A little experiment

[Globex]

So why do some people see it one way and some the other?

I don't know but I'm reluctant to believe the left-brain/right-brain explanation. Maybe it has to do with the position of the dancer's foot when they first glance at the picture. Perhaps its affected by whether they are left-handed or right handed. I find the first explanation more likely but the second possibility is also plausible (or both explanations may factor in).

I don't think there is one deciding factor that determines which direction a person sees the dancer spinning.

 

[Bast]

Clockwise. I don't think your spoiler 1 and 2 worked. Because it's not about what side of the brain you've immediately used. It's about which side of the brain you use most of the time.

So whilst, I might've picked Spoiler 1 which required a lot of left-brain activity, as soon I got the solution, my brain might've reverted back to the right-brain mode that I'm comfortable in.

I say this because I'm a right-brain dominated person. I can switch the picture but it's about catching you by surprise. I didn't expect to see that picture there and when I saw it, it was going clockwise.

So obviously I can force myself to think left-brain but my dominant and comfortable way of thinking is right-brain.

In that sense, it worked because there was an element of surprise. I didn't expect to see that picture in Spoiler 3 even though I've seen it before.

 

[Mirc]

I don't know but I'm reluctant to believe the left-brain/right-brain explanation. Maybe it has to do with the position of the dancer's foot when they first glance at the picture. <snip>

That was my conclusion too (in an earlier post in this thread), so I agree entirely. I'm getting more and more convinced that it's true.

 

[Loppan Torkel]

That was my conclusion too (in an earlier post in this thread), so I agree entirely. I'm getting more and more convinced that it's true.

But you can change the spin pretty easily, can't you?! Myself, I'm pretty much stuck on clockwise turn, with an occasional change if I try hard and use tricks.

Looking up my left corner and trying to see her spin anti clockwise in my mind and the periphery, while working myself down with this imagination in my head, works sometimes. The test bugged me pretty good, knowing it's in my imagination and not being able to change...

It would be interesting to see if the right/left hand hypothesis has any merit, I think it could have, but that would also indicate that it is a left/right brain thingy after all.

It's also interesting that the link that was provided states that most people see anti-clockwise. It doesn't look like it here, but then again the people here might not be representative for the common people...

 

[Mirc]

But you can change the spin pretty easily, can't you?! Myself, I'm pretty much stuck on clockwise turn, with an occasional change if I try hard and use tricks.

Yeah I can... Being stuck on clockwise turn might be because of how you got used to it and how you expected it at first to be after you first saw it turn clockwise. I don't know, might be.

 

[Ammar]

I always see her turn clockwise. Being a mathematician however I find it funny that this test would say I am not the logical type.

 

[Loppan Torkel]

I always see her turn clockwise. Being a mathematician however I find it funny that this test would say I am not the logical type.

The question is - are you a good mathematician?

 

[Ammar]

The question is - are you a good mathematician?

Depends how you define good. At University I was the best of my year (about 16 people). Am I Riemann material? Nah.

 

[Luckymoose]

Trick question, the dancer is set in a loop of switching positions.

 

[LucyDuke]

I think this "left-brain dominant"/"right-brain dominant" is more-than-less hooey. Only El Mac can convince me otherwise.

 

[CrazyScientist]

The trick to see it one way or the other is in how you imagine your perspective. Orient the dancer in your brain as if you were looking down on her from above, and you will see her going counter-clockwise. Imagine lying down & looking up at the bottom of her foot, and it is going clockwise (at least that worked for me).
I saw her going counter-clockwise first, after doing the math problem, so score one for priming.

 

[azzaman333]

I cheated.

 

[Globex]

I cheated.

I should have put a fifth option in the poll for cheaters like you.

 

[illram]

I cannot for the life of me see her going clockwise. To even figure it out in the first place, I had to imagine looking down on her from above, and then it became clear she was going counter-clockwise. Her leg constantly moves to the left. That is now permanently embedded in my brain it seems. Weird.

Good thing I also chose spoiler 2, because I would not have had a clue as to spoiler 1.

edit: so that means I am "left brained" huh? Judging from the characteristics on the link in the OP, I have a lot more "right brained" qualities than left brained. I remain skeptical... (but I would like to know how people see it go different directions!)

 

[LightFang]

A small hint: concentrate on the bottom part of the image. I concentrated on her foot bouncing up and down...and it flipped.

 

[azzaman333]

I should have put a fifth option in the poll for cheaters like you.

I wouldn't have voted that option anyway.

 

[Globex]

I wouldn't have voted that option anyway.

You would have voted falsely to throw off the results of my poll? Curséd fiend!

 

[azzaman333]

You already voted falsely to throw off the results of my poll? Curséd fiend!

Fixt .

 

[general_kill]

I opened spoiler 1. Option B

I can only get her to switch directions by focusing on her bottom foot.

 

[Trajan12]

I don't think it's that some people naturally use one side of their brains more, but that the tasks asked of you in the spoilers required you to use different sides of your brain(left for creativity in analyzing an artwork, right for math equation).

I can change directions almost at will though, just a matter of refocusing.