Post by: Bruce_F on October 13, 2007, 06:39:36 AM
Then, post your results here.
My results...
Right Brain. 
Post by: Paddy on October 13, 2007, 07:59:07 AM
When I first looked at it, not doubt in my mind at all - the dancer was going clockwise - I'm right-brained.
Then I tried to "focus" and make her go the other way. Couldn't do it. Then I started looking only at her feet. Voila - managed to get her going the other way. Had to focus on her feet again to get her to go clockwise again.
So I'm predominantly right-brained? Ambidextrous?
Math and art were my two favorite and best subjects in school.
I will be fascinated to find out what my husband sees - he has a PhD in electrical engineering, so one would think that he might be predominantly left-brained.
Next question - how do you make an image that appears to turn one way for some people and the other way for others???
Post by: Bruce_F on October 13, 2007, 08:06:34 AM
QUOTE(Paddy @ Oct 13 2007, 05:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
That is really WEIRD, Bruce.
Next question - how do you make an image that appears to turn one way for some people and the other way for others???
Next question - how do you make an image that appears to turn one way for some people and the other way for others???
Good question! I haven't been able to see the figure going anti-clockwise no matter where I focus my attention.
Post by: pendragon on October 13, 2007, 09:52:00 AM
Now, if left brain and right brain cancel each other...
Post by: Bill-R on October 13, 2007, 12:29:31 PM
Strange.
Post by: kimmer on October 13, 2007, 01:43:55 PM
which seems fitting since I'm right handed.
BTW, I couldn't get her to go clockwise.
----edited to add-----
I dumped all my cookies, went back and bingo - she was going clockwise.
I don't get the source code, but could this be a spoof using different graphics?
Post by: Gregg on October 13, 2007, 02:16:30 PM
Post by: Bruce_F on October 13, 2007, 02:34:29 PM
QUOTE(kimmer @ Oct 13 2007, 11:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I dumped all my cookies, went back and bingo - she was going clockwise.
I don't get the source code, but could this be a spoof using different graphics?
I don't get the source code, but could this be a spoof using different graphics?
There's no trickery involved. The spinning figure is just an animated GIF. The illusion of seeing clockwise or counter-clockwise movement happens in the way our brains interpret the sequence of images.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on October 13, 2007, 04:37:15 PM
But I was surprised to see that she did not have an iPod with earphones...Another question, do you think she spins the same way in the southern hemisphere?
It may depend on how the electrons come down the 'pipe'! 
Post by: kcourt on October 13, 2007, 04:49:26 PM
Very interesting - guess I am both, though predominately right brain, because at first she was definitely turning right. Then when I tried to get her to turn left, she did it. I tried turning her back and forth several times and she always changed every time I tried.Not sure what this all means.
I had a minor in art from college and have always been very creative. On the other hand, I am very organized and do well with paper work, writing and spreadsheets, etc.Is this like being ambidextrous?
Kathy
Post by: Jack W on October 13, 2007, 06:54:32 PM
After watching her for a while, I could definitely see her change direction.
Am I imagining things???
Anyway, her sillouette (sp?) is nice and she is very plesant to watch.
Are these comments over the edge?
Jack
Post by: krissel on October 13, 2007, 08:29:37 PM
Besides looking at the feet, another way to easily switch directional spin is to look to the far left of the page (or right) and let your peripheral vision do the change. At times I could have her going back and forth and not actually spin around.
This isn't a matter of being right or left brained as there is really no such thing. The brain may be specialized in its activity in various areas but you aren't one or the other. Both sides of the brain have the capability of performing the activities ascribed to the other side, it's just that one tends to be more involved in either details or in the global view. Often brain injuries to one side show a marked diminution of some abilities but with training the 'other side' can learn to adapt. Then there are people who have lost a limb and are able to train the other arm to do the work of the missing part.
I did my Master's thesis on left-handedness and the educational system so I spent a lot of time reading on this subject, though a lot has been done in the 20 plus years since. What is most important to remember is the connection between the two halves (corpus callosum) that allows for the communication between the 'specialized' cortexes. It is the ability to make the information from both sides work together that gives one an advantage in a mulitfunctional society. Those who are heavily concentrated in activities attributed to one side or the other may fall more into the advanced category of the profession in which they work. Specialty focus can lead to in depth study and important discoveries.
But blending both has given us people like Leonardo da Vinci who had artistic and mathematical capabilities galore.
My favorite story to tell my students was about Samuel Morse. They all knew him as the inventor of the Morse code and the telegraph. But that is not quite the whole story. In fact S.F.B. Morse was a rather well know painter who also had a mechanical/mathematical mind. He used information he gleaned from others working on the telegraph to visualize how a proper keying system would work. He put it all together, made it work and got the credit. I told the kids that it was his visual/spatial thinking ability that allowed him to succeed where others could not.
