riktningskänslan

Riktningskänslan is a cognitive ability to determine one’s orientation and navigate through space. The term is commonly used in Swedish to describe the capacity to know which direction one is facing and how to reach a desired location within an environment. It includes both moment-to-moment sense of direction and longer-term route planning.

Cognitive and neural bases: Riktningskänslan relies on integrating visual landmarks, geometric cues, vestibular and proprioceptive information, and memory. People may navigate egocentrically (based on their own body orientation) or allocentrically (using a mental map of the environment). Neuroanatomically, pathways linking the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex (including grid cells) with parietal regions support orientation and path integration.

Development and variation: The ability develops with age and experience. Children increasingly use landmarks and learned routes; training and familiarity can improve performance in unfamiliar settings. Some individuals experience significant orientation difficulties, a condition known as topographical disorientation. Research on gender differences is inconclusive, with environmental and cultural factors also playing a role.

Assessment and practical aspects: In psychology and neuroscience, sense of direction is measured with self-report scales such as the Santa Barbara Sense of Direction Scale and with navigation tasks in real or virtual environments. A strong riktningskänslan supports everyday activities like finding ways in cities, hiking, or emergency evacuations; conversely heavy reliance on external aids can influence the development of internal orientation skills.

See also: spatial navigation, topographical disorientation, cognitive map, wayfinding, hippocampus.