Psy 1f90 - Left Side Vs. Right Side Theatre Viewers

Josh Marano

6535983

PSYC 1F90

November 13, 2018

John Mitter

Victoria Parlatore

Seminar Number 12

Abstract

The main focus of the study conducted was to prove the findings of the four articles discussed with an experiment using a small group of students. The experiment consisted of students getting a sheet of paper, some stating they were watching a movie in a theatre and the other in a lecture hall learning biology. Students were then asked based on the sheet with the situation they received to illustrate where they would choose to be seated. To elaborate, the articles stated that people watching the movie would chose to sit on the left side of the theatre for their viewing experience whereas the people in the lecture would chose to sit on the right side to broaden their knowledge on the subject. The results of this however did not support the hypothesis of the theatre having more left side viewers and the lecture having right side viewers. Although the articles and the results did not match up there are many scientific facts to prove why one would sit in a designated side during a specific situation.

Introduction

It has been proven that a specific side of the room is linked to better intake of a specific topic. Being a movie theatre to watch the newest installment of a Spider-Man film, or sitting down and listening to a professor discuss biology for 2 hours. This is all connected based on the right and left hemisphere of the brain being able to take in different information to the fullest of its capabilities. Of course the situation a person is placed in ultimately decides which side of the brain is going to be working the hardest and it should be taken into account how and why this is able to occur.

Discussing two completely different situations should cause for a more scattered result of the seat in which a person chooses to take. This is actually not the case, a person is tempted to take a seat based solely on the situation and place they are given perhaps without even knowing it. This is all based on the right and left hemispheres of the brain. The right side of the brain is used to control the left side of the body, it is the more emotional and creative side of the brain, which one might use to listen to music. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and opposite to the right side it is the more analytical side meaning that it comprehends numbers and more scientific based subjects intently. From this information alone the hypothesis makes more sense, having people in the theatre choose seats to the right of the screen in order to have the viewing field on their left side first associating the right hemisphere with the creativity and being able to imagination first without having to solve problems would make sense. Again with the biology lecture, sitting on the left side in order to utilize the left hemispheres capabilities. As the movie shown was not specifically stated the chance of a genre biased would be out of question. Based on the genre of a movie, people may choose to actually sit on the left side. If its a movie with a concept they really need to grasp and understand they might choose the left side in order to full wrap their heads around the concept, like a documentary. However, since no such a genre was stated it is clear that this is just an experiment based on “going to the movies” and not knowing what is coming which should in fact lead to people choosing the right side. Another bias that may occur is the right hand bias. This is based on the right side dominance meaning that if someone is right handed they will choose the right side no matter what just based on habits. So, someone who is right handed might pick the right side in a lecture because they may feel it to be more comfortable and natural.

When given the role of a movie theatre or a lecture, it is more likely that the people in the theatre will sit on the right side and the people in the lecture will choose the left. This is natural based of the left and right hemispheres playing their roles in order to achieve maximum experience.

Method

Participants

A group of 23 students were gathered and handed sheets of paper. On the paper were seating charts that were identical. Specified on 11 of the students sheets was that they would be choosing a seat in a movie theatre, on 12 it stated the same but for a biology lecture. There was no predetermining factors involved in choosing the participants,