Social Anxiety Support

bent · 09-17-2009, 06:12 PM

I'm guessing people here are familiar with the optical illusion where you can either see a young woman or an ugly old hag? what does it mean about you/your brain if you see the young woman first?

i'm wondering because one of my profs did that on us (mainly on me from what i could tell) and seemed to draw a secret conclusion about me when i said i saw the young woman first. i asked what it meant and she evaded the question by saying "nothing has been proven". wtf???

was it just to confirm that i'm nervous due to being surrounded by females in the class? did it suggest something about how my brain works? is it an indication of a potential strength/weakness ratio like a learning disability? does it mean i think about big picture issues over details? verbal vs spatial? help me out! i need to know wtf she is thinking about me so if anyone knows the theories about what this suggests please post them, thanks.

veron · 09-18-2009, 07:26 AM

When I first saw this illustration, I saw the young woman too. In fact I had to look at it for a while until I finally noticed the old hag, lol. I don't think this reveals something about you, but then again, I'm no expert.

Babygirly · 09-18-2009, 10:43 AM

Personally, I think you're reading waaaaay too much into this picture thing. She was surely just jesting with you---if she meant anything by it at all.

IThinkIAmMe · 09-18-2009, 07:54 PM

I saw the young woman first too...so i hope it dosen't have anything to do with a brain deficiency or something lol
I don't think they can really tell that much about you, just from which you saw first
maybe they can tell you something about the way your brain sees things
but i don't think it would have anything to do with your personality or weaknesses or anything like that

mind_games · 09-18-2009, 08:42 PM

Umm I'm only seeing the old lady! Wtf! I can only see the old lady.

[EDIT: Whew, ok I managed to see it, after reading a hint]

_AJ_ · 09-19-2009, 02:45 PM

The old hag has taken offense to being called an old hag. luckily she has the amazing ability to transform into a young woman

WintersTale · 09-20-2009, 06:28 AM

I saw the young woman first, too.

_AJ_ · 09-20-2009, 05:51 PM

I saw the old woman first. go old woman go!

does anyone else find it wrong to call her "ugly" or "hag"?
I think shes beautiful for her age!

Madison_Rose · 09-20-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _AJ_

does anyone else find it wrong to call her "ugly" or "hag"?

It does feel a little harsh, yes. And I don't think it tells you anything about someone, which image they see first. Basing your assessment of someone, even of just one aspect of their personality, on one question, is highly unscientific, and likely to be wrong.

Judi · 09-20-2009, 07:23 PM

I think most people see the young lady (that's why there's always the hint that says use chin as nose). In general though the younger people see the younger lady first, and older people see the older lady first. I'm not sure where I read that from.

Thomas Paine · 09-20-2009, 07:59 PM

I think it depends on where your focus lands first. The higher up you look, the easier it is to see the young one, the lower your focus, it's easier to see the old one.

I don't think it means anything psychologically about you.

millenniumman75 · 09-21-2009, 07:12 AM

***Thread Advisory***
We are talking about people here. Labeling women like this is a bit much.

jim_morrison · 09-23-2009, 05:41 AM

I think it might mean;

young woman: optimistic, trusting things at face value.
old lady: pessimistic, skeptical, cautious.

_AJ_ · 09-23-2009, 02:48 PM

the young woman has SA, see shes looking away, hiding her face

Amelia · 09-24-2009, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bent

I'm guessing people here are familiar with the optical illusion where you can either see a young woman or an ugly old hag?

Yes. It happens to me whenever I go into the bathroom and put the light on.

Quote:

what does it mean about you/your brain if you see the young woman first?

You're not over the hill yet.

bent · 09-26-2009, 12:42 PM

just to be clear: i'm not ageist, i don't infer real people as being more or less valuable in any way or for any purpose including romantic based on how they look, and i am not actually talking about real people. the picture is designed to represent an old woman's face that is meant to be deemed ugly by conventional standards of beauty. it is referred to elsewhere as "ugly" "old" and "hag". i didn't impose those descriptions.

should i have posted about real people or real life i would not have automatically lumped age or non-standard facial types into the category of ugly or hag.

i won't comment further on anything to do with women, beauty, or aging in this context as i don't think it's actually relevant to what i was posting.

have a nice day.

alm583 · 09-30-2009, 11:34 AM

I remember the professor talked about this in my psychology class last semester. I don't really remember the specifics, but I believe that she said that if you see the young woman first, than you are probably around younger people more. Conversely, if you see the old lady, than you probably associate yourself more with older people.

09-17-2009, 06:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
bent Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: ontario Age: 31 Posts: 821	young woman / old hag I'm guessing people here are familiar with the optical illusion where you can either see a young woman or an ugly old hag? what does it mean about you/your brain if you see the young woman first? i'm wondering because one of my profs did that on us (mainly on me from what i could tell) and seemed to draw a secret conclusion about me when i said i saw the young woman first. i asked what it meant and she evaded the question by saying "nothing has been proven". wtf??? was it just to confirm that i'm nervous due to being surrounded by females in the class? did it suggest something about how my brain works? is it an indication of a potential strength/weakness ratio like a learning disability? does it mean i think about big picture issues over details? verbal vs spatial? help me out! i need to know wtf she is thinking about me so if anyone knows the theories about what this suggests please post them, thanks.

