GPS & Disobedience: A study in human behavior

Last Christmas a very thoughtful gift giver gave me a Tom Tom GPS.

It is a great gift for me because as anyone who knows me can tell you, I can get only two places well when left to my own devices: The Mall or Lost.

The tom tom was so convenient and portable, I even took it with me on a business trip to Vegas. After my business obligations were fulfilled, we jumped in the rental car and sped along our merry way. What I found so interesting is that when the GPS gave explicit directions to turn left or right, my husband sometimes insisted that we go his way. Of course, that led to a few u-turns and laughs.

I wonder if the voice on the GPS had been a male voice, would he have followed the directions a little more closely? Hmm…..

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