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Treacherous Pavements: Paving Slab Patterns Modify Intended Walking Directions
Ute Leonards1, John G Fennell1, Gaby Oliva1
1School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Plos One
|June 13, 2015
Summary
Walking direction is influenced by floor patterns. Oblique paving slabs caused participants to veer significantly, challenging the idea that visual input is unimportant for locomotion on even surfaces.
Area of Science:
- Locomotion research
- Human visual perception
- Architectural design
Background:
- Locomotion research suggests visual input is less critical for walking on even surfaces.
- Motion perception literature indicates that visual patterns, like oblique lines, can influence directional stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of floor pattern orientation on human locomotion.
- To test whether visual cues from floor patterns affect the ability to walk straight.
Main Methods:
- Participants walked over paving slabs with varying pattern orientations.
- The study measured participants' ability to maintain a straight path.
Main Results:
- Participants exhibited considerable veering (up to 8%) depending on the floor pattern orientation.
- Results align with predictions from motion perception studies regarding the aperture problem.
Conclusions:
- Visual information from floor patterns can significantly affect locomotion direction, contrary to some existing theories.
- Findings may have implications for architectural design, particularly concerning the visual properties of pedestrian surfaces.
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