Electrophysiological Evidence for Map-Based Perspective Taking and Wayfinding Efficiency in Taiwanese Gifted and General Students

Spatial perspective-taking (SPT) is a fundamental cognitive ability and a

predictor of achievement in STEM fields. Gifted students often excel in

spatial tasks, yet the neural mechanisms underlying this advantage

remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated behavioral and

electrophysiological correlates of SPT in Taiwanese gifted versus general

high school students using a novel map-based self-localization paradigm

that required aligning egocentric (street-view) and allocentric (map-view)

perspectives under different location conditions with varying angular

disparities (South (0°), East (90°), West (90°), North (180°)).

Behaviorally, both groups found the North (180°) condition most difficult,

as reflected in lower accuracy and slower responses. Nevertheless, gifted

students maintained higher accuracy and shorter reaction times across

different location conditions, including East (90°), West (90°), and North

(180°). Electrophysiologically, gifted students demonstrated larger N200

and P300 amplitudes at parietal–occipital (POz) and frontal (Fz) electrode

sites, reflecting enhanced conflict control and perspective shifting. No

group differences were observed at the central site (Cz), indicating that

neural advantages were localized to fronto–parietal networks. Time–

frequency analyses further revealed stronger delta oscillations in gifted

students, suggesting more efficient large-scale synchronization and

integration of spatial information. These findings align with mental model

theory and support the neural efficiency hypothesis, offering new insights

into individual differences in navigation skills. The results underscore the

importance of spatial perspective taking for real-world wayfinding and

suggest potential training interventions to improve map-use abilities

across populations.