The Number of Circles You See Determines If You’re a Narcissist: Exploring Optical Illusions, Personality, and the Myth Behind the Meme

Absolutely! Here’s a well-researched, intriguing, and thought-provoking article based on the viral meme-style quiz:

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# **The Number of Circles You See Determines If You’re a Narcissist: Exploring Optical Illusions, Personality, and the Myth Behind the Meme**

You’ve probably seen it on social media: a colorful, seemingly simple image filled with overlapping circles and a bold caption like *“The number of circles you see reveals if you’re a narcissist.”* Thousands of comments pour in — some people see 4 circles, others see 12, and everyone’s convinced their eyesight (or ego) just got exposed.

But what’s really going on here? Can an **optical illusion** truly detect narcissism? And how do illusions even work in relation to personality?

Let’s dive into the **science, psychology, and viral myth** behind this eye-catching trend.

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## 👁️ The Optical Illusion: What Do *You* See?

The image in question (you’ve likely scrolled past it on Instagram or Reddit) features a grid or a burst of colorful patterns with faintly drawn **circles hidden within geometric shapes or backgrounds**. The goal? Count how many **complete circles** you see.

Then, based on your number, a **personality judgment** is made — most notably, whether you have narcissistic traits.

But let’s get something straight:
**This is not a legitimate psychological test.**
It’s a fun meme based on **optical perception** — not actual narcissistic diagnostics.

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## 🧠 The Science of Optical Illusions

Optical illusions trick your brain into seeing something that isn’t there — or missing something that *is*.

Here’s how:

* Your brain tries to fill in gaps based on patterns it recognizes.
* It focuses on **contrast, color, and edge detection** — not necessarily accuracy.
* Illusions often rely on **figure-ground confusion**, where your brain flips between seeing the background and the actual shapes.

So when you view a complex image with overlapping shapes and faint lines, your eyes may literally **miss** parts of it — especially if the circles blend in.

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