[Psychology?] - Meeting someone in space upside down

[Deutherius]

Recently, after going on a youtube ISS video spree (mainly where they do Q&A with schools), I though about this issue:

Long version:

There is no up or down in space, which allows us to put stuff everywhere that wouldn't be possible without microgravity - like the sleeping cabins onboard the ISS being on every wall. We humans are, however, used to the concept of up and down, and our instruments are projecting this - most of the laptops, instruments and texts aboard the ISS are aligned, giving the impression that there is a floor and a ceiling, so the human occupants are usually aligned as well.

But there are of course situations where you would find yourself talking to someone who is upside down relative to you. Here on Earth that would be really weird - not many people will talk to you while doing a handstand (although I have met a guy who did - it was weird as hell). All of our natural facial recognition would get scrambled and you wouldn't be able to easily guess the emotions of the other person, for example. Lip reading would also be really hard.

But we can probably get used to it if exposed often to such a situation. Obviously not going to happen on Earth, but in microgravity...

TL;DR version:

If you meet someone in microgravity who is upside down relative to you, would you un/consciously rotate yourself so you are both aligned in "the right way"?

Would you get used to being upside down after spending some time in microgravity and being exposed to this situation often?

Personally, I think I would probably try to reorient myself. I also think that the ISS is build to prevent this situation as much as possible. I have no idea if I could get used to being upside down to someone.

If there was some research done on this subject, please link it - my google-fu was too weak to find anything.

[Bill Phil]

I would reorient. Out of courtesy.

[vger]

Not sure if this is relevant. Kinda wish I had recorded it because it was a fun little experiment.

There was an old multiplayer game series called Descent. The whole thing took place in zero gravity and you could thrust in any direction you wanted while fighting (think like a classic FPS but adding the Z-axis to freedom of movement).

While gravity didn't exist, there was clearly a "top" of the craft you were fighting in. One day I got bored and decided to treat a different direction as "down" then where the floor obviously was. The other players did seem to respond differently to how I was flying, but I can't remember the details.

[dryer_lint]

First, I would purposely flip around so I'm upside down. Then I would start spinning to disorient the guy. Finally, I would eject him out of the airlock, hijack the ISS, and loot it.

Or maybe I would just do what Bill Phil said.

[Tex_NL]

I guess most people will reorient.

On the other hand I am convinced you would get used to it after prolonged 'exposure'. The human mind/body has remarkable adaptive capabilities. I've seen experiments where soccer and basketball players were asked to wear special glasses that shifted their vision 5 to 10 degrees to the side. As expected as a result they weren't able to score any goal/baskets any more. But after only 10 to 15 minutes they had adapted and scored points as if they did not wear the glasses.

I've even seen a similar experiment were the subject wore special goggles that flipped their entire vision upside-down. At first they could barely walk but after a few days they functioned nearly as well as they did before.

So yes, I do think after some time you will adapt.

Edit: Look what I found:

This wiki link might also interest you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptual_adaptation

Edited April 12, 2015 by Tex_NL

[Armchair Rocket Scientist]

Not sure if this is relevant. Kinda wish I had recorded it because it was a fun little experiment.

There was an old multiplayer game series called Descent. The whole thing took place in zero gravity and you could thrust in any direction you wanted while fighting (think like a classic FPS but adding the Z-axis to freedom of movement).

While gravity didn't exist, there was clearly a "top" of the craft you were fighting in. One day I got bored and decided to treat a different direction as "down" then where the floor obviously was. The other players did seem to respond differently to how I was flying, but I can't remember the details.

"The enemy's gate is down."

[Deutherius]

Not sure if this is relevant. Kinda wish I had recorded it because it was a fun little experiment.

*snip*

Interesting. I believe Space Engineers multiplayer would allow you to test this as well - I don't have the game, but frequent players might know.

I've even seen a similar experiment were the subject wore special goggles that flipped their entire vision upside-down. At first they could barely walk but after a few days they functioned nearly as well as they did before.

I've heard about that experiment as well, but haven't seen it. Thank you for the links

[Leszek]

I guess most people will reorient.

On the other hand I am convinced you would get used to it after prolonged 'exposure'. The human mind/body has remarkable adaptive capabilities. I've seen experiments where soccer and basketball players were asked to wear special glasses that shifted their vision 5 to 10 degrees to the side. As expected as a result they weren't able to score any goal/baskets any more. But after only 10 to 15 minutes they had adapted and scored points as if they did not wear the glasses.

I've even seen a similar experiment were the subject wore special goggles that flipped their entire vision upside-down. At first they could barely walk but after a few days they functioned nearly as well as they did before.

So yes, I do think after some time you will adapt.

Edit: Look what I found:

This wiki link might also interest you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptual_adaptation

Ever since that experiment my mind has been attuned to gorillas. If you don't understand why this comment exists, that is ok, it just means you are not attuned to gorillas.

[Tw1]

Nope. Then I'd start an argument over which way was up.

Defs didn't binge watch this show all day after posting that clip...

Actually, I'm kidding. IDK what I'd do, depends on my mood.

Edited April 13, 2015 by Tw1

[sumghai]

An interesting blog post on this topic, albeit in the context of Star Trek ships:

http://cleverthingstosay.com/2010/01/28/space-and-the-y-axis/

[Brethern]

An interesting blog post on this topic, albeit in the context of Star Trek ships:

http://cleverthingstosay.com/2010/01/28/space-and-the-y-axis/

Personally I always assumed star trek ships were orientated the same direction because the main Alpha quadrant powers use the same navigation system.

[Deutherius]

An interesting blog post on this topic, albeit in the context of Star Trek ships:

http://cleverthingstosay.com/2010/01/28/space-and-the-y-axis/

Hah! no one can upside down the borg

This is interesting - in sci-fi, the look of the ships is usually a major concern - they have to be iconic, nice to look at, and the "right side up" is usually easily recognizable. But in real life, looks of the craft rarely matter as much as function does. I mean, how many lab mice common people would be able to identify the zenith and nadir directions of ISS vs. The Enterprise? When the Space Shuttle docked with the ISS, it was pretty much standing on its tail - oh the irritation! (...not)

With humanoid organisms, however, the "up" and "down" is pretty well defined, even just from terms of function - the "down" needs to deal with the ground, and the "up" is clearly build for a different purpose. And if you try to mix those two, painful things can happen.

Almost all of the popular science fiction spaceships include some kind of an artificial gravity, so this issue rarely comes up - although seeing it happen with spaceships as well as humanoids (and observe how they react in different universes) would be interesting.

[lajoswinkler]

At first, you would try to reorient yourself. It stops after a while. That's why astronauts are confused upon returning and need to be taken care of.

[LABHOUSE]

I cannot answer that question without it actually happening, so send me up there!

But I would just say every direction was sideways.

[Ethanadams]

If that was to happen to me I would stay upside down then ask him why is upside down