Humans are not unique in having behavioral biases, as a recent study published in Scientific Reports has shown. The research discusses the visual field bias, where individuals are faster and more accurate at recognizing identities and emotions on one side of their visual field compared to the other. This bias is believed to develop in early childhood and may have social benefits if aligned with others.
Research on animals has shown that having biases can be beneficial. For example, chicks that peck with an eye bias are better at identifying food from pebbles, and those that monitor predators with a specific eye are less likely to be eaten. Biases free up brain resources, making animals more efficient at tasks that are critical for survival. The study found that having a bias is what matters for performance, rather than the specific direction.
The study raises questions about why many people have a right-hand bias for motor tasks and a left visual field bias for face processing. The researchers suggest that aligning with the majority may have social advantages, as animals that cooperate with the group are less likely to be targeted by predators. Those with the standard bias were not necessarily better socially, but individuals with a reversed bias were more likely to experience social difficulties and be diagnosed with conditions like autism or ADHD.
While the study does not establish a causal relationship between the reversed bias and autism or ADHD, it suggests that bias profiles could potentially be used as early markers for these conditions. Further research is needed to explore this potential link and its implications for understanding human behavior and development.