Bonding and Boundaries: The Relationship between Attachment Dimensions and Spatial Navigation

This study examined the relationship between attachment styles and spatial navigation abilities in college students. While spatial orientation is crucial for human survival and environmental navigation, the influence of early attachment relationships on spatial skills remains understudied. We hypothesized that secure attachment would correlate with superior spatial navigation due to enhanced emotional stability and environmental exploration. Conversely, anxious-ambivalent attachment was expected to predict poorer navigation skills, as individuals may prioritize relationships over spatial engagement. Avoidant attachment was predicted to show minimal effects or potential advantages in autonomous spatial tasks, with anxiety mediating the attachment-spatial performance relationship. We have recruited 290 college students (208 females, M age = 21 years) who completed the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS 21), Familiarity and Spatial Cognitive Style scale (FSCS), and Computerized Ecological Navigational Battery (LBS). Regression analyses explored connections between attachment dimensions, anxiety, and spatial abilities. Results revealed that secure attachment positively correlated with self-perceived navigation skills, while anxious-ambivalent dimensions (Need for Approval, Preoccupation with Relationships) negatively associated with self-reported abilities. Avoidant traits showed complex patterns with different spatial strategies. Objective performance assessments, through LBS, demonstrated that insecure attachment dimensions negatively influenced navigation efficiency, with anxiety partially mediating these relationships. Models explained 4.42-10.01% of navigation performance variance. These findings support integrating attachment theory with cognitive research, suggesting that early relational experiences influence long-term spatial cognitive development and environmental interaction.