How does the brain work?

How does the  brain work is still one of most intriguing unresolved mysteries of science.  Here is one practical test that will show you just how amazing and hard it is to evaluate how does the brain work.

You need to look at the animation and tell if you see the dancer turning clockwise or anti-clockwise. You may think that it is clear that is is turning only way way. It turns out that different people have different perception of what is really happening. If you see it turn clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.

You can also try to concentrate and try to turn the dancer other way around just by using your brain!

0,,5693171,00 How does the brain work?

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

Original article here

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29 Comments

  1. Charne
    Jul 14th, 2009

    It is freakin awsim i did not believe it in the begin but stare at it for a long time and it's true,wow it's great how the humans brain works.....

  2. Rosemarie
    Jul 13th, 2009

    I observe that there are more rotations clockwise but not in sequential order. Then the dancer will turn counter-clockwise for a few rotations, and then clockwise.
    When this article was organized, what was the intent of the researcher. What is the real pattern of the dancer? Is there one, or is it truly based on our own patterns?

  3. bryan
    Jun 12th, 2009

    o yea, also after studying it a bit more, if u watch the hips, you'll also notice that when it turns clock-wise, the hips swing out 2 the right, where as when it turns counter-clockwise, it swings to the left. heres how i tested that, when going clock-wise, place ur mouse on the far right side of her but, when shes facing away from u. an when she "appears" to be spinning counter clockwise, you mouse wont touch her butt anymore. her butt will appear on the other side. thats not a brain trick, just an allusion.

  4. bryan
    Jun 12th, 2009

    this is fake. its a trick. they have it so the girl turns both ways, but what fools you is her shadow. that's whats making you mess up. if u watch her leg when it goes clock-wise, you'll notice when it spins it seems her leg is facing toward you, yet her shadow is facing the other way. they looped the shadow, and had the girl randomly go each way.

  5. Hawkeye Parker
    May 22nd, 2009

    What a fantastic moving image. After looking at it for 15 mins or so, I ended up in this state where it would switch back and forth on each rotation: half clockwise, half counter clockwise.

    From my reading on the mind/brain, my sense is that things are far too complicated and unknown (at this point) to really say "x is happening in the right brain." Of course, both halves of the brain are very tightly coupled, and a lot of information/energy is travelling back and forth between the halves. It's one brain, after all, and there are many different parts of it. Some might even include the entire nervous system as "part of the brain." There are sides of the brain which appear "dominant" in many people during certain types of thinking. But, still, it's just much more complex than "when you're thinking of x it's happening in the right side of the brain." And, statements like "creativity happens on the right side of the brain" are so general and simplified, that I think they create much more confusion than actual helpful information.
    Moreover, every person is very specific: gender, genetics, experience, etc. all have a dynamic effect on the brain (and hence the mind).

    A tough read, but one that doesn't make blanket statements or dumb things down:

    The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are by Daniel J. Siegel
    http://www.biblio.com/isbn/9781572307407.html

    Also recommend reading wisebrain.org for great articles and audio/video on the mind/brain.

    In my experience, finding a good psychotherapist (one with whom you feel comfortable and can establish a good rapport), and going to therapy every week for a long time can really help expand the mind (this is regardless of whether you think you have a "mental problem" or not. Imho, we all have a "mental problem", i.e., being human). I can't stress enough how important it is to find a therapist with whom you're comfortable: don't "settle" for someone who doesn't feel right. Also, regular meditation, esp. "insight" meditation (ala the Buddhist Vipassana tradition), is a wonderful practice for developing a better understanding of how your mind works.

  6. Donna
    Apr 24th, 2009

    If you stare at her hips and envision them turning the other way, she switches direction. Fun!

  7. harry
    Jan 25th, 2009

    i dont know y but this thing is not working anymore(it was fine a min ago),i think my brain has gone nuts.

  8. harry
    Jan 25th, 2009

    when u see her hand that is close to her body she appears to turn anti clockwise and when u concentrate on her hand that is away from her she turns clockwise.

