The "Spinning Dancer" illusion has one correct way.

[PogiJones]

...And it's the way I don't see it naturally.

See this? I naturally see her spinning clockwise.

But the correct way to see her spinning is counterclockwise.

How do I know? The reflection of her extended foot.

The reflection of her extended foot should be higher (i.e. closer to the real her) when her leg is extending away, and lower (i.e. further from the real her) when her leg is extending toward the viewer.

In other words, if she is rotating clockwise, it makes no sense that you would see her right foot's reflection when it's extended toward you, but not see it when it's extended away from you.

So why do so many (more than half) default to clockwise rotation, despite it being incorrect? Perspective bias toward seeing things from above. In the correct (counterclockwise) spin, the plane her bouncing foot creates extends above the viewer's head.

In other words, she would either be bouncing awkwardly on her heel, or she's on some stage above us--which also doesn't make sense given the reflection.

In conclusion, given the reflection, the correct way to see her spinning is counterclockwise, and she's awkwardly hopping on her heel.

So while it's an effective illusion, I don't like it, because there's a correct way to see it, and the only reason we see it the wrong way is because the correct way is super awkward.

EDIT: To clarify:

It's supposed to be ambiguous, but the problem is there is enough information to say which is right and which is wrong. Look at the reflection on the red leg. It doesn't make sense to see its reflection when extended toward the viewer but not see the reflection when extended away from the viewer. It's incorrect. The blue one is correct, because it makes sense with the reflection.

 

[Gustaf]

of course there is a correct way to see it,

thats the point, that you mind can make you see it both ways

 

[PogiJones]

of course there is a correct way to see it,

thats the point, that you mind can make you see it both ways

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You say that like it's a given, but no article I've ever read has pointed out she's actually spinning counterclockwise.

 

[Deleted member 9317]

My mind is breaking apart with this. Funny thing is that when you look at the feet of the fast gif and change the direction in your mind, the slower gif changes even if you're staring at it hard.

 

[LiK]

I see nipples.

 

[obin_gam]

I dont understand the explanation...

 

[sleepInsom]

It took me a while to realize what the business with the reflections was, but you're absolutely right. It's supposed to be counter-clockwise. After seeing this animation for years my mind is blown.

 

[SJRB]

...the point is you can make your brain see her going either way if you focus hard enough.

 

['3y Kingdom]

I dont understand the explanation...

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Scroll your screen down until you can only see the reflection. Judge from that.

 

[SugarNoodles]

I don't feel like the reflection is a necessary part of the illusion.

 

[Flo_Evans]

...the point is you can make your brain see her going either way if you focus hard enough.

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wow she changes direction if I look back and forth at these.

 

[PogiJones]

...the point is you can make your brain see her going either way if you focus hard enough.

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It's supposed to be ambiguous, yes, but the problem is there is enough information to say which is right and which is wrong. Look at the reflection on the red leg. It doesn't make sense to see its reflection extended toward the viewer but not see the reflection when extended away from the viewer. It's incorrect. The blue one is correct, because it makes sense with the reflection.

 

[obin_gam]

Scroll your screen down until you can only see the reflection. Judge from that.

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MIND --> Blown.

Damn o_O

 

[Deleted member 22490]

You're right. The reflection gives it away. I can force myself to see her spin in either direction but I can't with her reflection.

 

[fallengorn]

Uh... I could still see it going either way just by the reflection? Am I a mutant?

 

[Catdaddy]

Switched from clockwise to counter while I was watching it...

 

[PogiJones]

Uh... I could still see it going either way just by the reflection? Am I a mutant?

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Technically, if you're looking at only the reflection, you could still see it both ways, since the reflection plane would be unknown and she could be tilted at any angle. It's the combination of her real legs plus the reflection of her legs that tells us she must be spinning counterclockwise.

 

[Hank Hill]

Switched from clockwise to counter while I was watching it...

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Same here.

 

[faceless]

...the point is you can make your brain see her going either way if you focus hard enough.

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whoa, i literally see her going both ways

 

[The Real Abed]

For reals though. As soon as I opened the page, I saw the first GIF as clockwise. Then before scrolling down fully I saw the top of the second GIF as counterclockwise, but as soon as I scrolled and looked down at the feet it was clockwise again and I couldn't tell my brain otherwise.

It's saying Laurel, the dress is black and blue and it's pronounced JIF. *head explodes*

 

[Vincent Alexander]

wow she changes direction if I look back and forth at these.

