Fact Check: No, this illusion cannot determine your state of mind

An image of an illusion is shared on social media with a caption which claims that the image has been created by a Japanese psychologist Akiyoshi Kitaoka. The post further claims that the image has been designed to help viewers to determine their state of mind. Vishvas News investigated and found that the viral claim is false.

Claim

An image shared on social media claims to have been created by a Japanese psychologist Akiyoshi Kitaoka. It claims that the image has been designed to help viewers to determine their state of mind. Essentially, if you look at these images and they appear to be still (RELAXED), moving slowly (MID-STRESS) and faster moving around (HI-STRESS), as stated in the caption of the viral image.

Investigation

Vishvas News started its investigation by observing the viral image. The image contained four winding circles positioned in a blue square background. Each set of the circles contains three rings in yellow, black and violet, which appear to move, in a first glance.

We searched online whether there is any Japanese psychologist by the name Akiyoshi Kitaoka and whether he has made any such claim.

Upon investigating, we found that the Japanese psychologist Akiyoshi Kitaoka do exist. He is a Professor of Psychology at the College of Letters, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan. His work can be seen on the official website of Ritsumeikan University.

We searched the social profiles of the Japanese psychologist Akiyoshi Kitaoka and found a post in which he suggested that the visual illusion has nothing to do with stress. H

Here is his tweet:

Vishvas News spoke to Dr. Esha Mehta, who is a Psychologist. She said: “Illusions are meant to trick people. This image has nothing to do with the state of mind or to determine the stress levels. The claim is completely false.”

Conclusion

No, the visual illusion shown in the viral post has nothing to do with stress or in determining the state of mind.