Toilet paper orientation

[6] The case study of "toilet paper orientation" has been used as a teaching tool in instructing sociology students in the practice of social constructionism.

[8] The over position reduces the risk of accidentally brushing the wall or cabinet with one's knuckles, potentially transferring grime and germs;[9] makes it easier to visually locate and to grasp the loose end;[10] gives the option to fold over the last sheet to show that the room has been cleaned;[11] and is generally the intended direction of viewing for the manufacturer's branding, so patterned toilet paper looks better this way.

The case study of "toilet paper orientation" is an important teaching tool in instructing sociology students in the practice of social constructionism.

On the first day of Burns' introductory course in sociology, he asks his students, "Which way do you think a roll of toilet paper should hang?

"[35] In the following fifty minutes, the students examine why they picked their answers, exploring the social construction of "rules and practices which they have never consciously thought about before".

[34] Christopher Peterson, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, classifies the choice of toilet paper orientation under "tastes, preferences, and interests" as opposed to either values or "attitudes, traits, norms, and needs".

She warns that neuroimaging experiments—which as of 2007 were beginning to probe behaviors from mental rotation and facial expressions to grocery shopping and tickling—must strive to avoid such cultural bias and stereotypes.

[38] In his book Conversational Capital, Bertrand Cesvet gives toilet paper placement as an example of ritualized behavior—one of the ways designers and marketers can create a memorable experience around a product that leads to word-of-mouth momentum.