Location: United States Posts: 1860 Joined: 2008-11-14
I definitely saw the dancer turning clockwise, and actually couldn't see her turning counter-clockwise at all (I guess you call it "anti-clockwise" in the UK?) unless I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, without focusing on her. As soon as I focus on her, she immediately starts turning clockwise again!
I think it's really interesting that under left-brained they say "knows object name" and under right-brained they say "knows object function" because that is bizarrely like me. I very often can't think of the name of something, so I start describing what it does. I'll say, "You know, the thing you attach a hose to outside of your house that pumps water... a spicket!" Eventually the name will come to me, but usually after I have started describing its function.
I even scored lower on the "Oral Expression" section of my LD test than was predicted, because there was a section where the psychologist would show me pictures of objects and ask me to name them, and so often I would blank on the name but describe the function instead. Interesting!
Edited by CheshireKat on December 06 2009 06:35 PM
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer
HI Kat,
It is interesting you saw the dancer turn clockwise as well as me, did you note the comment at the side that said Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise ?
Apparently they think dyscalculia affects the left side of the brain - I just thought it would be interesting to see where people fell in terms of left and right.
I often have trouble remembering the names of things- Can you remember the name of the picture test you took? I have a feeling that would be in the non - verbal question section in which I also had difficulties.
(yes it is anti- clockwise in the UK)
Edited by tr3slunas on December 06 2009 07:00 PM
Count me in!
Location: Texas USA Posts: 6135 Joined: 2008-05-25
12/6/09
Dear tr3slunas,
I saw the 'dancer' about two weeks ago. Her link came up on my Yahoo! opening page one day. But the little test was 'spoiled' for me, because, since I'm using a laptop (with lots of tool bars at the top) the screen was too small to see the entire 'dancer'. I saw that she was turning, but I was more concerned with grabbing the scroll bar and pulling it down, so that I could see the entire figure. At that instant, I didn't notice which 'way' the dancer was turning. What I did notice 'big time' was that the instant I grabbed the scroll bar, this cause a fraction-of-a-second 'stop action' on the turning, and REVERSED the direction of the turn to my perception. The problem is that I didn't take mental note of which direction the dancer was originally turning, so now I can't answer that question 'for me'. Also, in quick succession to seeing the turning 'dancer', I'd already reversed the direction, so that by the time I was able to read the instructions, I was already an 'old pro' at seeing her turn one way and then the other. What allowed me to switch her back and forth 'at will' was watching only the bottom of her legs, where one 'crosses' in front of (or behind, as the case may be) the other. When the two legs are right on top of each other, that's 'neutral' for me. At that point, I can 'see' the raised leg as either the 'right' leg or the 'left' leg, so that, as it 'comes out from behind' the straight leg she goes the direction that I tell her to go. I do think that I have a slightly different 'take' on the dancer due to my years of classical ballet training. I had to follow the teacher, sometimes face-to-face (mirror-image) and other times she would be beside me, so this gave exercise to both 'perceptions' in my brain. Also, sometimes dancers see each other performing the same routine, but in opposite directions, as when doing a 'circle dance', and you look across the circle to see the person opposite you doing the same steps, but not 'mirror-image'.
Other than when I intentionally 'make' the dancer change direction, it also happens automatically sometimes when I just blink. But she doesn't get 'stuck' moving in one direction or the other. I can't say that she goes one way more strongly than the other for me. (Hi Kat. Enjoyed your imput, too.) - jus'
Edited by justfoundout on December 06 2009 08:14 PM
just follow the link and see what way she is turning now- every time i first open the page I am able to see her in a clockwise direction. I don't think it matters how many times you do the test of if you have seen it first. If you are able to register in that split second which way she was turning that is probably your dominant side. I also use the legs to flip my perception of her, perhaps the fact that we are able to interchange the image easily suggests both our left and right side are very equal in processing terms - I will always see her in a clockwork motion first though Count me in!
Location: Texas USA Posts: 6135 Joined: 2008-05-25
12/6/09
Dear tr3slunas,
I was thinking the same thing! I didn't want to be the first to say so, but I would guess that we are able to use whichever 'side' of our brain's talents best fit the circumstances.
However, just now, as I was reading what you said about "... I am able to see her in a clockwise direction...", sadly, I'm so 'visual' that I immediately 'saw' her turning clockwise, in my mind's eye, so that, I'm pretty sure, that's the way that I will see her now, if I click on her again! We should do an exercise, especially for artists, where we now have to draw the dancer without looking at her, and then post the drawing. hahaha
My Finals are Thursday. I'll be ready for some fun after that. Right now, I still have a lot of pressure and can't see past Finals. - jus'
Location: Co. Durham, England Posts: 107 Joined: 2009-09-07
I saw her turning clockwise, until I moved my head down and looked "up" at her, then she changed direction, I then moved my head to look at her from the right and she changed back to clockwise again.
