How Smart Is Your Right Foot?
Status: True
Below is an email that's going around. Maybe it's been circulating for years, but I received it for the first time today. It makes a claim that seems dubious at first. But, upon experimentation, appears to be true. At least, it's true for me. There must be a scientific explanation for this phenomenon. The question is: does it hold true for everyone? And is it possible to counteract this reflex through force of will?This is so funny that it will boggle your mind. And you will keep trying it at least 50 more times to see if you can outsmart your foot. But you can't!!!
1. While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles with it.
2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction!!!
I told you so... And there is nothing you can do about it.
Posted By: Alex | Date: Thu Oct 06, 2005 | Permalink |
Total Comments: 79
Category: Body Manipulation
Category: Body Manipulation
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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I first heard about this about three or four years ago. I had no problem doing it then, and I have no problem doing it now. The same goes for that "rubbing your belly and patting your head" thing Smerk mentioned. I suppose the really interesting thing would be to figure out why some people have trouble and some people don't. It doesn't seem to be just a matter of being right- or left-handed.
Posted by Accipiter in the Northern Hemisphere, unless They have lied. on Fri Oct 07, 2005 at 11:09 AM
I noticed my foot trying to counteract clockwisivity (hey, got to coin a word today!) as I drew the six, but it was itself easily thwarted. But then again, I am very dextrous.
Posted by eriC draveS in Over here somewhere on Fri Oct 07, 2005 at 11:44 AM
I can outsmart it pretty easily, but then again I'm a heavy metal drummer so I'm pretty well trained at separating my limbs' movements.
Posted by Span on Fri Oct 07, 2005 at 12:46 PM
Wow the moment I tried it and then noticed that my foot had changed directions, I had to laugh out loud. Stupid foot!
I also am a leftie, and was able to outsmart my foot on 2nd try by really focusing. Or better put, make my consciousness shift attention back and forth, overseeing what my hand is doing, and then to my foot, and then to my hand, kind of like the 'rectangle' idea mentioned by elguapo.
This stuff is probably more mind-expanding than drugs! Fear the master of the rotating foot trick!
Posted by freakzoid on Sat Oct 08, 2005 at 12:17 AM
I also am a leftie, and was able to outsmart my foot on 2nd try by really focusing. Or better put, make my consciousness shift attention back and forth, overseeing what my hand is doing, and then to my foot, and then to my hand, kind of like the 'rectangle' idea mentioned by elguapo.
This stuff is probably more mind-expanding than drugs! Fear the master of the rotating foot trick!
I like Bah had no trouble doing this without the effect occuring. Then again, I can do the pat your head and rub your stomach one pretty easily too, and switch rapidly.
It's probably exploiting the trend for a lot of people to favour one side of their brain than the other, and so they have trouble differentiating the movement paths involved in hand and leg motion.
Posted by DFStuckey in Auckland New Zealand on Sat Oct 08, 2005 at 01:49 AM
It's probably exploiting the trend for a lot of people to favour one side of their brain than the other, and so they have trouble differentiating the movement paths involved in hand and leg motion.
Bull shit. I sjckdivvck all day and this is so easy.
Posted by asshole in B on Sat Oct 08, 2005 at 07:24 AM
I'm glad some people can do it. I'm having a real hard time with it, and I can rub my belly and pat my head at the same time. At least it's apparently possible... it's kind of irritating to think you can't do it.
Posted by Reynard Muldrake on Sat Oct 08, 2005 at 05:31 PM
Err...I started my foot going for a good minute before making the six. I did have a little blip-pause when I started to make the six, but I did keep going clockwise with my foot. When I tried it again, and I had just been moving my foot for a few seconds before doing the 6...My foot did change directions.
Posted by Maegan in Tampa, FL - USA on Sun Oct 09, 2005 at 03:15 AM
Wrong!
It is easy for me to do.
By the way I play drums, so it is not difficult for me to move arms and legs independently.
Posted by Wolfgang on Sun Oct 09, 2005 at 11:53 AM
It is easy for me to do.
By the way I play drums, so it is not difficult for me to move arms and legs independently.
It's not a problem with me, I got it on my first try and continued to be able to do it. None of my co-workers can do it though.
