Choosing your seat on an airplane is a big deal. people obsessively check SeatGuru.com before picking a seat or even pay more for a certain position on the plane. why? "It's a rare opportunity to have some control over your environment when traveling." Explains psychologist and University of Washington professor Jonathan Bricker, Ph.D. "That's very significant for the traveler." Indeed, ask people whether they're an aisle or window person, and they don't hesitate to answer.