I have determined that my sole purpose in life is to serve as a bad example
Location: United States Posts: 195 Joined: 2008-01-08
I couldn't tell which way she was going because it looked like she went left then right over and over again...like she was switching directions. I'm not sure what that means.
Interestingly, my husband said she was going Counter Clockwise and he imagined a clock under her feet.
Edited by saruna on December 07 2009 02:10 AM
Location: Foggy San Francisco Posts: 255 Joined: 2009-08-18
Well, after staring at her for awhile and trying to figure out how a vertically oriented figure could be "clockwise" or "counterclockwise", I see her as "counterclockwise"... so I guess I'm an outlier here
I've been reading a book about ADD and organizing which asserts that people with ADD are overwhelmingly right-brained. I actually find it to be a frustrating oversimplification ... I use right brained modes of thinking when they're more useful, and left-brained modes of thinking when they're more appropriate, as in fact most people do. Does anyone know the science behind the alleged idea of hemispheric dominance?
squidoo.com/mathld squidoo.com/writi... squidoo.com/LDsid... www.AddaptAbiliti... www.wellorderedch...
I don't really understand..I have dyscalculia and NVLD, so by almost all diagnoses, I should be left brain dominant. However, I write left handed, and am very right brained except I do tend to be logical and have bad spatial understanding. How can one have a right brain learning disorder that requires the left brain to be dominant, but clearly exhibit right brained dominance?
Location: United States Posts: 1860 Joined: 2008-11-14
ashlie wrote:
How can one have a right brain learning disorder that requires the left brain to be dominant, but clearly exhibit right brained dominance?
Because the idea of "left brain vs. right brain" is only a way of describing the problem-solving qualities a person uses more dominantly. In reality we all use both sides of our brain fairly equally in all tasks, but some of us are more prone to utilize certain skill sets than others. When we think of someone as being "left-brained" we think of someone who uses more skills that are associated with the left hemisphere of the brain, like analytic thinking. On the other hand, when we think of a "right-brained" person, we think of someone who uses skills that are "stored" in the right hemisphere, like creativity and broad scope thinking.
That doesn't mean they actually use the left or right side of their brain more, though - we all use both halves continually. It just means that they, for whatever reason, access certain sets of skills for problem solving associated with the parts of the brain activated in that hemisphere more frequently. So a "left-brained" person will still use their "right-brained" skills in daily life, like we all do all the time, but they access the "left-brained" skill sets more often.
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer
tr3slunas wrote:
HI Kat,
It is interesting you saw the dancer turn clockwise as well as me, did you note the comment at the side that said Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise ?
cool thread. i also tested this for the fun. I also see the dancer turning clockwise (moving as a normal clock would do)
Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 41 Joined: 2009-08-31
I saw her turning clockwise first, but it took me about a full minute to figure out that it was clockwise. i.e. I knew which direction she looked like she was turning, but I could not figure out clockwise from anti-clockwise. Picture a young woman sitting there, eyes rolled skyward in deep thought, and finger twirling around in a circle trying to translate it across to the dancer.
I did not see where it said which was left and which was right brained, though?
8 + 1x = 0.04x IS the same as 8 + 1x = 0.4x, I swear it is! (And I had to check this 5 times to make sure I had written that [in]correctly!)
Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 41 Joined: 2009-08-31
justfoundout wrote:
2/11/10
Dear argentnox,
Forgive me. But, 0.04 is 4 hundreths, while 0.4 is 4 tenths. They aren't the same. - jus'
That is the whole point. It is a joke. I was trying to do a pH problem in biology class, and I could NOT get the extra 0 in there to save my life. I kept putting anything but 0.04.
8 + 1x = 0.04x IS the same as 8 + 1x = 0.4x, I swear it is! (And I had to check this 5 times to make sure I had written that [in]correctly!)
Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 22 Joined: 2010-11-23
ok, so I thought it was a puzzle, and stared at her too hard. lol she was turning counterclockwise. (to me) I could get her to turn the other way if I looked out of the corner of my eye
I looked at the description of both sides of the brain, and I totally fit in the right brain side. It's a perfect description of me, and people tell me all the time I must be a right brainer b/c of my crazy imagination, lol.
so I'm kinda mad that she was turning counterclockwise :\ hmm
Lateralization of brain function
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This article is about specialization of function between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. For specialization of brain function generally, see Localization of brain function.