Posted by MatLat on Mon Oct 10, 2005 at 09:26 AM
haha that was so easy to counteract. it took me 2 tries.
Posted by Farkwun on Tue Oct 11, 2005 at 05:37 PM
That was easy, but I was born ambidextrous, so I don't know if that helps or not.
What I could do:
-right foot circle, right hand "6"
-left foot circle, right hand "6"
-right foot circle, left hand "6"
-left foot circle, left hand "6"
Posted by Draconegia on Wed Oct 12, 2005 at 02:22 PM
What I could do:
-right foot circle, right hand "6"
-left foot circle, right hand "6"
-right foot circle, left hand "6"
-left foot circle, left hand "6"
This is a thought: how many of the people who can do this are regular two-handed typists on the Net? The chances are that the neural pathways needed for this kind of thing build up in people who can use both hands or multi-task body functions in other ways.
It would be fascinating to see if non-geeks, er, people who don't use the computer a lot can do this with the same rate of success.
Posted by DFStuckey in Auckland New Zealand on Wed Oct 12, 2005 at 10:24 PM
It would be fascinating to see if non-geeks, er, people who don't use the computer a lot can do this with the same rate of success.
This is not like the pat your head, rub your stomach thing as many people have suggested. The reason it's so difficult is the fact that your right hand and right foot both use the left half of your brain (both your left hand & foot use the right half). This causes problems when you are trying to make them do two entirely opposite motions (ie..foot turning clockwise, hand turning counterclockwise).
Posted by Nathan on Sat Oct 15, 2005 at 12:23 PM
I think the pattern seems to be that people who have hobbies or jobs where their feet and their hands are doing different things have no trouble with this.
My foot doesn't even have a tendancy to change directions when I start my hand. Then again, I have done 8 years of marching band, which is very much a seperation of hands (playing music) and feet (marching). Also, I've done dance with flag, so that too my hands were doing flag work, while my feet were moving me around or doing cool dance steps.
Posted by Razela in San Diego, CA on Sat Oct 15, 2005 at 09:23 PM
My foot doesn't even have a tendancy to change directions when I start my hand. Then again, I have done 8 years of marching band, which is very much a seperation of hands (playing music) and feet (marching). Also, I've done dance with flag, so that too my hands were doing flag work, while my feet were moving me around or doing cool dance steps.
I found this really easy, also patting your head while rubbing your stomach is easy too. And I don't do any drumming, and i am not ambidextrous. Maybe I should start drumming or writing with my left.
Posted by Giuliano on Sun Oct 23, 2005 at 07:30 AM
I saw this on Discovery channel and I thought it was BS because I have no trouble doing it both clockwise and counterclockwise.
And I had no clue that patting your head while rubbing your stomach was that kind of trick, I thought it was just people acting like retards.
What's next, you can't chew gum and walk at the same time?
Posted by The joke is on you! on Tue Nov 08, 2005 at 08:42 PM
And I had no clue that patting your head while rubbing your stomach was that kind of trick, I thought it was just people acting like retards.
What's next, you can't chew gum and walk at the same time?
Garbage.
I could outsmart my foot by writing "6" with my hand on a table, but not in the air. Odd.
(Inflammatory opening remark added to be cool like the other Tourette's people.)
Posted by Knarf on Sat Nov 19, 2005 at 12:17 PM
I could outsmart my foot by writing "6" with my hand on a table, but not in the air. Odd.
(Inflammatory opening remark added to be cool like the other Tourette's people.)
this effect is due to the fact that in 95% of right handed individuals and about 75% of left handed individuals, mathamatical computations are controlled by the left hemisphere of the brain, the same hemisphere that (generally) controls the right side of your body. why your foot changes directions is not known to me, but that's the general idea.
Posted by ian macinnis in NL Canada on Wed Nov 23, 2005 at 12:20 PM
Too easy.
I don't see any rule that says you can't start from the inside of the six and write it clockwise.
One of course now someone will try and change the rules mid game because they got beat.
Posted by Craig on Sat Nov 26, 2005 at 03:38 PM
I don't see any rule that says you can't start from the inside of the six and write it clockwise.
One of course now someone will try and change the rules mid game because they got beat.
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