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Thursday, November 01, 2007

Right-Brained vs. Left-Brained

A few weeks ago, the Herald Sun had an interesting test that is supposed to tell whether you are more right-brained or left-brained. The test is simple: just look at the image of the dancer below...



Is she spinning clockwise or counter-clockwise? If you see her spinning counter-clockwise, as most people supposedly do, then you use more of the left side of your brain. If you see her spinning clockwise, then you're more right-brained.

OK, so what exactly does that mean? Here's how they break it down:
    LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
    uses logic
    detail oriented
    facts rule
    words and language
    present and past
    math and science
    can comprehend
    knowing
    acknowledges
    order/pattern perception
    knows object name
    reality based
    forms strategies
    practical
    safe
    RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
    uses feeling
    "big picture" oriented
    imagination rules
    symbols and images
    present and future
    philosophy & religion
    can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
    believes
    appreciates
    spatial perception
    knows object function
    fantasy based
    presents possibilities
    impetuous
    risk taking
When I first looked at the picture, I saw her spinning clockwise. But it seems I'm a switch-hitter. If I concentrate for a second, I can make her spin the other way.

Go on and give it a try!

1 comment:

Chris Wilde said...

I can see her spinning either way, depending on where she is in her motion at the moment my eye catches the picture.

In spite of its alleged tendencies, though, my left brain tells me she's really spinning counter-clockwise, because the shadow on the floor is wrong for clockwise motion. The fact that the shadow of her raised leg enters from the foreground indicates that the light source is behind her. Therefore, the shadow should only enter the frame when her leg is pointing away from the camera (unless she was lowering that leg toward the floor, which she's not). The clockwise illusion causes her right and left legs to exchange position, and causes the raised leg to appear pointed toward the camera as the shadow enters the frame, which is all wrong.

The right side of my brain says, "With a figure like that, I'll watch her spin around any way she likes!"

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