09-18-2009, 10:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
Babygirly Status: SAS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Antarctica Posts: 1,501	Personally, I think you're reading waaaaay too much into this picture thing. She was surely just jesting with you---if she meant anything by it at all. __________________ "Isolating yourself from others will not prevent you from getting hurt." [-fortune cookie]

09-18-2009, 07:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
IThinkIAmMe Status: Time Lord Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ontario Gender: Female Age: 18 Posts: 151	I saw the young woman first too...so i hope it dosen't have anything to do with a brain deficiency or something lol I don't think they can really tell that much about you, just from which you saw first maybe they can tell you something about the way your brain sees things but i don't think it would have anything to do with your personality or weaknesses or anything like that __________________ However long the night, the dawn will break. -African Proverb Regard my omnipresence: mimiincognito.tumblr.com twitter.com/mimiincognito mimiincognito.livejournal.com (where you can follow my Victory Lap blog)

09-18-2009, 08:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
mind_games Status: dances, like a fridge Join Date: Nov 2008 Age: 23 Posts: 1,563	Umm I'm only seeing the old lady! Wtf! I can only see the old lady. [EDIT: Whew, ok I managed to see it, after reading a hint] __________________ "this is not me, this is me reacting to your perception of me"

09-19-2009, 02:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
_AJ_ Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 731	The old hag has taken offense to being called an old hag. luckily she has the amazing ability to transform into a young woman __________________ Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the decision to act in spite of it.

09-18-2009, 07:26 AM	#2 (permalink)
veron Status: SAS Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Belgrade Gender: Female Age: 22 Posts: 488	When I first saw this illustration, I saw the young woman too. In fact I had to look at it for a while until I finally noticed the old hag, lol. I don't think this reveals something about you, but then again, I'm no expert.

09-20-2009, 06:28 AM	#7 (permalink)
WintersTale Status: Falling into eternity Join Date: May 2007 Gender: Male Age: 27 Posts: 1,506	I saw the young woman first, too. __________________ "Every moment of your life Is a chance to get it right Any moment you've been living in You could turn it on like a light All the weight of the years Has got me burstin' into tears Standin' here with nothin' I stand alone inside my fears." - Third Eye Blind

09-20-2009, 05:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
_AJ_ Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 731	I saw the old woman first. go old woman go! does anyone else find it wrong to call her "ugly" or "hag"? I think shes beautiful for her age! __________________ Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the decision to act in spite of it.

09-20-2009, 07:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
Judi Status: None the wiser Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 496	I think most people see the young lady (that's why there's always the hint that says use chin as nose). In general though the younger people see the younger lady first, and older people see the older lady first. I'm not sure where I read that from. __________________ If putting things off is so easy why can't you put off procrastination? Anime list \| deviantart

09-20-2009, 07:59 PM	#11 (permalink)
Thomas Paine Status: Fail Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: USA Gender: Male Age: 28 Posts: 1,698	I think it depends on where your focus lands first. The higher up you look, the easier it is to see the young one, the lower your focus, it's easier to see the old one. I don't think it means anything psychologically about you. __________________ I thought that when you said so long You wouldn't stay to hear your song

09-21-2009, 07:12 AM	#12 (permalink)
millenniumman75 Status: Super Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Dayton-Cincinnati, OH Gender: Male Age: 34 Posts: 38,624	*Thread Advisory* We are talking about people here. Labeling women like this is a bit much. __________________ millenniumman75 You are a success story waiting to happen! Live and let live VACUUMS more than a Hoover.... Live and HELP live is better!

09-23-2009, 05:41 AM	#13 (permalink)
jim_morrison Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Australia Gender: Male Age: 23 Posts: 1,023	I think it might mean; young woman: optimistic, trusting things at face value. old lady: pessimistic, skeptical, cautious. __________________ Warning: I am not a trained medical professional. Any information provided by me is based on my own personal experiences and research and is not intended to be used as professional medical advice. Please contact a medical professional before taking any action that may be discussed on this board.

09-23-2009, 02:48 PM	#14 (permalink)
_AJ_ Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 731	the young woman has SA, see shes looking away, hiding her face __________________ Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the decision to act in spite of it.

09-26-2009, 12:42 PM	#16 (permalink)
bent Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: ontario Age: 31 Posts: 821	just to be clear: i'm not ageist, i don't infer real people as being more or less valuable in any way or for any purpose including romantic based on how they look, and i am not actually talking about real people. the picture is designed to represent an old woman's face that is meant to be deemed ugly by conventional standards of beauty. it is referred to elsewhere as "ugly" "old" and "hag". i didn't impose those descriptions. should i have posted about real people or real life i would not have automatically lumped age or non-standard facial types into the category of ugly or hag. i won't comment further on anything to do with women, beauty, or aging in this context as i don't think it's actually relevant to what i was posting. have a nice day.

09-30-2009, 11:34 AM	#17 (permalink)
alm583 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Indiana Gender: Female Age: 19 Posts: 7	I remember the professor talked about this in my psychology class last semester. I don't really remember the specifics, but I believe that she said that if you see the young woman first, than you are probably around younger people more. Conversely, if you see the old lady, than you probably associate yourself more with older people.