The Trippiest Optical Illusions on the Net!
Instead of concentrating on her chest, concentrate on the woman's movement. If you see her spinning clockwise, that means you're using the right side, or more creative side of your brain. If she appears to be moving counter-clockwise, then that means the left side, or more logical side of your think muscle is superior.
At the Switched office, some of us see her going clockwise, others see her spinning counter-clockwise. At least one of us claims to see both, while another one of us opened this animation in Adobe ImageReady in order to isolate the frames to see if there's any direction-changing funny business going on. There isn't.
Take the test for yourself. Then, if you have time for a 50-question survey, compare these instant results to a more thorough diagnosis.
From Gizmo Watch
But wait! We have more optical illusions for you!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
janegirll @ Oct 18th 2007 11:55AM
I took the 50 question quiz and it said i was 56% left brained and 44% right brained, and yet, I see the silhouette spinning clockwise, which as you stated in the article, means that my right side is dominant. So, I think this might work on some people but there are definitly some discrepancies for me.
Ed @ Apr 10th 2008 6:16AM
I saw it going counter-clockwise first, then after a few minutes I saw it going clockwise. On the test I got 64% right and 36% left.
CUBSWILLWIN @ Apr 10th 2008 7:50AM
I actually saw them both, counter clock and clockwise, and I took the test which showed up 51 percent right brained and 49 left. Weird. I'm half and half!
Encoding @ Apr 10th 2008 10:23PM
When I look right at her it's going clockwise.
however, when i concentrated and read the text under the image, i can see it shift to counter clockwise.
Audrey Salaam @ Jun 19th 2008 9:12PM
I have conluded that she is spinning in both directions. When she is spining backward leading with her right arm and right leg, pivoting on her left foot, she is going in a clockwise direction. Then she changes to spinning backward leading with her left arm and left leg, pivoting on her right foot, she is going in a counter clockwise direction. You can readily see when she changes direction.
Bruce @ Oct 18th 2007 1:13PM
This is not a test of right or left brain use. It is a come-on to get you to spend money for a full analysis evaluation if you take their 50 question test. Also, for me, she spins clockwise and then reverses every time I scroll away then back. What I switch brain sided from scrolling? This is a test, but not for which side of the brain you are using.
Andy @ Oct 18th 2007 1:40PM
I was able to see it both ways. I could change the direction by blinking or looking away then 'making' it go the other way. Next, I'll try to make it change direction without breaking eye contact. On the 53? question quiz, I was 46/54% left/right, so the illusion makes sense.
Libb @ Apr 10th 2008 9:59AM
Same here - I originally saw it spinning clockwise until I read further in the article to where it said counterclockwise, and when I looked back up at the animation, she was suddenly spinning counterclockwise. I just have to think about what direction she should spin, and then look at it and she'll be spinning that way. I sure as hell ain't ambidextrous (I'm very much right-hand dominant), but maybe I'm able to use both sides equally...
Or it could be the fact that I'm on my 34th hour without sleep and I forgot to grab a coffee before sitting down in lab class. One more hour to go, then it's off to Starbucks for a refresher, if I can make it without passing out on my keyboard...
twilightfun @ Oct 19th 2007 1:12PM
It's easy to see it both ways. Just look at each foot along with its corresonding shadow underneath.
First Clockwise: Just observe the straight leg and its shadow, watching the toes on both the figure and its shadow turn right. Simply let the foot make the full rotation and that's all.
To do counter-clockwise: All that's required is to instead watch the both the extended leg and its shadow, following it as it rotates 'round from the left side of the screen in the opposite direction. Just, as before, go full circle.
There ya go -- you can see it either way like that, just make sure to follow the foot around each direction in order catch the complete rotation.
There are a few extra moves, but this'll get most anyone not able to see it both ways started. Have fun. [Smile]
careful observer @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:49PM
This is not an optical illusion. Watch carefully for a few minutes. Her left leg is pointed and she spins one way and then it slows down and she spins the other way with her right leg pointed. This is just a computer graphic- nothing more.
PhoenixM @ Apr 15th 2008 11:21AM
I just loaded the source .gif file into an animation program. There's no "computer graphic" trick here; the .gif file contains one and only one rotation of the dancer. Any changes you're seeing in the pointing of her foot are changes you're projecting into it subconsciously.
john @ Oct 22nd 2007 4:45PM
After spending quite some time with this fantastic optical illusion, I have gotten so that, if I concentrate very hard, I can see it make a half rotation clockwise followed by a half rotation counter clockwise . . . I believe the video is programed to do this. But if I lose concentration, it will make rotations either clockwise or counter clockwise.
Kevin @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:54AM
For me it moved both ways. It would go clockwise, then counter-clockwise. I didn't blink or scroll or do anything. It would just change while I was looking at it.
diane @ Oct 23rd 2007 6:49PM
This is very cool. She spins clockwise if I watch her body and counter clockwise if I watch the shadow then work my way up to her body. But when I look from her body to her shadow quickly she switches direction over and over... I don't care how its done, it's cool.
Maxi @ Oct 27th 2007 12:50PM
Wow, I saw it counter for 2 seconds and then only saw it clockwise, until I read twilights tip, then I could change it back and forth willingly...
Bruce, don't be an un-educated dunce. -_- It depends on the spot in which you are concentrating, hence it being an optical illusion, lol
You are actually focusing, or not focusing, on a part when you first glace at it after scrolling, and then your eyes most likely adjust.... Either way, you're doing something wrong, as if you follow twilight's tips, you can change them willingly just by concentrating on one spot or another. =]
kathybear4 @ Oct 27th 2007 9:10PM
I can't see it going counter-clockwise. The foot lifts off the "floor" but it still goes around the same way with the leg outstretched.
Tat2Duck @ Dec 18th 2007 5:24PM
I am an artist. When I first read about this illussion I wanted to see it. When it loaded up the girl was going counter-clockwise. I took my eyes of the screen and when I looked again it was going clockwise. I could not get it to go back. My eyes went down to the text (looking for an explanation) and she started spinning counter-clockwise. Which leads me to believe that when I am reading, my left hemisphere takes over, otherwise my right hemisphere takes over. Cool stuff!
Apxi @ Apr 10th 2008 2:39AM
the shadow proves that its going counter clockwise. if you look at the shadow for a second you can see it moving counter clockwise. i saw it clockwise at first, then i was able to switch back and forth, but once i saw the shadow i knew that it was counter clockwise.
Rob @ Apr 10th 2008 2:43AM
I just decide which leg she is spinning on. If I think it is her right leg, she spins counter-clockwise. Then I imagine she is spinning on her left leg and all of a sudden she is spinning clockwise. Try it.
Mo @ Apr 10th 2008 2:46AM
Crazy.. so when i look at it it goes clockwise.. as soon as i think hard on a math problem it goes counter clock wise