On Which Bathroom Stall to Choose
We have probably never been as aware of the germs around us as we are now thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. As many of us prepare to head back to the office (or out in public in general!), Behavioural Science might be able to contribute to more than just your work, it can also help you pick the least icky bathroom stall at work!
What Bathroom Stall Should I Choose?
Ah, the age-old question. When in a public restroom, which stall do you choose?
There is a clear ‘right choice’ to this question. The least gross, least used stall is the best.
Why? Well… because of germs! Basically, we would assume that the stall with the most *ahem* customers would have increased likelihood of exposure to a particularly nasty pathogen that could make us sick.
Plus the least used is also most likely to be the least gross in terms of other people’s *ahem* hygiene practices.
In a lineup of stalls, there will be some stalls that have been more heavily visited than others. And this is where the Behavioural Science comes in. Based on the psychology of decision-making, which is the most heavily used stall, and which one should I use instead?
Whatever You Do, Don’t Choose The Middle Stall!
Let’s say there is a row of 3 to 5 bathroom stalls. A number of concepts from Behavioural Science say to avoid the middle stall as much as you can. Here’s why:
The Centrality Principle: When given a choice of similar options, people prefer the middle option. Researchers have found that often enough 2/3rds of people go for the middle option, and the remaining 1/3rd go for the rest of the other options combined. This is likely due to a preference for minimal effort - the middle option is right there. No thinking required!
The Easy-Option Principle: The things that are most easily reached will be chosen more. That middle stall is easier to get to than the far one. People tend towards what’s easiest.
The Gaze Cascade Effect: What you look at is what you tend to choose. Researchers have found that when making a choice, where you gaze will often be what you choose. And the more you look at an option, the more you tend to like it. With the middle stall option often being what people tend to look at, the Gaze Cascade Effect makes it feel like the right choice.
Science aside, what do we see happening in the real world? A famous 1995 study by psychologist Nicholas Christenfeld collected data on which stalls were being used most by way of measuring how fast toilet paper was needing to be replaced in the various stalls. 60% of finished toilet rolls came from the middle stalls, whereas the remaining 40% come from the other stalls combined. Not saying the end stalls were significantly cleaner, just the middle stalls were more used.
But wait! What if there are 4 stalls? How do I know what counts as ‘the middle’?
We can figure out which ‘middle’ stall to avoid! Which side is the door on? The Easy-Option Principle would suggest that the ‘closest’ middle stall to the bathroom entrance would be the one with higher traffic, and should be avoided.
How do we know this? The MAGIC Lab at Goldsmith University London was researching which card people tend to choose in a lineup of 4 identical face-down cards. Most people chose the third card from the left (a middle card) but people who were left-handed chose the second card from the left (also a middle card - but this time the easier one for them to reach). When applying this same concept to bathroom stalls, if the ‘middle’ is not easy to assess (say, because there are an even number of stalls), factor in where the washroom entrance sits. The middle stall closer to the washroom entrance is the one to be avoided.
Should We Be Scared Of The Public Restroom?
Science says, no. Yes there are germs there, but if your immune system is functioning properly, there is little to worry about. Many of the disease-causing germs that fly around in the washroom can’t survive very long outside of the human body. Researchers have found the same kinds of microbes in the public washroom compared to the ones that exist in your own home - so the likelihood of anything particularly spicy in a public washroom is low. Plus they also found that the really nasty pathogens can’t survive long outside the body and died as soon as they hit the bathroom surfaces. According to physicians, the toilet seat and toilet area is actually not such a risk factor, but be wary of other surfaces like faucets and door knobs. So, the moral of the story is actually wash your hands. The easiest thing to do is to continue your pandemic era hand-washing habit, so you don’t get freaked out and leave when in a public washroom just to get out of there.
Love,
