speaking out loud all the objects that are encountered along the way, the work of auditory and visual memory will greatly facilitate the task of orientation in space;
drawing the point of departure and destination, indicating on such a “map” the main attractions or important places, streets, parks and other memorable elements;
Techniques for memorizing road signs will help drivers navigate unfamiliar areas; with their help, drivers will be able to easily find the right street.

To develop the ability to navigate in an unfamiliar area, a specialist uses art therapy methods when working with a patient. Music and drawing classes help develop not only the imagination, but also the perception of space.

If the cause of the manifestation of topographic cretinism is a traumatic situation in childhood, the psychotherapist helps to work through it through certain directions. This can be in-depth work with a person’s psyche, where in the process of work he comes to the conclusion that there are no more reasons for the fear of getting lost. Hypnosis also helps a person to free himself from a disturbing situation in childhood.

The inability to navigate the area, caused by motivational reasons, is also subject to successful correction. Specialists help to understand a person’s internal attitudes and the reasons why he does not want to get to his destination. In this case, consultative work is carried out with the patient, during which he clarifies the internal and external motives of his behavior. Additional motivation is formed for carrying out the planned action, which is reinforced by a situation that is significant for the person (for example, I will reach my destination - I will buy ice cream, a dress, I will be allowed not to clean for one day, and so on).

If the reason for this phenomenon lies in gender, you need to follow the recommendations of a specialist and develop the manifestation of the functions of the right hemisphere of the brain and memory. Women need to put more effort into developing their ability to navigate their surroundings. In the case of a genetic predisposition to geographic cretinism, training of basic cognitive processes will also help.

This disorder is understood as a relatively pathological process of the psyche. To eliminate it, it is important to contact a specialist in time to protect yourself from unnecessary negative emotions when you realize that you are lost.

Some medications can help reduce panic and feelings of fear. And psychotherapeutic methods will help solve internal problems that have caused disorientation in the surrounding area.

Why almost only women are capable of getting lost in three pines, and whether walking through unfamiliar cities can help get rid of the “disease,” leading Russian psychophysiologists told Life.

Topographic cretinism is a person’s inability to navigate the terrain: from the inability to find a house using a navigator to a complete lack of understanding of “where I came here from and how to get back.”

In 2014, Norwegian neuroscientists even received a Nobel Prize for their discovery of the cells that make up the brain's orientation system. These cells react to three coordinates at once, like a GPS navigator, and give out a signal about where you are now and where to go next. Then experts hoped that this discovery would make it possible to create a medicine that, if taken, would allow one to better navigate in space.

The head of the psychophysiology laboratory at the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yuri Aleksandrov, is skeptical about the results of Norwegian scientists.

They conducted an experiment on rats, and based on this they could draw conclusions about people who have disturbances in this process. There are many more experiments that need to be carried out that have not yet been done,” he comments.

Map in my head

When we daily for a long time We walk along the same terrain, a cognitive map is formed in our heads - this is the scientific term for the construction of three-dimensional maps in the human brain, which allow us to mentally visualize the route quite accurately.

Interestingly, it is not necessary to see the road. So, in 1998, scientists from Russia conducted an experiment to find out how visual memory affects the preparation of a route in the head. Blind and sighted people took part in the study. They were divided into two groups (each included both categories), which spent 10 days exploring the territory: only for one group it was a familiar area, for the other it was completely new.

The researchers later compared the cognitive maps of each participant in the experiment. The results showed that sighted people had the most accurate maps in unfamiliar areas. However, in familiar territory, the blind were distinguished by the accuracy of the maps. The fact is that blind people cannot use visual orientation. In fact, they calculate their every step and therefore can then easily reproduce the entire route.

Only for women?

No matter how we tried to dispel the stereotype that in most cases women suffer from topographic cretinism, it did not work - scientists only confirmed it to us. For women, the speed and efficiency of thinking does not always work with a bang when it comes to routes from point A to point B.

Key visual-spatial functions in men are concentrated in the right hemisphere, but in women these functions are “spread out” across two hemispheres and this is not so effective,” said Tatyana Akhutina, Doctor of Psychology, specialist in the field of neuropsychology and psycholinguistics.

There is also an evolutionary explanation. Perhaps the cause of female topographic cretinism should be sought back in the cave era. Women in ancient times never had to hunt, go on long hikes, or navigate by the stars. These were men's tasks, while women sat in their dwellings and picked berries seven steps from the cave.

However, there are also men who cannot always find their way home on their own. One of these is Yuri Alexandrov, who therefore began studying this issue.

“I personally have topographical cretinism, and I know from my own experience how terrible it is when my wife leads me and shows me where to turn,” Aleksandrov laughs.

Sometimes parents can be to blame for topographic cretinism, both literally and figuratively.

When, for example, a left-hander is actively retrained, at some point he may begin to confuse right and left, and later he may even become a topographical cretin. In addition, genes may be to blame for impaired spatial orientation skills. So pay attention to your parents, there is a theory that the “disease” is inherited.

How to fight?

First, you need to determine what is preventing you from remembering the route, and work specifically on your problem.

Bad memory

If you can easily remember the name of your street and house number, the address of your grandmother, aunt and friend, then your memory is fine. But if you have to strain your brain and recall memories, perhaps your topographic cretinism is associated with poor memory. Psychologists advise making associations with any object you see on the road, or with the name of the street.

Read the names of the stores and build any chain of connections with their participation, for example: bookstore - Russian poet - Pushkin. By building such associative chains along the way, you can easily return back.

