{"692236":{"#nid":"692236","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How Does Your Brain Decide Between the Road Not Taken or the Same Old Route?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen was the last time you paid attention to your commute? And I don\u2019t mean a couple of feet in front of you, at the car merging into your lane without a blinker. I mean really paid attention to the route you take.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDid you see the landmarks in the distance that make up the city skyline? Did you drive right past the grocery store you promised to stop by at the corner of this Peachtree Street or that Peachtree Street, a struggle \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atlanta.com\/articles\/peachtree\/how-many-peachtree-streets-in-atlanta\u0022\u003EAtlanta locals know well\u003C\/a\u003E?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOops! Force of habit,\u201d you might say to yourself as you miss your turn and begin to think about when and where you can turn around.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERelying on familiarity can either facilitate or impede daily navigation. As a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=RxSk0-sAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003Eresearcher studying memory and navigation\u003C\/a\u003E, I aim to understand how the brain supports spatial navigation and what happens if the cognitive mechanisms for choosing the best route home begin to decline, such as during stress or with aging.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHumans are \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ebsco.com\/research-starters\/psychology\/habit-psychology\u0022\u003Ecreatures of habit\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 at least that\u2019s what people tell themselves when wary of trying something new. But what if a new route is faster or safer than the one you usually take? Would you try it?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch from my team suggests that people \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2026.121736\u0022\u003Ebalance between exploration and habit\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 that is, trying something new or sticking with the familiar \u2013 when deciding what route to take. Which navigation strategy someone chooses depends not only on their spatial abilities but on their network of brain regions that support navigation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734321\/original\/file-20260506-57-milo30.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Close-up of side view mirror reflecting city skyline and other cars on the road\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734321\/original\/file-20260506-57-milo30.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734321\/original\/file-20260506-57-milo30.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734321\/original\/file-20260506-57-milo30.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734321\/original\/file-20260506-57-milo30.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734321\/original\/file-20260506-57-milo30.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734321\/original\/file-20260506-57-milo30.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734321\/original\/file-20260506-57-milo30.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EWhen was the last time you paid attention to the scenery of your usual commute?\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/photo\/view-of-a-traffic-jam-from-the-cars-wing-mirror-royalty-free-image\/1497102645\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EBoonchai Wedmakawand\/Moment via Getty Images\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA Spatial Blueprint\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/kids-set-free-to-roam-on-their-own-feel-more-confident-navigating-in-adulthood-163972\u0022\u003ESpatial navigation\u003C\/a\u003E refers to the cognitive ability that helps you travel from one location to another. It may sound simple, but it requires using cognitive functions such as memory, attention, decision-making and assessing potential rewards \u2013 never mind the ability to simply perceive the environment itself.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpatial navigation uses \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.7414331\u0022\u003Ememories of things you consciously experienced\u003C\/a\u003E. Two types of memory relevant to navigation are what scientists call episodic and semantic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, you might retrieve an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev.psych.53.100901.135114\u0022\u003Eepisodic memory\u003C\/a\u003E about a specific event: remembering a detour you took a week ago to drop a package off at the post office, including the traffic and weather that day.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou might also retrieve a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev.psych.53.100901.135114\u0022\u003Esemantic memory\u003C\/a\u003E that\u2019s more factual and knowledge-based: remembering how many blocks away the post office is from the park and the turns you need to make to get there.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETogether, these kinds of memory inform your \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-3-540-29678-2_5549\u0022\u003Espatial memory\u003C\/a\u003E, which allows you to retrieve location information. This could be where buildings are in relation to each other or where objects are situated in your house. Spatial memories help form your \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ebsco.com\/research-starters\/psychology\/cognitive-maps\u0022\u003Ecognitive map\u003C\/a\u003E, which is essential for getting around in the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOften, these \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2026.121736\u0022\u003Edifferent ways of remembering interact\u003C\/a\u003E, and you can use one type of memory to inform the other. For example, you\u2019ve become accustomed to your commute to work and know it\u2019s relatively short (semantic memory), but over the past three days you\u2019ve been arriving late due to heavy traffic (episodic memory), so you choose to take a different route next time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch from my team has found that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2026.121736\u0022\u003Edisagreements in your brain over possible routes\u003C\/a\u003E can happen. Different types of memory can come up with different solutions for what route you can take, and this conflict is a big factor in how hard your brain needs to work when navigating an environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EResponding to New and Familiar Memories\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHabits stem from what researchers call \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1006\/nlme.1996.0007\u0022\u003Estimulus-response memories\u003C\/a\u003E. These include the knee-jerk reaction you might have to familiar landmarks \u2013 when you perceive these places, your brain signals you to make a turn along your commute without needing to consciously think about it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHabits are rigid, but they can also be beneficial: By taking care of the navigation for you, habit frees up your brain to have a conversation with someone or plan what to make for dinner when you get home.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen navigating less familiar routes or environments, where habit doesn\u2019t kick in automatically, you rely on brain regions \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0896-6273(02)00830-9\u0022\u003Esuch as the hippocampus\u003C\/a\u003E to call on detailed memories from recent experiences to help guide the way.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734324\/original\/file-20260506-57-evhixb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Aerial view of a busy intersection in a city, crowds of people milling about and buildings lit with animated billboards\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734324\/original\/file-20260506-57-evhixb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734324\/original\/file-20260506-57-evhixb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734324\/original\/file-20260506-57-evhixb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734324\/original\/file-20260506-57-evhixb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734324\/original\/file-20260506-57-evhixb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734324\/original\/file-20260506-57-evhixb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/734324\/original\/file-20260506-57-evhixb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EWhen visiting a new city, you might rely on your existing mental map of urban environments.