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Same. This is trippy as shit. I cannot make it change on my own...I have to look at one of the 2 images before going back up.

 

[moblin]

ok it's been solved, someone post more illusions please I live for this shit

 

[Rei no Otaku]

I can only see counter. Clockwise is the default for most people?

 

[Jencks]

I can only see her spinning counterclockwise, even without looking at the reflection.

 

[PogiJones]

I can only see counter. Clockwise is the default for most people?

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Apparently, yes.

 

[FinKL]

Holy crap I see Clockwise right off the bat, but after seeing the blue image, CCW

 

[WhoTurgled]

What if its an angled reflection?

 

[PogiJones]

ok it's been solved, someone post more illusions please I live for this shit

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Taken from Wikipedia, this is a similar image, in that she can be seen rotating either way.

I actually see her forward facing at all times, and when she gets sideways, the direction switches and she faces forward again. I can see her spinning and putting her back toward me, but it's not my default.

----
Stare at the cross, and you'll see a green dot moving around, which will eventually erase all the pink dots:

 

[PogiJones]

What if its an angled reflection?

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The bouncing and angles on the foot reveal the reflection plane to not be angled to any significant degree. It would have to be a crazy angle to reflect the foot closer to the viewer but not further from the viewer.

 

[moblin]

yas PogiJones thanks king, that x-ray pic is wild

 

[supernormal]

OP, you are absolutely right.

 

[Musha_Soturi]

Wow, mind blown. I've always been able to switch between seeing her go either way, but I never really noticed the reflection. You're totally right.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Neat, good eye


Has anyone been able to see her spinning in both directions at the same time though?

 

[AnansiThePersona]

I see Yanny

 

[ISOM]

I saw clockwise initially then was able to get my to make her spin counterclockwise.

 

[Duane]

I see Yanny

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How do you figure? She's clearly Laurel.

 

[Deleted member 4247]

Neat, good eye


Has anyone been able to see her spinning in both directions at the same time though?

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Only 5-dimensional beings can achieve that.

 

[4859]

I dont see how it can be anything other than counter clockwise, even though it is a silhouette, as it rotates you have all the spatial information you need to identify which leg is the extended/left one... arm too.

 

[Risk Breaker]

Neat, good eye


Has anyone been able to see her spinning in both directions at the same time though?

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If you mean seeing half a spin in each direction, then yes, I can at least. I can change the direction in which she spins every quarter of a circle.

I dont see how it can be anything other than counter clockwise, even though it is a silhouette, as it rotates you have all the spatial information you need to identify which leg is the extended/left one... arm too.

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If you pay most attention to the height of the moving foot, it appears lower (so, closer) as if it was a clockwise motion.

 

[Deleted member 9035]

Is her name Yanny or Laurel though?

 

[Cuburger]

I think counterclockwise assumes it's a reflection but clockwise assumes it's a shadow, with the bouncing out on her heel cutting out the necessary information to say which it is for sure.

 

[Hadok]

yeah it's called...an optical illusion :)

(And this one is still my favorite: the square A & B are the same color)

 

[itwasTuesday]

Identical model under a translucent floor.
Like MGS2.

 

[PogiJones]

I think counterclockwise assumes it's a reflection but clockwise assumes it's a shadow, with the bouncing out on her heel cutting out the necessary information to say which it is for sure.

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Shadow doesn't work, either. There's no angle of light that could reproduce as a shadow what's being depicted there.

 

[StudioTan]

yeah it's called...an optical illusion :)

(And this one is still my favorite: the square A & B are the same color)

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That one is awesome. This one showing the blue/black vs gold white dress is just as good.

 

[GuessMyUserName]

Using this as an excuse to post two versions I pieced together before (The original lines/outlines were from somewhere else)

You can use the left/right to change how you see the center

hard mode:

... Forcing her to always face the front or always face the back

 

[PogiJones]

Using this as an excuse to post two versions I pieced together before (The original lines/outlines were from somewhere else)

You can use the left/right to change how you see the center

hard mode:

... Forcing her to always face the front or always face the back

Click to shrink...

Nice work. The problem with this, though, is that, unlike the CT scan I posted above, this one never has a moment where the flip can be natural. The left leg is outstretched, then an instant later, the right leg is outstretched. In the CT scan I posted, you could feasibly see someone moving back and forth, changing directions. Not so with this one. Still, with your lines, it's easy to see the (unnatural) change, so you did a nice job and accomplished what you set out to.