At first you will have to make an effort, but over time it will happen automatically.

Laziness

Phlegmatic people who don’t want to go out and just walk are prone to topographic cretinism. A person with a passive lifestyle, walking along new routes, does not remember them and can easily get lost in a strange area. The fact is that over time, due to uselessness, the brain turns off the orientation mechanisms, and the person becomes a topographical cretin.

Inattention

Many people, walking in new places, are completely immersed in their thoughts or talking on the phone and do not consider it necessary to remember their route. Memory development specialist Larisa Chetverova advises practicing a simple exercise that will help improve attentiveness.

Any ability can be developed to a greater or lesser extent. You need to train your attention. Learn to write with both hands - this is a powerful exercise for developing memory: for example, writing “mom” with one hand and “dad” with the other. Definitely at the same time: one hand does not wait for the other, Chetverov shares his advice.

Children's fears

Imagination is formed from childhood. Remember, maybe when you were a child, you once ran away from your mother and got lost? Or did you have dreams in which, leaving home, you got lost on the streets? It can easily happen that the fear associated with not being able to navigate in an unfamiliar place has become ingrained in your mind. Then it is better to turn to a psychologist and deal with childhood fears.

This question appears in the textbook The World Around us, grade 2. For a second grader it may cause a little difficulty, but we will try to help him answer it. If you learn to navigate the terrain based on natural signs, this will help you not to get lost, but to easily determine your location in any deserted place and get to your home without problems. You need to know some secrets of nature, for example, a tree's branches on the south side are longer and denser than those growing on the north side. But do not forget that natural signs are not always 100% reliable; you should use several such landmarks at the same time so as not to make a mistake.

You always need to be able to do this, so the ability to navigate a car in the jungle of a city becomes a sign of a modern person. What if fate throws you into the forest or into the mountains, you need to be able to determine the direction of access to people in hiking conditions and survive in harsh natural conditions, and not in the comfort of the city.

Ability to navigate the terrain can help in an extreme situation, even saving life. Moreover, it is better to learn how to navigate the terrain in practice, and not limit yourself to theoretical knowledge. From my own experience, I can say that most of the signs by which people are taught to navigate in school simply do not work in practice. Anyone who doesn’t believe it should at least once try to determine where north is by looking at the moss on a tree or an anthill.

However, there are many that actually work ways to navigate the area that need to be tried out in practice at least once.

If something suddenly happens to you and you find yourself in an unfamiliar area, you can easily apply the knowledge you have in the field of navigation and quickly determine your location!

This is my opinion!

The ability to navigate the terrain is necessary in order to always have an idea of your location, since explanatory signs and tablets are not available everywhere. For example, they cannot be found in the forest, unless you can see a warning sign about fires.

You need to be able to navigate the terrain in order to easily determine your location in any situation and so that, if necessary, find a shorter path in the right direction. You can navigate the area using a map, a compass, local signs (sun, moon, stars, trees, and so on).

You need to navigate the area, for example, so as not to get lost in the forest. And in a big city, such a skill would not hurt. Now, of course, there are navigators in phones and cars, but the equipment can always malfunction or go in the wrong direction.

It is always useful to have such skills. Especially in our time, when everyone is accustomed to trusting electronics and relying only on navigators. However, electronics tend to fail, and they just need a power source. In a situation where all this is not at hand, this skill is quite capable of saving your life.

This is necessary so that you can get out of any area on your own if you get lost. Otherwise, you can get lost and that’s it, and end up there. And orientation in space and terrain is very necessary in such situations.

You need to be able to navigate the terrain in order to determine your location by surrounding objects or by the cardinal directions. And, based on this, find the way to the place you need to get to.

At a minimum, this is necessary in order to know in which part of the city, village, forest... You are, and naturally the logical conclusion arises that this is needed in order to be able to get to that part of the city, village, forest, which you need

For example, you left the house to throw out the trash, looked around and don’t know where your house is, for this you need to be able to navigate, it’s good if it’s nearby, they can tell you....but what if you’re in the forest, and without a compass?

think about it.

What is the reason for such disorientation in space and how to cope with it?

“I park my car in front of a hypermarket and then I can’t find it, I walk around the parking lot with my cart, looking for it. It's even harder to find her in the city. Avenues, squares, left and right... Everything is confused in my head,” sad 34-year-old Alena. Is this a familiar story? Many women and men move around the city as if through a labyrinth. “There really is a sense of orientation,” explains Gestalt therapist Serge Ginger. “But it is not associated with a separate organ of perception (unlike the other five senses), it is not inherent in us initially, but is the result of information processing produced by the brain.”

I don't have enough testosterone! “The male hormone testosterone promotes the active development of the right hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for our spatial perception,” continues Serge Ginger. “Thus, despite the fact that men have worse visual memory than women, they have an “inner sense of space.” Anthropologist Marina Butovskaya confirms the importance of the amount of testosterone in the blood: “When the level of this sex hormone in the blood of women increases (this happens during menstruation), they begin to better navigate the map. But overall, men are more successful than women at tasks that require spatial thinking.” However, keep in mind that researchers are comparing averages: there is a wide range of possibilities for both men and women.

Does evolution affect me? Getting your bearings is not the same as being able to read a map. This feeling helps us precisely in those cases when there is no card at hand. For example, he tells us in a foreign city how to get to the hotel. Women and men have different search behavior strategies. Women usually navigate by specific landmarks. Men are guided by a “sense of direction.” These different types of behavior were developed during evolution: men were primarily hunters and often found themselves in unfamiliar places, while women gatherers rarely went far from home alone. “When chasing prey during a hunt, men did not have time to follow the trajectory of their movement, but at the same time they tried to return home by the shortest route,” explains Marina Butovskaya.

