Structuring the Environment Nudges Participants Toward Hierarchical Over Shortest Path Planning

Effective planning is crucial for navigating complex environments and achieving goals efficiently. In this study, we investigated how environmental structure influences the selection of planning strategies. Forty-two participants navigated a space station to collect colored spheres, with environments either structured (spheres grouped by color) or unstructured (spheres scattered randomly). We tested three types of plans: hierarchical (grouping spheres by color), shortest path (minimizing travel distance), and neutral (none of the above). By manipulating environmental structure, we were able to nudge participants toward a preference for hierarchical planning in structured environments, while shortest path plans were favored in unstructured environments. A mismatch between self-reported preferences and actual choices indicated that participants often adopted implicit strategies, unaware of their decision-making processes. These findings highlight the powerful effect of environmental cues on planning and suggest that even subtle changes in structure can guide the selection of planning strategies.