I received this picture in an email claiming that the direction that you see the girl spinning indicates which side of the brain you are using. Clockwise means right brain and counterclockwise means left brain.
It’s common knowledge that various functions of your brain are carried out by the different sides, based on how it develops in childhood, and there is a cross-over so the left side of your body is controlled by the right side of your brain. Most right-handed people conduct their verbal skills with their left brain. (This could explain why those same people find it difficult to draw.)
I can make the girl spin either way, which the email says some people can do. It’s easiest when looking out the corner of my eye. I find that when I’m reading email and see the picture, I see her going counterclockwise. But if I just pull up the image to look at it, I see her going clockwise. What’s really wild is right now I have two copies visible. The one in the email is going counterclockwise and the one here in the post is going clockwise!
Here’s the rest of the email
Experimentation has shown that the two different sides, or hemispheres, of the brain are responsible for different manners of thinking. The following table illustrates the differences between left-brain and right-brain thinking:
Left Brain Right Brain Logical Random Sequential Intuitive Rational Holistic Analytical Synthesizing Objective Subjective Looks at parts Looks at wholes Most individuals have a distinct preference for one of these styles of thinking. Some, however, are more whole-brained and equally adept at both modes. In general, schools tend to favor left-brain modes of thinking, while downplaying the right-brain ones. Left-brain scholastic subjects focus on logical thinking, analysis, and accuracy. Right-brained subjects, on the other hand, focus on aesthetics, feeling, and creativity.
I’m getting dizzy. But I’m amazed at the amount of information that the brain fills in given such a simple image.
She spun both ways for me too.