Tatyana, 38 years old, tax inspector

“For a long time I couldn’t remember the three turns from the metro to my new job. But one day I bought a notebook, and now, when I can’t get my bearings, I look around carefully instead of panicking. When I notice something interesting, I make a note about it and include the street name. Then I ask for directions or check the map. The notebook is always with me, and now I know amazing places in my city that many people have no idea about. Friends even once asked me for it to come up with an interesting route for walking.”

About this

“Gestalt. The Art of Contact" Serge Ginger Gestalt therapy methods as a tool for improving interaction with the environment, other people and oneself (Culture, 2009).
"Secrets of gender. Man and woman in the mirror of evolution” Marina Butovskaya How much does culture influence the behavior of men and women in different situations? Written in clear and lively language, the book is based on serious scientific research (Vek 2, 2004).

I don't trust myself. The ability to navigate can be developed. But this is difficult for those who tend to panic and downplay their capabilities. “Self-confidence could have been suppressed in childhood by authoritarian parents, but there are other reasons,” says family psychologist Inna Shifanova. “Firstly, for centuries women have been taught that men are superior to them in abilities, and these patriarchal prejudices are still very strong. Secondly, we must admit that for many of us such “involuntary confusion” is a way to linger in childhood, to feel helpless and to evade (at least for a short time) responsibility.” As long as this is coquetry, there is nothing wrong with it. But such a game of helplessness can narrow our horizons. Then the time comes to remember that we are adults, independent people and are capable of seeking and finding solutions to the problems that confront us. And to do this, you have to learn to treat yourself with trust and respect.

What to do?

If we evaluate the situation from the point of view of common sense, then it is obvious that we have practically no chance of getting lost in the city or losing our car. The calmer we are about the problem, the more successfully we will cope with it. After all, difficulties with orientation can also be viewed from an optimistic position - as an opportunity to take another walk and take a closer look at what surrounds us.

This small electronic device that tells us when to turn right and when to turn left can be our true friend. However, it makes sense to resort to it only on difficult routes. Otherwise, our “inner compass” risks rusting without use. After all, he, like our other abilities, needs constant training.

It is much easier to learn anything in a playful way. For example, playing pathfinder games, “treasure hunts” on a map, or even orienteering courses are great ways to develop a sense of orientation in the area.

Topographic cretinism: what it is, its causes, symptoms and treatment

Description of the phenomenon

This mental phenomenon is characteristic of many famous historical figures. Even Columbus, Kutuzov and Napoleon had manifestations of geographic cretinism.

This phenomenon develops due to decreased activity of the right cerebral hemisphere, which is responsible for spatial orientation and has a “biological compass.”

Risk factors and causes

There are certain reasons why orientation in space becomes difficult. This is due to:

gender characteristics - men have more developed logical thinking, they are able to navigate even in completely unfamiliar areas, representatives of the stronger sex rarely suffer from geographic cretinism;
heredity - it has been proven that if both parents suffered from such a pathology, the child is likely to manifest it;
psychological trauma - often poor orientation in the area occurs due to panic experiences; if in childhood a person was lost, and this left a mark on his psyche, then in an unfamiliar situation he will experience fear and panic;
impressionability - if the wrong choice of path or another unsuccessful first attempt is made, a person may experience hysteria and excessive emotionality, which prevent him from making the right decisions and finding his way around the area;
unformed internal motivation - if a person does not want to look for the right path, the right decisions cause him hostility, this indicates that there is no motivation to find the right object;
organic lesions of the right hemisphere, circulatory disorders in the brain.

Symptoms

Disorientation in a particular area manifests itself even at a young age, when the child is constantly lost. He is constantly worried about losing sight of his parents.

In adolescence, a person himself begins to realize his inadequacy in finding a destination in a certain area. Geographic cretinism is characterized by forgetfulness and disorientation of a person, even where he has been several times. Sometimes this phenomenon is accompanied by a fear of getting lost.

Treatment and correction

Since the disorder is not a mental illness, treatment consists of removing the causes of its occurrence. In some cases, correction of this phenomenon is accompanied by the use of medications.

Drug treatment

In cases of panic and fear attacks, experts sometimes recommend the use of sedatives. If the cause of disorientation in the area is memory problems, nootropic drugs are prescribed.

If there is a violation of the blood circulation in the brain or organic lesions of the right hemisphere, the doctor prescribes special medications that improve metabolic processes.

Psychotherapeutic assistance

Effective methods for memorizing terrain and orientation on it include:

studying a map with a schematic representation of the area where a person is located, repeating its main elements or streets;
training spatial orientation by memorizing the view from your window or institutions on the main street, square, and so on;
speaking out loud all the objects that are encountered along the way, the work of auditory and visual memory will greatly facilitate the task of orientation in space;
drawing the point of departure and destination, indicating on such a “map” the main attractions or important places, streets, parks and other memorable elements;
Techniques for memorizing road signs will help drivers navigate unfamiliar areas; with their help, drivers will be able to easily find the right street.

This disorder is understood as a relatively pathological process of the psyche. To eliminate it, it is important to contact a specialist in time to protect yourself from unnecessary negative emotions when you realize that you are lost.

Some medications can help reduce panic and feelings of fear. And psychotherapeutic methods will help solve internal problems that have caused disorientation in the surrounding area.