The human brain is divided into two hemispheres–left and right. Scientists continue to explore how some cognitive functions tend to be dominated by one side or the other, that is, how they are lateralized.A longitudinal fissure separates the human brain into two distinct cerebral hemispheres, connected by the corpus callosum. The sides resemble each other and each hemisphere's structure is generally mirrored by the other side. Yet despite the strong similarities, the functions of each cortical hemisphere are different.
Broad generalizations are often made in popular psychology about certain functions (eg. logic, creativity) being lateralised, that is, located in the right or left side of the brain. These ideas need to be treated carefully because the popular lateralizations are often distributed across both sides.[1]
Many differences between the hemispheres have been observed, from the gross anatomical level to differences in dendritic structure or neurotransmitter distribution. For example, the lateral sulcus generally is longer in the left hemisphere than in the right hemisphere. However, experimental evidence provides little, if any, consistent support for correlating such structural differences with functional differences.[2] The extent of specialized brain function by area remains under investigation. If a specific region of the brain or even an entire hemisphere[3] is either injured or destroyed, its functions can sometimes be assumed by a neighboring region, even in the opposite hemisphere, depending upon the area damaged and the patient's age. Injury may also interfere with a pathway from one area to another. In this case, alternative (indirect) connections may exist which can be used to transmit the information to the target area. Such transmission may not be as efficient as the original pathway.
While functions are lateralized, the lateralizations are functional trends, which differ across individuals and specific function. Short of having undergone a hemispherectomy (removal of a cerebral hemisphere), no one is a "left-brain only" or "right-brain only" person.[4]
Brain function lateralization is evident in the phenomena of right- or left-handedness and of right or left ear preference, but a person's preferred hand is not a clear indication of the location of brain function. Although 95% of right-handed people have left-hemisphere dominance for language, only 18.8% of left-handed people have right-hemisphere dominance for language function. Additionally, 19.8% of the left-handed have bilateral language functions.[5] Even within various language functions (e.g., semantics, syntax, prosody), degree (and even hemisphere) of dominance may differ[6].
Contents [hide]
1 Left versus right
2 History
2.1 Speech and language
2.1.1 Broca
2.1.2 Wernicke
2.1.3 Advance in imaging technique
2.2 Handedness and language
2.3 Movement and sensation
2.4 Split-brain patients
3 Exaggeration
4 Nonhuman brain lateralization
5 See also
6 References
7 Sources
8 Further reading
9 Bookmarks
[edit] Left versus right
Linear reasoning[7] and language functions such as grammar and vocabulary[8] often are lateralized to the left hemisphere of the brain. Dyscalculia is a neurological syndrome associated with damage to the left temporo-parietal junction.[9] This syndrome is associated with poor numeric manipulation, poor mental arithmetic skill, and the inability to either understand or apply mathematical concepts.[10]
In contrast, prosodic language functions, such as intonation and accentuation, often are lateralized to the right hemisphere of the brain.[11][12] The processing of visual and audiological stimuli, spatial manipulation, facial perception, and artistic ability seem to be functions of the right hemisphere. Depression is linked with a hyperactive right hemisphere, with evidence of selective involvement in "processing negative emotions, pessimistic thoughts and unconstructive thinking styles", as well as vigilance, arousal and self-reflection, and a relatively hypoactive left hemispheres, "specifically involved in processing pleasurable experiences" and "relatively more involved in decision-making processes". [13] Additionally, "left hemisphere lesions result in an omissive response bias or error pattern whereas right hemisphere lesions result in a commissive response bias or error pattern." [14] The delusional misidentification syndromes reduplicative paramnesia and Capgras delusion are also often the result of right hemisphere legions. [15][16] There is some evidence[17] that the right hemisphere is more involved in processing novel situations, while the left hemisphere is most involved when routine or well rehearsed processing is called for.
Other integrative functions, including arithmetic,[18][19] binaural sound localization, and emotions (lateralization of emotion), seem more bilaterally controlled.