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/photo\/shibuya-pedestrians-cross-a-busy-tokyo-intersection-royalty-free-image\/2203191177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EFrancesco Riccardo Iacomino\/Moment via Getty Images\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut let\u2019s say you\u2019re shopping at a new grocery store where most things are where you expect them to be, even though you\u2019ve never been in this particular store before. What happens when your brain experiences both something new and something familiar about an environment?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have shown that when something about an environment is familiar and aligns with your prior experiences, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1005238108\u0022\u003Eprefrontal regions of your brain\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 those responsible for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/articles\/executive-function\u0022\u003Eexecutive functions\u003C\/a\u003E such as decision-making \u2013 become more active. They can bypass or even inhibit your hippocampus\u2019s ability to form new memories about specific events.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn other words, your brain can weave information about a new experience into your database of existing knowledge, rather than storing it as completely new information with little relation to the past. This process may help \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1005238108\u0022\u003Efast-track your understanding\u003C\/a\u003E about new experiences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EUpdating Cognitive Maps\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers know that cognitive maps of the environment depend on the hippocampus and its database of memories about specific events. However, I and other researchers argue these maps can also \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/tops.12576\u0022\u003Efunction as a schema\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/your-brain-thinks-but-how-153951\u0022\u003Ecollection of memories\u003C\/a\u003E made up of associations between environmental details. You can add new information to these collections and use it to infer new relationships.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESay a new pedestrian bridge is built between the park and the post office. Your brain can more easily weave this new route information into your existing memories compared with learning a new environment from scratch. Similarly, if you just moved to a new town and know very little about the spatial layout, you might rely on your past experiences of towns to infer where something is.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\u0022440\u0022 height=\u0022260\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xoAUMmZ0pzc?wmode=transparent\u0026amp;start=0\u0022 frameborder=\u00220\u0022 allowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003ESchemas help you interpret and incorporate new information more quickly.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing neuroimaging techniques as well as virtual reality programs designed to test a participant\u2019s ability to navigate different routes, my team found that there is likely an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2026.121736\u0022\u003Einterdependent relationship\u003C\/a\u003E between the brain areas that store memories of specific events and areas that store related information across memories when planning to navigate less familiar places.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENew routes are more difficult to follow when they differ from your prior experiences. Thus, a stronger schema helps integrate your knowledge of the spatial relationships between locations and landmarks (such as the distance between the post office and the park) with more general knowledge (such as prior route difficulty). This all informs how you choose to navigate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ENavigating Daily Life\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese memory principles help explain why inconsistencies with your previous experiences can make it so difficult to navigate many aspects of daily life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImagine you woke up tomorrow and the GPS on your smartphone was no longer available. How will you plan your route to get to your destination?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou might be used to navigating north from your home to the grocery store \u2013 but have you ever tried to navigate to that grocery story from a different location? It\u2019s much harder!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFactors \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2020.03.006\u0022\u003Esuch as stress\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuron.2017.06.037\u0022\u003Eaging and general cognitive decline\u003C\/a\u003E can affect brain function and human behavior. Imagine how much harder that new route to the grocery store is for an older adult.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERelating new information to your prior experiences may help strengthen your schema and make navigation easier. And understanding what processes the brain needs to go through to solve these navigation problems can help you understand why getting around can be challenging.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg style=\u0022border-color:!important;border-style:none;box-shadow:none !important;margin:0 !important;max-height:1px !important;max-width:1px !important;min-height:1px !important;min-width:1px !important;opacity:0 !important;outline:none !important;padding:0 !important;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/279435\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022 referrerpolicy=\u0022no-referrer-when-downgrade\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-does-your-brain-decide-between-the-road-not-taken-or-the-same-old-route-resolving-conflicting-memories-is-key-to-navigation-279435\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearch suggests that people balance between exploration and habit \u2013 that is, trying something new or sticking with the familiar \u2013 when deciding what route to take.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research suggests that people balance between exploration and habit \u2013 that is, trying something new or sticking with the familiar \u2013 when deciding what route to take."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-09-03 12:32:37","changed_gmt":"2026-09-03 12:37:42","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681052":{"id":"681052","type":"image","title":"Which route should you take? The familiar or the unknown? francescoch\/iStock via Getty Images Plus","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWhich route should you take? The familiar or the unknown? \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/illustration\/illustration-of-man-lost-in-a-maze-full-of-royalty-free-illustration\/2190258403\u0022\u003Efrancescoch\/iStock via Getty Images Plus\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788438832","gmt_created":"2026-09-03 12:33:52","changed":"1788438832","gmt_changed":"2026-09-03 12:33:52","alt":"Which route should you take? The familiar or the unknown? francescoch\/iStock via Getty Images Plus","file":{"fid":"265403","name":"file-20260506-57-o7960s.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/03\/file-20260506-57-o7960s.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/03\/file-20260506-57-o7960s.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":157762,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/03\/file-20260506-57-o7960s.jpg?itok=QsEX3Jj3"}}},"media_ids":["681052"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-does-your-brain-decide-between-the-road-not-taken-or-the-same-old-route-resolving-conflicting-memories-is-key-to-navigation-279435","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"194974","name":"go-theconversation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/paulina-maxim-2635472\u0022\u003EPaulina Maxim\u003C\/a\u003E, Ph.D. Candidate in Psychology, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}