Topographic cretinism. How not to get lost in three pines

I wonder if the thought comes to you: “Lord, where am I now?” every time you try to take a shortcut from your usual route? Is it difficult for you to find the house of a friend you once visited? Have you heard someone say to you that “getting lost in three pines” is a trifle for you?

If you answered yes to all questions, then the information below, I think, will help shed light on this phenomenon.

Is spatial dementia a diagnosis?

“Topographic cretinism” or “spatial dementia” is not a medical diagnosis, but an ironic name for the psychological feature of some people who easily lose the ability to navigate the terrain. Sometimes such a trait only causes a smile, and sometimes it leads to bewilderment. It all depends on how brightly it manifests itself.

Well, yes, Christopher Columbus, having discovered America, until the end of his days was in the holy confidence that he had sailed to India - but he still got lost on the scale of the entire planet. And the maps at that time were very approximate. But if a person has to figure out for a long time how to find his street while being on a neighboring one, then this, you see, can create serious difficulties in life.

So what affects the ability to navigate in space?

Magnetite is a substance that helps to navigate

It has long been noted that among those who find it difficult to find their way in an unfamiliar area, the overwhelming majority are women. It turns out that there is a completely scientific explanation for this.

Topographic cretinism, as numerous studies have found, manifests itself in people who have reduced activity in the right hemisphere, namely that part of it where the zones responsible for spatial perception of the world are located. There is also a so-called cognitive (personal) map of the surrounding space and a biological compass.

It is interesting that its principle of operation, like that of the well-known device, is based on a magnetic field. And this is helped by magnetite crystals contained in our brain cells. According to researchers, it is the lack of this substance that leads to the fact that a person can get lost in three pines. But the increased content of magnetite (by the way, very rare) leads to a simply phenomenal ability for a person to navigate in the cardinal directions, even with his eyes closed.

But, alas, everything has a downside, and this talent too - such people, it turns out, are incredibly sensitive to the so-called magnetic storms.

Historical causes of female topographic cretinism

Yes, it’s a shame to admit that something is missing in the brain, but the peculiarities of orientation in representatives of different sexes have evolved over centuries. Indeed, in ancient times, after a long “business trip”, men had to find a quick way to their warm cave. And the future topographical cretinism of the female ancestors was fueled by the fact that they only briefly went out into the nearest forest to pick berries, remembering along the way under which tree there were the most of them, and spent the rest of the time worrying about the hearth and home. This is probably why there are no great geographers among women.

But the man trained his logical right hemisphere for centuries, and it became increasingly easier for him to get used to the terrain and remember landmarks (which was later very useful when capturing new lands).

By the way, left-handed ladies have excellent spatial orientation. But if a left-hander has been retrained, then failures may occur, and all due to the fact that such people subsequently often confuse left and right.

Differences between male and female perception of terrain

Research has repeatedly proven that it is the stronger sex that has the advantage called “absence of topographic cretinism.” It's all about the peculiarities of perception of space in men and women. The map that a man mentally draws in front of him is voluminous, detailed and has the correct scale. The descendant of mammoth hunters is able to easily imagine where he is on this map at the moment, and also mentally rotate it, look from the other side or make it smaller.

The talent of a representative of the stronger sex in constructing such a successful cognitive map of the area is based on his clear representation of directions, distances and names of streets or settlements (you already understand how this developed historically).

And a woman always focuses primarily on objects (remember the tree?). Therefore, if you ask a man for directions, he will answer using numbers and directions: “200 meters from the intersection and to the right.” And the female answer will sound something like this: “Now - around the corner of the high-rise building, go to the grocery store, and then turn right.”

What else causes the problem?

In addition to the general reasons that lead to the fact that many of us have difficulty finding our way around, there are also specific ones. They often play a very important role in the development of the problem.

Topographic cretinism is inherited. That is, if the parents could not figure out how to take a shortcut, then their children will have to take long roads.
Childhood trauma. If for some reason a child is afraid of getting lost or forgotten on an unfamiliar street, then even as an adult his brain will turn on a feeling of panic whenever he is around a foreign area.
Emotionality. By the way, as soon as panic comes to the fore, a person loses all abilities for logical thinking and memorization. This means that excessive emotionality is a serious enemy of topographical abilities.
Laziness or lack of motivation. It often turns out that as soon as we are faced with an urgent need to find an address, we cope with it perfectly on our own, and the rest of the time we are simply too lazy to remember.

Topographic cretinism: how to fight?

Yes, topographical dementia is not a disease, but there are still cures for it. Firstly, your real desire to get rid of this very inconvenient feature in all respects. And secondly, an accurate idea of what exactly is at the heart of the problem.

If it’s all just a matter of gender, then you need to train, since even a gender change will not make your right hemisphere actively work.

And if children’s fears are also added to this, then be sure to deal with them. You can consult a psychologist, but you can also help yourself. To do this, you just need to restore in your memory, down to the smallest detail, the very incident that caused your chronic fear of getting lost. Live it again, trying to logically explain to yourself why everything happened the way it did.

But don’t repeat through the lips of a frightened child: “I don’t know the place well!”, but looking at the baby from the side, take him home or into the arms of his parents - after all, you have been found, after all!

Be sure to talk about this with your parents: they, of course, have their own explanation for the current situation. And don’t rush around with a feeling of fear and resentment towards them!

Now let's train!

