Individual locomotor bias drives counterclockwise motion in pedestrian crowds.

Abstract

Pedestrian walking behaviour is intrinsic to individuals, yet it is influenced by external factors such as obstacles and the degree of crowding. It is precisely in crowded scenarios that pedestrian interactions lead to collective motions, such as lane formation or waves. Recently, the spontaneous development of collective counterclockwise motion has been reported in both dense and sparse human assemblies. Here we present five experimental studies of this phenomenon conducted across diverse conditions in Spain and Japan, demonstrating that counterclockwise bias in roaming pedestrians is a robust and reproducible feature and originates from individual tendencies rather than from collective interactions. These findings challenge the traditional view that social dynamics shape pedestrian motion, highlighting the existence of an intrinsic locomotor bias.