Then there is M.C. Escher. Wow, what a mind and eye.
Yours truly has always had a mixed lot. As a kid I read an article about how you fold your hands, cross your arms, etc. It said those who put their right thumb on top were usually left handed and vice versa. Same for folding arms, crossing your legs. But I was right handed. I also rake like a left hander (left hand up near top of rake, shovel). But I'm a right hander. Then I started using the computer and due to repetitive stress I decided to 'train' my left hand to use the mouse. Now I can use it even for selecting the periphery of an object in Photoshop. Not bad. But don't ask me to write anything legible with it.
This is all very much an unknown area of study and fascinating for sure.
Here's another fun animation:
http://www.uq.edu.au/nuq/jack/bonneh.html
Post by: David on October 13, 2007, 08:47:01 PM
HOWEVER, when I turned my back to the screen and looked over my shoulder using a MIRROR - the REFLECTION WAS ALSO TURNING CLOCKWISE!
That shouldn't happen. Should it?
David L
Post by: Bruce_F on October 13, 2007, 08:55:21 PM
Post by: kimmer on October 13, 2007, 09:18:10 PM
QUOTE(krissel @ Oct 13 2007, 06:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Of course one wonders if the males observing the figure have trouble moving their gaze to the feet....
I finally grabbed a copy of the graphic, dupped it and opened both up side by side in browser windows. Sneakers and I both found that while watching we could make them switch directions at almost the same time. I'm not sure what that says about us, nor do I know where Sneakers was focusing
... but I was watching her feet. HAHAHABTW, I'm a rightie, Sneakers is a lefty and he tends to be more "visual" than I am, but he's also the more logical and detail oriented of the two of us. Go figure.
Post by: RobW on October 14, 2007, 07:40:00 AM
Actually, yesterday morning when I looked she was turning counter-clockwise--until I scrolled down the page--as the paged scrolled, she changed directions. Since then, last night and this morning, she's turning clockwise. 
Post by: Jack W on October 14, 2007, 09:01:20 AM
QUOTE(krissel @ Oct 13 2007, 09:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Of course one wonders if the males observing the figure have trouble moving their gaze to the feet....
Hey, she's got nice feet too!
And I did notice the first time I watched it.
So there!
Jack
Post by: dolphin on October 14, 2007, 10:45:33 AM
Post by: Gregg on October 14, 2007, 12:10:33 PM
Post by: chriskleeman on October 14, 2007, 12:38:01 PM
QUOTE(Gregg @ Oct 14 2007, 01:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
With all the additional posts, I had to try again. This time, it loaded. On dial-up, it's obvious to me that the image abruptly changes direction after a certain amount of time. The image flickers constantly, and as I watched it rotated one way and then the other. The time interval seemed pretty consistent.
That's what I thought too, but after staring at the dancer for a long while, I could only get her to change direction when I looked away and then looked back. Didn't matter what part of her I looked at...
Oh yeah, pretty much equal on both directions... how come I ain't no Leonardo?
Darn!
Post by: Gregg on October 14, 2007, 08:09:01 PM
Post by: snuffysbluff on October 14, 2007, 08:49:58 PM
Typical woman.
Gary B
Post by: kimmer on October 15, 2007, 01:46:05 PM
QUOTE
What this animation does not involve is different sides of the brain, as the initial post claims. What you see is purely due to your perceptual and cognitive flexibility.
What is a little scary is how threatened by this some people clearly feel. The blogosphere is rife with arguments and ingenious explanations of the lady, with some people simply refusing to believe it isn’t an animation tick that really changes direction every few minutes.
Even more common are the people who are sure they know how to make her change direction. According to them, the trick is to hold your head or hands in certain ways, tilt the screen or look at her out of the corner of one eye. It was what they were doing when they saw her change – so it must work. Right?
What is a little scary is how threatened by this some people clearly feel. The blogosphere is rife with arguments and ingenious explanations of the lady, with some people simply refusing to believe it isn’t an animation tick that really changes direction every few minutes.
Even more common are the people who are sure they know how to make her change direction. According to them, the trick is to hold your head or hands in certain ways, tilt the screen or look at her out of the corner of one eye. It was what they were doing when they saw her change – so it must work. Right?
Post by: Xairbusdriver on October 15, 2007, 09:53:19 PM
Post by: krissel on October 16, 2007, 12:57:31 AM
Hey, did anyone go to the link where the animation is duplicated side by side? (scroll down a little)
http://richarddawkins.net/forum/viewtopic....mp;sd=a#p445484
I was actually able to get them to go different directions at the same time, but only for a few seconds.
Post by: Gregg on October 16, 2007, 07:24:38 AM