Topographic cretinism, however, has one good side. It turns out that people who are poorly oriented in space, as a rule, have well-developed visual memory. This means that memorable bright landmarks can always help you find your way: billboards, store signs, unusual houses. But training won't hurt either:

try to walk more, look for new paths to familiar objects;
use your navigator as little as possible, although you can always take it with you - this will give you confidence;
draw a map of a familiar area in your mind - look at your street from above, imagine where and what kind of house is located;
when you find yourself in an unfamiliar place, try to do the same - if it’s in the same city, try to mentally connect the familiar area with the new one.

How to train your memory

By the way, another cause of topographic cretinism is considered to be chronic lack of sleep and fatigue (and women suffer from it most often). This state of affairs ultimately leads to a disruption in the normal nutrition of brain cells, which, in turn, leads to a deterioration in all types of memory.

To train them and the ability to navigate that depends on it, first, of course, organize your daily routine, and then begin the exercises. To do this, look out the window for 30 seconds, try to remember everything you see - every detail. And then, turning away, retell everything you remember. To do this, you can invite a “judge” who will check the correctness of your description.

In transport, look at the person, and then, closing your eyes, recall every detail of his portrait in your memory. Imagine how he moves, how he speaks, etc. Open your eyes and check if you remember his appearance correctly.

And a few final words

If we do not take into account the existence of serious pathologies that lead to complete disorientation of a person in space and the inability to assimilate new information (consequences of stroke, Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia, etc.), then topographic cretinism cannot be considered a very serious problem.

But, you must admit, it’s also stupid to give up on him. After all, the more often you get confused in your native area, the more problematic any trip will be for you. How can you enjoy beauty if you are constantly afraid of getting lost? Therefore, this problem must and can be dealt with. Don't be lazy and you will succeed!

Who gets lost in three pines

Psychologist M. Hoffman, as a result of an experiment, found that the ability to navigate the terrain depends on the social status of a person - the lower the status, the less developed it is. Dr. R. Lippa disputed his colleague's findings, suggesting that this ability depends on gender - women are worse at navigating than men. Who is right in this dispute?

Problems with orientation in the area, the ability to get lost in three pines, and even topographic cretinism - such unflattering characteristics are awarded to people who have poor spatial orientation. Women are, perhaps, more likely to receive such caustic remarks: until recently, it was believed that men were naturally superior to them in the ability to find their way or navigate on a map, and, as numerous tests have shown, spatial imagination is better developed among representatives of the stronger sex.

But recently, researcher Moshe Hoffman from the University of California San Diego in the US discovered a tribe that does not have these differences. They turned out to be the Khasi people living in northeast India. Hoffman and his colleagues offered people from the tribe a simple and witty test: they asked them to assemble an image of a horse from children's cubes. The researchers decided that this task would not confuse Indians, unlike abstract tests involving angles and lines that were unfamiliar to them. At the same time, the test helped assess the Khasi’s ability to spatial thinking: in order to quickly solve a puzzle, they had to mentally “rotate” the cube with different faces. And to increase the motivation of the participants, the researchers gave them a reward equal to about a quarter of their daily earnings for a job well done.

And here's what it turned out: men and women from the Khasi tribe spent the same amount of time solving the problem - about 30 seconds. Surprisingly, such similarities were not observed among the neighboring Karbi people. Women from their tribe spent 57 seconds solving the puzzle, men only 42. In total, Hoffman tested more than a thousand people from both tribes, so these results can be considered quite representative.

The conclusions that the Californian scientist made from these data are also interesting. Hoffman drew attention to the fact that neighboring peoples had different social systems. Karbi society is much more similar to traditional Western society as it was not long ago: men there earn more, have more property, inherit land and family property, and receive a good education. Women do not receive such privileges. But the Khasi tribe is structured unusually in this sense: there, boys and girls receive equal education, moreover, wives earn more than their husbands, and the father’s inheritance is received by his younger daughters.

Having discovered these differences, Hoffman came to the conclusion that spatial imagination and the ability to navigate the terrain depend on social status. Apparently, he reasoned, this ability develops along with the rest of a person’s mental abilities - which means it will be better developed in someone who has received a higher education and is engaged in intellectual work.

The researcher's main argument is that he tested representatives of two tribes who are similar in everything except gender culture - and therefore the differences must be associated with it.

Hoffman's opponent, American psychologist Richard Lippa, provides powerful counterarguments. In 2010, Lippa's research team tested more than 200,000 volunteers from 53 different countries, assessing their spatial reasoning abilities. And it is in developed countries, where women occupy high positions and receive education on an equal basis with men, that they have demonstrated results much lower than the representatives of the stronger sex. In poor countries, by contrast, men and women performed about the same on tests of spatial perception.

But here’s what’s interesting: Lippa did not take into account the differences in the lifestyle of women from the Khasi tribe (those who navigate space on an equal basis with men) and modern Western women. Khasis mainly live in villages, in nature, and are engaged in slash-and-burn agriculture (that is, they turn forest areas into crop fields by cutting down forests and burning stumps), and also hunt and fish. The high social status of women in such a society means that they are more likely to leave the house and deal with important issues - for example, related to land and property. All this, along with a good education, contributes to the development of good spatial orientation. Especially considering the lush Indian vegetation: if you go far, try to find your way home.

People in developed countries do not know such problems: they live in a world of cities and streets, using mobile phones, maps and GPS navigators. Their ability to navigate the terrain, rather, is trained during hikes, during active sports and while traveling, as well as driving practice. And here is where the difference is noticeable: women are less likely to engage in hiking or mountain tourism, choose quieter sports that train muscles but do not develop spatial thinking (aerobics, for example, rather than football), and travel alone less. And even in advanced America, women are 20 percent less likely to buy cars.

