Science is Fun Fridays!

 


Our counterclockwise bias has been proven yet again.

A study back in 2013 looked specifically at mosh pits during heavy metal concerts.  And you can see the circle in motion.

Then in 2020, an international team was studying social distancing, and found that we may not be moving as randomly as we think.

So they set out to study this directly, and found a significant preference for turning left.

This was mapped across a variety of age groups, cultural settings, and spaces.

They also tested individual movement.  209 people were asked to walk freely within a hexagonal enclosure, and showed that without influence of a crowd, there is still a significant bias.

Researchers aren't sure why we do this, but they did rule out something in the eyes - participants were also patched and blindfolded, and the results did not change.

Understanding this can be important for building design and emergency planning.  If people are going to unconsciously want to go left....


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