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.