My Spinning Brain

I’m left handed. That’s supposed to indicate that I am more right-brained and my thinking is more visual-simultaneous based versus the linear-sequential thinking of right handers. I don’t know if that’s true or not. But the theory of brain lateralization says this is generally true (And by “generally” I mean 95% of right handers have their language functions in the left hemisphere, only 18.8% of left-handers have their language function lateralized in the right hemisphere. Additionally, 19.8% of left-handers have even bilateral language functions). My personality would indicate that I’m more left-brained, despite my handedness. Here are the characteristics of right and left-brained people:

Left Brain Functions:

    sequential
    uses logic
    detail oriented
    facts rule
    words and language
    present and past
    math and science
    can comprehend
    knowing
    acknowledges
    order/pattern perception
    language: grammar/words, pattern perception, literal
    knows object name
    reality based
    forms strategies
    practical
    analytical
    safe
    verbal

Right Brain Functions:

    simultaneous
    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
    language: intonation/emphasis, prosody, pragmatic, contextual
    knows object function
    fantasy based
    presents possibilities
    impetuous
    holistic
    risk taking
    imagistic

Below is an optical illusion that is supposed to help determine your “brain-dedness”. What direction is she spinning for you? If the girl is spinning counterclockwise then you use more of the left side of your brain. If the girl is spinning clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.

Spinning Girl

For me she was spinning counterclockwise and I had trouble believing she could spin the other way. After about a minute I was able to get her to switch by concentrating on the point where her foot meets her foots shadow.

12 thoughts on “My Spinning Brain”

  1. i think we should all take a second to stop and thank the designer of this optical illusion .gif, for taking the time to make sure the dancing figure has nipples.

  2. That kind of attention to detail must have come from the mind of a left-brained person. The real question here is, which way are those nipples spinning?

    When I posted this I thought to myself, “Man, another NSFW post. Oh well, I think everyone likes nipples. Don’t they?”

  3. I didn’t see her as spinning, but as standing on one foot. Now, what does THAT mean?

    By the way … if you write left-handed and think/talk “left-brained,” then I would bet you hook your wrist when writing. According to research by Jerre Levy at the University of Chicago (reported in the text THE NEUROPSYCHOLOGY OF LEFT-HANDEDNESS) the 50% of lefties (and 1 or 2% of righties) worldwide who hook their wrists in writing have their language centers on the same side of the brain instead of on the opposite side as most people do.

  4. Hi Kate. I think that means that you computer is clogged up. Indeed I am a slight wrist hooker (not as bad as some lefties I have seen though). That a really intriguing little fact you posted there. Your website looks pretty interesting too, I know a few people that could use your services. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and commenting.

  5. Well, once she finally started spinning, she spun clockwise and I can’t get her to change!

    By the way, I would not refer to degrees of “badness” in a hooked hand-position (any more than I would use the term “bad” for degrees of left-handedness) — the research, after all, indicates that hookedness (like handedness itself) comes from one’s individual biological makeup & forms part of the very wide spectrum of human biological diversity. Calling the need for a hooked position “bad” makes as much sense as calling lefties (or nearsighted people, or farsighted people, or ____fill-in-the-blank_____ ) “bad,” too.

  6. Another great comment Kate. Thanks for correcting me. I have learned my lesson. I should have said my hookedness wasn’t as extreme. I fell feel especially remorseful for being insensitive since I have rallied against the discrimination of left-handers for years.

  7. One: Kate, I am a SERIOUS hooked writer, and I write with my right hand. Now I get why. Thanks!

    Two: I am seriously ambixetrious. So is my middle son. Both of us saw the girl alternating directions every revolution. We’re a mess.

  8. She spins either way for me maybe SLIGHTLY more often to the right? But both ways…as for my left hand hook (I’m a lefty) I don’t hook at all…I actually turn my paper completely sideways so I write in a way that I don’t drag into my words. (hate that messy factor of a lefty)

  9. Interesting site. What fun! In 1985-1986 There was a visiting fellow at Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the summer. She taught math at a small woman’s college. She gave a presentation on gender, handedness and brain function. Does anyone know her name and where I could find her research? She suggested that if you are a left handed girl born to a left handed mother, you would be left brained. I am a left handed girl, born to a left handed registered nurse. I am an electrical engineer who is suppose to be a stage actress. When I first looked at the spinning women she was going counter-clockwise. Upon your suggestion I was able to see her going clockwise by concentrating on her foot. Now I can’t seem to make her go counter any more.

  10. I am left handed.  I can close my eyes and picture her changing directions then open my eyes and usually she will then spin in the dicrection I pictured in my mind.

  11. she immediately started spinning clockwise… can’t change it… the flow is very smooth, with just a slight jerk to it at 10am…

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top