An investigation of left/right driving rules on deviations while walking

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Human Behavior
• Locomotion Studies

Background:

• Humans exhibit a characteristic rightward deviation when passing through apertures.
• This rightward bias is often attributed to attentional biases affecting spatial perception.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of driving side (left-side vs. right-side) on the rightward deviation phenomenon.
• To determine if national driving practices modify pre-existing attentional biases.

Main Methods:

• Participants from Australia (left-side drivers) and Switzerland (right-side drivers) walked through a central aperture.
• Body sway was controlled by initiating the walk with either the left or right foot.

Main Results:

• Body sway significantly affected participants' position within the aperture.
• Australians exhibited greater sway, potentially due to national gait differences.
• A significant rightward deviation was observed in Swiss participants but not in Australians.

Conclusions:

• Driving practices appear to have a small, additive effect on rightward attentional biases.
• The rightward bias is amplified in right-side drivers and reduced in left-side drivers.
• Gait and national differences may also contribute to variations in spatial deviation.