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Why can reading in a car make motion feel wrong?

A book appears steady in your hands while the car turns, brakes, and accelerates. Your senses are receiving different clues about motion. Sensory-conflict theory offers an explanation for why that mismatch can feel unpleasant, while leaving room for differences between people and situations.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • What motion information comes from the eyes, and what comes from the inner ear?
  • Why might seeing the outside world change the information available?

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Why can reading in a car make motion feel wrong? | Speech Topic | speaking.app