17 June 2026 · The Guardian
Humans Prefer Walking Anticlockwise
Research shows that people naturally tend to walk anticlockwise. The reasons for this behavior remain unclear.
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Narration includes the headline and summary.
Adapted from The Guardian, 10 June 2026, and rewritten at three levels by Newslish. Newslish is not affiliated with the source. Read the original.
Key vocabulary
tendency
an inclination or natural disposition to behave in a certain way
“People have a tendency to follow the crowd.”
anticlockwise
in the direction opposite to the movement of the hands of a clock
“The dancers moved anticlockwise around the stage.”
bias
a preference or inclination, especially one that prevents impartial judgment
“The study showed a bias towards walking in one direction.”
mechanic
the underlying process or system that explains how something works
“The exact mechanic of this behavior is still unknown.”
serendipity
the occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way
“The discovery was a result of serendipity during the experiments.”
Quick quiz
01What direction do humans prefer to walk?
02Where were the experiments conducted?
03What remains unclear about the walking behavior?
04Which countries were mentioned in the study?
Discussion
Why do you think humans might prefer to walk anticlockwise?