More confounding images. Via Norm Geras, a link to one of those silly newspaper quiz/test things, this one purporting to measure the respondent's degree of left/right brainedness based on their perception of an animated image, one with all depth cues removed. The image appears to spin – is it spinning clockwise or counter-clockwise? Norm says that try as he might, he can only get it to spin one way.

Interestingly, when I looked at the image, my first thought* was that it was spinning in one direction only, and I simply could not get it to flip and spin the opposite way; whereas Moira could get it to flip much more easily. I was finally able to get it to flip by scrolling the screen so that only the feet and lower legs showed, and then also viewing the screen obliquely rather than straight on. Apparently, once my brain had latched on to too many apparent visual cues, it was impossible for it to make the switch.

(Also discussed by the erudite minds here, and here. In truth, it never occurred to me that Crow faced any direction but the screen.)

In contrast, with a simpler figure, (e.g., your basic Necker cube), I can make the switch much more easily. Being able to stop the rotation helps, too.

Moira here: "...once my brain had latched on to too many visual cues". Hmmm, perhaps the image is a tad distracting for straight male viewers? (See footnote.) Note Fleck had to get the lower legs only in his visual field to get the image to flip. I speculate that pertinent neurons were otherwise occupied, otherwise.

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*Actually, my first thought was, "Whoa! Nice body!"

Posted by David Fleck at 17 October 2007 06:37 AM