I've read about it a long time ago, but I just found this paper: http://www.ugr.es/~santiago/Santiago-LeftRightTimeMetaphor-2007.pdf http://www.ugr.es/~santiago

I've read about it a long time ago, but I just found this paper: http://www.ugr.es/~santiago/Santiago-LeftRightTimeMetaphor-2007.pdf http://www.ugr.es/~santiago/Santiago-LeftRightTimeMetaphor-2... EDIT: also the design of browser fwd/back buttons or VCR and tape recorder buttons seem to honor this theory.