Structural modeling of the effective components in the spatial navigation ability of tourists with an emphasis on gender: a study on tourists in the context of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (AS)

جغرافیا و توسعه فضای شهری

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 10 September 2024   

Document Type: Case study

DOI: 10.22067/jgusd.2024.85419.1360

Authors

Maryam Zahed Nikseresht¹; Sanaz Saeedi Mofard^{* 2}; Maryam Daneshvar³; Toktam Hanaei⁴

¹PhD student of urban planning, Department, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University of Mashhad, Iran,

²Associate Professor of Urban Planning Department, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran,

³Assistant Professor of Urban Planning Department, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

⁴Associate Professor of Urban Planning Department, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Spatial ability in tourist navigation is a process based on travel guidance and route perception, the ability to read the environment and environmental knowledge in unknown environments and destinations, and it also creates differences depending on the gender of people. This category can promote and strengthen the feeling of comfort and awareness and sense of belonging to unknown environments in tourists. In this regard, the current research has tried to deal with the structural modeling of the effective components in the spatial navigation ability of tourists with an applied approach and "descriptive-analytical" methodology, emphasizing the intervening role of gender among tourists in the area around Imam Reza Shrine (AS) in Mashhad. . The data of the research was obtained by a survey method and by non-probability and simple random sampling with the questionnaire tool from the opinions of 100 tourists in the main routes around the Holy Shrine, i.e. Nawab and Tabarsi streets. For data analysis, structural equation modeling was used in AMOS software. The findings showed that the three components of sense of direction, spatial memory and spatial cognition have a positive and meaningful structural relationship to explain the spatial ability of tourists in the context around the shrine. Also, the effect of gender differences on the components of direction sense, spatial memory and spatial cognition is positive and significant. These findings show that the spatial navigation ability of tourists can change in quality depending on gender differences (male or female). In fact, gender differences are a category that can be effective in reading and understanding the environment better, recognizing and distinguishing better from the directions and geometric and physical dimensions of the environment, signs and signs and urban furniture, as well as different perception of the environment and different quality of remembering environmental characteristics. .

Keywords

spatial ability; navigation; direction sense; gender; Mashhad

References