It turns out that the same factor - high social status - has opposite consequences in poor and developed countries. Brave women from the Khasi tribe will not get lost in the jungle that they see every day, and office workers, sitting within four walls, have difficulty finding their way on a map. Perhaps this is precisely what Lippa and Hoffman did not take into account in their dispute?

Poor orientation in space

List of messages in the topic "Bad orientation in space" forum Exchange of experiences > Helpline

I’ve been planning to carry a compass with me in my bag for a long time (our layout is very convenient - to the west and east of the street that crosses the entire city and several other northern suburbs).

Then I realized that many people, being indoors, have no idea how to orientate what is outside.

I love maps very much and adore any information such as geographical coordinates, altitude above sea level.

The problem is that almost all of my family and friends with orientation range from “very bad” to “bad.” On trips together, I always “lead” and feel like a kindergarten teacher. We constantly need to solve logistical problems of who and where to pick up and where to deliver. In the end, there is no rest. But I’m sure that people can actually navigate much better, but they just relax in my presence, don’t watch the road, don’t look at the map. But if you leave them alone in an unfamiliar place, then need will force them. It seems to me that problems with orientation most likely arise in people who are “led” in life and show little independence.

If from childhood they are accustomed to being led or shown the way, then the ability to orient themselves remains undeveloped.

I don’t believe that poor orientation is innate in women; I believe that this is a consequence of the fact that girls are more obedient and careful, and boys are more willful and risky (in general). Boys’ orientation develops better, because their games and adventures are a little different than those of obedient girls who play with dolls at home or in the yard and “don’t leave the yard.”

Those. Of course, everyone initially does not have the same abilities, but for many they are simply undeveloped.

And I think that if you set such a goal for yourself, you can develop them as adults.

What is topographic cretinism and how to deal with it

We hear the phrase “topographic cretinism” quite often. This is the name given to poor ability to navigate, a tendency to get lost even in simple terrain. A high level of education and general erudition do not at all guarantee the ability to find your way to the office.

Of course, there is no official diagnosis of “topographic cretinism”. In the international classification of diseases, inability to navigate is not even identified as a disease. There are a number of conditions accompanied by the inability to remember a route or recognize landmarks along it. These include various types of amnesia and agnosia. These are serious diseases that significantly reduce the quality of life. For example, a person with orientation agnosia, even if he can find the nearest store, will not be able to return home because he does not remember what his house looks like. Of course, those people who complain about topographic cretinism are not sick with anything like that.

The ability to navigate an unfamiliar city, find shortcuts, or remember the location of important objects depends on the brain's ability to form a map of the world around us. This volumetric-spatial representation of reality is called a cognitive map. It includes all subjectively important landmarks and the relationships between them - which is closer, which is further, and by how much. Important qualities of the objects themselves are also recorded - height, width, distance from roads, access routes, distances. Such a map is gradually formed in the process of life thanks to the repeated repetition of the same route. Only for some it is formed in a day, while for others even after six months they cannot remember the location of the nearest store. The features of such individual terrain maps are being actively studied by doctors and psychologists.

“The 2014 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded for research into the ability to navigate in space. A group of scientists from Norway and the USA have established the localization of neurons responsible for memorizing terrain and the probable mechanism of this memorization. These studies will eventually help restore the ability to navigate in people with Alzheimer's disease and other severe cognitive impairments."

Male and female perception of the area

Numerous studies have convincingly proven that in most cases men remember the road and navigate the terrain more easily. Both experimental models in the laboratory (labyrinths, diagrams, three-dimensional computer graphics) and the ability to navigate in real conditions were studied. Moreover, if opposite-sex couples participated in the study, the women often voluntarily transferred the initiative to the man.

Of course, there are many differences in the perception of space between men and women. It is they who determine different abilities for orientation. The male “inner map” is voluminous, visual and well scalable. A man can imagine where he is on the map now, rotate it, make it smaller, look from a different angle, and determine the desired direction. A man's cognitive map is built based on directions, distances, and street names. The female card is objects. Women are great at remembering landmarks, noticeable buildings and shops. In practice, this is expressed in the fact that if you ask a man for directions, you will receive a set of instructions about “walk 100 meters, turn left, another 200 and at the next intersection turn right.” In the woman’s answer, the same path will sound like “past the big tree, near the grocery store to the left, then to the fur coat boutique and to the right.”

Reasons

Many factors influence poor orientation ability, and most of them can be grouped into the following groups:

Genetic. If your parents were lost in their hometown, then you probably have difficulty finding your way in an unfamiliar area. Moreover, your children will most likely also have difficulty finding their way around. There are no reliable studies on this issue, so it is difficult to say whether the reason for this is really in the genes, or whether upbringing in childhood plays a big role. In any case, it is important to know that regular exercise can correct the situation. It is especially important to teach your child to navigate from childhood if you yourself experience difficulties in this area.
Gender. As already described above, the “world map” of a woman and a man looks completely different. And due to the fact that women for many centuries and even millennia did not feel the need for orientation, this skill is not as developed as in men.
Unpleasant situations in childhood. If a person has ever been lost in childhood, fear and panic are very strongly associated with the need to find the way. This reaction becomes subconscious and occurs whenever you need to get your bearings. Additionally, it is strengthened by the fact that negative emotions from early childhood prevent the development of orientation abilities, and a person simply cannot read a map.
Lack of motivation. If you usually do not experience significant difficulties with orientation, and at some point you realize that you are lost, ask yourself whether you really want to get to your goal. The reason may be more global - for example, you are used to relying on others to determine direction. A psychologist will be better able to help you find the reasons in such a situation.