Left hemisphere functions Right hemisphere functions
numerical computation (exact calculation, numerical comparison, estimation)
left hemisphere only: direct fact retrieval[18][19] numerical computation (approximate calculation, numerical comparison, estimation)[18][19]
language: grammar/vocabulary, literal[20] language: intonation/accentuation, prosody, pragmatic, contextual[20]
[edit] History
[edit] Speech and language
[edit] Broca
One of the first indications of brain function lateralization resulted from the research of French physician Pierre Paul Broca, in 1861. His research involved the male patient nicknamed "Tan", who suffered a speech deficit (aphasia); "tan" was one of the few words he could articulate, hence his nickname. In Tan's autopsy, Broca determined he had a syphilitic lesion in the left cerebral hemisphere. This left frontal lobe brain area (Broca's area) is an important speech production region. The motor aspects of speech production deficits caused by damage to Broca’s area are known as Broca's aphasia. In clinical assessment of this aphasia, it is noted that the patient cannot clearly articulate the language being employed.
[edit] Wernicke
German physician Karl Wernicke continued in the vein of Broca's research by studying language deficits unlike Broca aphasias. Wernicke noted that not every deficit was in speech production; some were linguistic. He found that damage to the left posterior, superior temporal gyrus (Wernicke's area) caused language comprehension deficits rather than speech production deficits, a syndrome known as Wernicke's aphasia.
[edit] Advance in imaging technique
These seminal works on hemispheric specialization were done on patients and/or postmortem brains, raising questions about the potential impact of pathology on the research findings. New methods permit the in vivo comparison of the hemispheres in healthy subjects. Particularly, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) are important because of their high spatial resolution and ability to image subcortical brain structures.
[edit] Handedness and language
Broca's Area and Wernicke’s Area are linked by a white matter fiber tract, the arcuate fasciculus[dubious – discuss]. This axonal tract allows the neurons in the two areas to work together in creating vocal language. In more than 95% of right-handed men, and more than 90% of right-handed women, language and speech are subserved by the brain's left hemisphere. In left-handed people, the incidence of left-hemisphere language dominance has been reported as 73%[21] and 61%.[5]
There are ways of determining hemispheric dominance in a person. The Wada Test introduces an anesthetic to one hemisphere of the brain via one of the two carotid arteries. Once the hemisphere is anesthetized, a neuropsychological examination is effected to determine dominance for language production, language comprehension, verbal memory, and visual memory functions. Less invasive (sometimes costlier) techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and Transcranial magnetic stimulation, also are used to determine hemispheric dominance; usage remains controversial for being experimental.
[edit] Movement and sensation
In the 1940s, American born, Montreal based neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield and his neurologist colleague Herbert Jasper developed a technique of brain mapping to help reduce side effects caused by surgery to treat epilepsy. They stimulated motor and somatosensory cortices of the brain with small electrical currents to activate discrete brain regions. They found that stimulation of one hemisphere's motor cortex produces muscle contraction on the opposite side of the body. Furthermore, the functional map of the motor and sensory cortices is fairly consistent from person to person; Penfield and Jasper's famous pictures of the motor and sensory homunculi were the result.
[edit] Split-brain patients
Research by Michael Gazzaniga and Roger Wolcott Sperry in the 1960s on split-brain patients led to an even greater understanding of functional laterality. Split-brain patients are patients who have undergone corpus callosotomy (usually as a treatment for severe epilepsy), a severing of a large part of the corpus callosum. The corpus callosum connects the two hemispheres of the brain and allows them to communicate. When these connections are cut, the two halves of the brain have a reduced capacity to communicate with each other. This led to many interesting behavioral phenomena that allowed Gazzaniga and Sperry to study the contributions of each hemisphere to various cognitive and perceptual processes. One of their main findings was that the right hemisphere was capable of rudimentary language processing, but often has no lexical or grammatical abilities.[22] Eran Zaidel, however, also studied such patients and found some evidence for the right hemisphere having at least some syntactic ability.
For example: Patients with brain damage from surgery, stroke or infection sometimes develop a syndrome in which they can feel sensations in their hand, but they don't feel responsible for nor able to control its movements. In patients with a corpus callostomy, alien hand syndrome most often manifests as uncontrolled but purposeful movements of the nondominant hand.[citation needed]
[edit] Exaggeration
Hines states that the research on brain lateralization is valid as a research program, though commercial promoters have applied it to promote subjects and products far outside the implications of the research.[23] For example, the implications of the research have no bearing on psychological interventions such as EMDR and neurolinguistic programming,[24] brain training equipment, or management training.[25]
[edit] Nonhuman brain lateralization
Specialization of the two hemispheres is general in vertebrates including fish, frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals with the left hemisphere being specialized to categorize information and control everyday, routine behavior, with the right hemisphere responsible for responses to novel events and behavior in emergencies including the expression of intense emotions. An example of a routine left hemisphere behavior is feeding behavior whereas as a right hemisphere is escape from predators and attacks from conspecifics.[26]
Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.
