Brains Are Weird
Someone, Explorations in Learning, October 12, 2007.

I've covered this illusion before. You can learn to see the dancer spin both ways - it has to do with where you focus your attention. It has nothing to do with being right-brained or left-brained, so far as I know. I wonder where these fictions get started. Certainly, nothing seems to stop them from showing up in newspapers. (Hits Today: 1 Total: 579) [Direct Link] [Tags: none]

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Re: Brains Are Weird

Anymouse, October 13, 2007

You're absolutely right. One of my professors is a guy called John Geake who performs research on brain activity using imaging and has conclusive evidence that most tasks involve both multiple areas in both hemispheres of the brain. He has said in as many words that the concept of left-brain/right-brain is a myth. Much of his research goes over my head, but he has explained some of it to me in terms I can understand. For those who are interested, it might be worth googling his name.

Karyn Romeis [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

Re: Brains Are Weird

, October 14, 2007

So can you explain where to focus one's attention to see the dancer spinning both ways? [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

Re: Brains Are Weird

, October 14, 2007

Thanks for making this post. It's all to easy to get caught up in a fascinating illusion and just go with the newspaper explanation. Brain-related research is not my area, but I'm wondering: if one has to learn how to do something to go against the brain's natural preference, then something brain-related is occurring whether or not it's a brain hemisphere dominance. Perhaps, in addition to talking about how to focus one's attention, you could comment on the basis of the illusion, too.

Charles

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Re: Brains Are Weird

, October 14, 2007

If you focus on the feet of the dancer she will turn anticlockwise, if you focus on her shoulders she will turn clockwise. [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

Re: Brains Are Weird

Anymouse, October 15, 2007

Well, I focus and focus on her shoulders, but she's still turning anticlockwise... [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

Re: Brains Are Weird

Anymouse, October 15, 2007

I think it may have something to do with eyesight as well. For me, she seems to alternate clockwise and counterclockwise. I'm thinking that my poor and off-balance eyesight may be the cause. [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

Re: Brains Are Weird

Anymouse, October 15, 2007

Just because the illusion isn't valid for one reason, doesn't mean it isn't indicative of something. Personally it doesn't matter where I look she always spins clockwise. But I could quickly "learn" to make her spin the otherway. Once I had that trick though again it didn't matter where I looked to do it.

Again what is described as being left brained and right brained doesn't vanish just because someone proves that the brain activity is the same for both in a scanner (what vanishes is the assumed reason).

Just because Star signs were made up and there is no evidence that the alignment of planets allows you to make generalizations about people traits, doesn't prove that the same generalizations can't be made based on more mundane reasons (like prevailing temperatures during the early stage of development etc.) Disproving a false cause doesn't disprove the effect.

Actually I think the so called left brained and right brained traits make a good starting point assessing your own abilities and strengths. None of which stops you from training to aquire skills you were originally weak in. [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

Re: Brains Are Weird

Anymouse, November 1, 2007

I have had this emailed to me before, I must be ambidextrous (or something) because I can get her to spin both ways and even get her to spin back and forwards all in the one motion. [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

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