  9. floyd
    Jan 13th, 2009

    im more right brained stimulated
    after figuring it out
    i could make her turn either way

  10. rajesh
    Jan 11th, 2009

    i think it is anti-clockwise

  11. ashvathe
    Nov 10th, 2008

    i think this is fake...............but not sure

  12. Jake
    Oct 12th, 2008

    I think this is fake...but not sure

  13. jenny
    Oct 1st, 2008

    i agree with nat.
    when i look at the base of the foot and the shadows, i can change the directions

  14. jenny
    Oct 1st, 2008

    when i first saw it, it turned anti-clockwise for me
    but
    when i tried to imitate the lady's spins and looked at it's feet, it turned to clockwise.

  15. Chelsea
    Sep 10th, 2008

    Wow, this is really interesting! We looked at this in assembly today at school.

    At first, I only saw it going clockwise, and then I almost swore I saw it anticlockwise after that, but now I can only see it going clockwise no matter how hard I try! But I can't see her turning, she was just suddenly going a different way when I turned back to look at her.

  16. Sheen
    Aug 13th, 2008

    Haha, I can turn her around at will. xD

    Yay for ambidextrousity. xD

  17. stefanie
    Jul 16th, 2008

    I forgot to menton that when I first saw the dancing lady she was turning left after practicing I could get her to turn right, not for to long at first, but the more I practiced which I still do not understand as to how scientificly the brain processes this information into a visual and thought process combind, the longer I could continue to turn her to my right

  18. stefanie
    Jul 16th, 2008

    I dont understand to a science how this can be done it was hard at first but the more I practiced the easier it got. I cant even discribe in step how you do it, I did it, but it is very possible,"when you set your mind to it"

  19. m&m
    Jul 15th, 2008

    Ok -- looked at it for a while. The image is changing from clockwise to anti-clockwise; not my perception of it...???!!! I glanced away and then back, enough that it was still in my peripheral vision, and it changed directions. I didn't change how I saw it.

  20. Paolo
    May 16th, 2008

    By concentrating on the hand that seems lower I can change the direction of the spin, nearly at will. Seems to be harder to keep it moving anti-clockwise.

  21. May 1st, 2008

    Most of the time she spins clockwise to me. Very rarely can I see here spin anticlockwise. I think it has something to do with my current mood as well.

  22. Nat
    May 1st, 2008

    I believe it is related to the shadow at the base.
    How I can relate it is like this... Imagine that you are standing directly across from her.
    There is a tip of a foot shadow that comes in and out of focus.
    There are 2 possible positions you can see it as a reflection.

    x <-- shadow/reflection
    her
    you
    = Clockwise

    Alternatively
    her
    x <-- shadow/reflection
    you
    = Counter-Clockwise

    Plus the tilt of the body is backward which logically makes you think that she is shifted backwards indicating a supposition that you can't lean backwards yet propel that part of your body forward which fights the idea that it is counter-clockwise initially especially if you factor in the arm behind the body. After you start to notice the shadow then you can for the opposite turn because you factor in the shadow. It's trickery! But fun trickery :D

  23. Apr 25th, 2008

    I have posted this as a curiosity and I could not have an answer for your question Chris.

    I can only say ways of the brain are too mysterious even for modern science ;)

  24. Christopher Vella
    Apr 25th, 2008

    I have been reading quite a bit about the brain lately, to improve my mathematical thinking abilities. I have been trying to think more orderly, as in using the left side of my brain while studyin, looking at the spinning lady to see if this is workin. The problem being that the more I learned about the brain, the more the lady never made a whole revolution, as in she never turns to a whole 360, but she spins from left to right and vice versa, never to make a whole revolution! I can not understand exactly what this means, it might mean that my brain is as left sided as right sided, but through text this is not really possible. A reading reference, or a suggestion would be very very helpful, as to what this means.

    Thank you so much for your time

    Best Regards,
    Chris

  25. Marko
    Jan 21st, 2008

    Wow, incredible. It turns around differently for me and my wife :)

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