What to do?

Even if you have poor orientation, do not rush to diagnose yourself with “geographical cretinism.” With desire and regular exercise, orienteering skills are easy to acquire. To do this, you can use the following methods:

The main thing and the main thing is training. In an unfamiliar city, first of all, buy a map and navigate according to it. Go on hikes or short excursions into nature with maps and diagrams of the area. If you know that orienteering is not going well in your family, send your child to an orienteering club. Gradually get used to walking without a map by looking at the route in advance.
While walking, mark landmarks to make it easier to find your way back.
Take up drawing or music, this will help develop spatial thinking and make it easier to remember routes.
Remember your childhood. Perhaps you will find moments associated with the fear of getting lost or lost. Discuss this with your parents. Perhaps the help of a psychologist would not be superfluous.
Train your visual memory. There are many exercises for this. The simplest ones are to look at a landscape or a person for seconds and try to describe them in as much detail as possible.
If you have GPS, take it with you, but don't turn it on. This will give you confidence and you will be able to feel as free as possible, while practicing your orienteering skills.
Try to remember the direction you need to go and the direction to the house. Choose a noticeable object near your home - it could be a TV tower or a multi-story building and focus on it if you get lost. Always control the direction to your house or car. Knowing it, you will definitely be able to go to the right place.

RecognitionMania

Why are women worse at navigating terrain than men?

My boyfriend and I went to the seaside and he remembered the way to our building much faster than me, and for several days I tried to take the wrong turn. He says that we - women - are worse at navigating the terrain. And he judges not only by me, but also by his friends. And I began to notice that many of the girls I knew were not very good at navigating the terrain even in the institute building. And the guys are the opposite. Why is this so?

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Katerina_Med
08.10.:56
Edited: Just now

But researchers and scientists from the University of Illinois (USA) are skeptical about this hypothesis. They analyzed several species of mammals, compared their territorial possessions and ability to navigate this area. Indeed, in most cases, males had an advantage over females in orientation, but this had nothing to do with the size of the territories and the fact that males were more prone to wandering than females.

Instead of all this, scientists suggested paying attention to another hypothesis, which also explains this phenomenon, but, for an unknown reason, passes by the attention of all researchers. According to her, good orientation in males is caused by increased testosterone. But nevertheless, the authors of the study still urge not to get too carried away with the search for evolutionary expediency.

Causes of topographic cretinism and ways to get rid of it

Disease or not?

Having discovered your poor ability to navigate the terrain, you should not immediately diagnose yourself with topographic cretinism. The International Classification of Diseases does not contain the concept of topographic cretinism; in addition, inability to orientate is not even a separate diagnosis.

There are several conditions in which the impossibility of orientation is observed, for example, amnesia or agnosia. But these diseases are quite severe, since, for example, a patient with agnosia will not be able to find his way home from the nearest store. Of course, this is not characteristic of topographic cretinism, and it does not manifest itself so critically.

You should also immediately distinguish between the concepts “topological” and “topographic”. The impossibility of orientation is precisely called topographical or spatial cretinism. And topology is a field of mathematics that studies the properties of space and has nothing to do with topographic cretinism.

What is the ability to navigate

The ability to navigate in an unfamiliar area, to find the necessary route or objects, depends entirely on the ability of the brain to form a map.

A map is a volumetric-spatial representation of the current location and environment, it is called a cognitive map. It includes all landmarks and their relationships - what is closer and what is further, which point is more significant.

In addition, the brain also remembers the qualitative indicators of objects - height, distance from each other, width, travel routes. All this information accumulates gradually throughout life, especially if a person repeats the same route many times - from home to work, from home to school, from work to home.

How does this work

So, every time a person finds himself in an unfamiliar area, the brain, through the organs of perception, collects information about the space around him. Then the information is associated with previously collected information - this is how a person remembers that he has already been in this city or on this street.

Then, if indeed this area has been previously visited, the brain suggests taking the same route that was previously remembered. Or deviate from it, but do not lose sight of it.

If this area has not been previously explored, a twofold situation arises. Normally, the brain suggests exploring the area based on associations. For example, it is logical that a highway can lead to a populated area, and a road in a city can lead to a center, a supermarket, or infrastructure facilities. No one will go to a crowd of people in the city center if they wanted to go out, for example, into a field.

And these associations really work, but a person with topographic cretinism at this stage either loses motivation to seek direction, or cuts off associative thinking for a number of reasons, and seeks help.

Differences between male and female perceptions

A number of scientific studies on the issue of topographic cretinism give reason to believe that men are much better oriented in space and remember the area.

The studies were carried out on three-dimensional circuits, mazes and real conditions. In addition, when couples were involved in the study, in most cases the women initially gave the initiative to the men.

This difference in the ability to navigate is due to the difference in perception of the terrain:

The male brain collects information about the surrounding area in the form of directions, distances and locations. A man can imagine where he is and how to rotate the map, zoom in or out, to get directions.
The female brain collects information about subjectively significant landmarks - large buildings, unusual objects and noticeable, memorable places.

Thus, speaking in mathematical language, the male cognitive map is built on vectors, and the female cognitive map is built on points. This is how it manifests itself in everyday life. If you ask a man for directions, he will answer that you need to walk a hundred meters, then turn right, then another hundred meters to the northwest, and then turn left.

