Individual differences in knowledge network navigation

As online information accumulates at an unprecedented rate, it is becoming increasingly important and difficult to navigate the web efficiently. To create an easily navigable cyberspace for individuals across different age groups, genders, and other characteristics, we first need to understand how they navigate the web differently. Previous studies have revealed individual differences in spatial navigation, yet very little is known about their differences in knowledge space navigation. To close this gap, we conducted an online experiment where participants played a navigation game on Wikipedia and filled in questionnaires about their personal information. Our analysis shows that participants' navigation performance in the knowledge space declines with age and increases with foreign language skills. The difference between male and female performance is, however, not significant in our experiment. Participants' characteristics that predict success in finding routes to the target do not necessarily indicate their ability to find innovative routes.