People who grew up in the countryside DO have a better sense of direction than those from cities

People who grew up in rural areas have better sense of direction than those raised in cities, particularly cities with grid-pattern streets, a new study says. Researchers say it may be because the countryside has more disorderly road layouts, which effectively primes the brain for remembering and navigating environments. The scientists from France and London tested nearly 400,000 people from 38 countries on their spatial navigation, using a video game called Sea Hero Quest. The mobile game, designed to help research into dementia, involves directing a virtual boat around certain routes that players have had to memorise. The authors found that individuals who grew up in more structured, grid-like cities, such as Chicago, performed better on game levels with a similar grid-like layout.