If you ask a woman for directions, she will answer that straight ahead to the nearest intersection, then right and don’t turn off until you reach a large supermarket. At the supermarket - turn left and do not turn to the central park.

Reasons

Despite the fact that topographic cretinism is not an independent disease, there are a number of factors that contribute to poor orientation in the area:

Genetic factor. No reliable studies have been conducted on the issue of genetic transmission of topographic cretinism. But as practice shows, if parents have trouble finding their way along previously traveled paths, the child behaves in exactly the same way. In addition, his children will have poor orientation in the area. They still tend to believe that this is a problem of upbringing and environment, and not genetics.
Gender characteristics. The same group of researchers concluded that topographic cretinism is more often developed in women for historical reasons. For centuries, women have not felt the need for orientation, which is why this skill is somewhat less developed. In addition, differences in the construction of a cognitive map of the area have an impact.
Childhood trauma. If in childhood a child is left alone at least once in an unfamiliar area, even for five minutes, or if a child gets lost in childhood, the brain associates panic and fear with finding the road and navigating the area. Moreover, this association is so strong that it becomes subconscious, and whenever a person needs to find his way in an unfamiliar area, the subconscious recognizes this as a stressful and traumatic situation and simply does not allow the person to find his way.
Psychological motivation. It also happens that a person never independently found a way out of an unknown area, if only because someone else did it. Then, finding himself in such an area without help, a person simply does not see the motivation and ability to find direction. Such a problem really takes place in psychology and needs the help of a specialist, since it can take root and “take root” in other areas of life where important decisions need to be made.

How to solve the problem

Since topographic cretinism is not a disease, but a phenomenon, the word “treat” is inappropriate to use. To improve your terrain navigation skills, the following exercises and techniques are recommended:

In an unfamiliar city, especially in a foreign language, asking for help can be difficult. For training, it is better to buy a map and find the right direction using it. After looking at the map and remembering the route, try to go without it, from memory.
While driving, remember landmarks - control points that will tell you the way back.
Visual memory training is useful. The simplest training methods are to look at a picture or a person for no more than a minute, then try to describe in detail what you saw.
Remember the tallest object near the house - for example, a television tower, a water tower. Even if you notice this landmark from a distance, you can easily find the way to the house, even if this path is new.

Psychologists are also inclined to believe that writing poetry and prose, drawing and playing music can well train spatial and associative thinking, therefore the problem of disorientation in the area can be solved by combining business with pleasure.

Andres_Shutterstock

Many people are completely unable to navigate the terrain. Popularly this deficiency is called "topographic cretinism". How to deal with it?

It must be said right away that women suffer from “topographic cretinism” much more often than men. This is a clearly established scientific fact. It has been proven through repeated studies conducted by American, English, and German scientists. These included mazes, 3D graphics, and simple spatial awareness tests. And most women coped with this task worse than men. Those, as it turned out, also suffer from this deficiency. But the male percentage was significantly lower.

Interestingly, if the tests were carried out with a couple, then the woman voluntarily transferred the initiative to the man. She recognized his leadership in this area in advance. But when the unconfident “experimental subject” was left alone, she did everything that was necessary. Slowly, with mistakes, but nevertheless she did it. There were, of course, those who miserably failed all tasks. But I would like to immediately say that there were very few such people, even among women. From all this an absolutely logical conclusion follows: the fair half of humanity very much doubts their ability to navigate in space. Maybe this is where the reason for the failure lies? Maybe it’s worth mobilizing sometimes and trying to act on your own?

You need to know that there is a terrain view and a route view. The first is nothing more than a map that exists in our head. Those who suffer from “topographic cretinism” have great difficulty imagining this map. After all, such people do not have developed spatial imagination, and not since childhood. While studying at school, they went to geography or physics lessons as if they were going to hard labor. Drawing was torture for them. And when the course of plane geometry was replaced by stereometry, the unfortunate children stopped understanding anything at all.

If they had given maximum effort to this subject, then, most likely, they would not have suffered later. But this is just a guess. You wouldn’t advise them to take the stereometry course again.

There are special exercises for training the representation of the terrain. You need to open the map and study it carefully. Then you should take a pen, a sheet of paper and try to draw the segment of the path that you need to walk or drive. Here it is still necessary to distinguish who is studying the area and for what purpose. If a pedestrian wants to get to know an unfamiliar area, a medium-scale map is best. If it is too large, then the person will begin to be distracted by unnecessary details. But the main task is to familiarize yourself with the location of the streets, remember how they are located in relation to each other.

After studying, you need to take a pen and a piece of paper and try to draw a plan of the required area yourself. Then you need to compare your drawing with the original. If there are errors, they must be noted and remembered. They represent the most difficult part of the journey for that particular person. Then you need to take a new sheet of paper and again draw the street diagram preserved in your head. And so on until the plan on paper becomes an accurate representation of the map. Usually this does not take very much time - 10-15 minutes.

For drivers, the task gets a little more complicated. They need to remember not only the location of the streets, but also how to drive along them. You should remember both the area itself and the main signs. And you need to draw not only a street plan, but also the upcoming route. This activity is quite troublesome, but it brings very good results. Finding yourself in an unfamiliar area, a person will not feel lost.

We have dealt with the presentation of the area, all that remains is the presentation of the route. Usually there are no problems with this. The fact is that people with poor spatial imagination tend to have very good visual memory. Here it is necessary to highlight significant landmarks, by which you can then determine the correctness of the path. Interestingly, for men, such landmarks most often become cafes, restaurants and billboards. And for women there are clothing, cosmetics and lingerie stores.